Looking for
Cheap
Charlotte Bobcats Basketball Tickets? |
Basketball
Arena Vitals
Opened: October 2005
Capacity: 19,568 seats
Mascot: Rufus D. Lynx
Dance Team:
Lady Cats
Team Chant: Let's Go Bob-Cats!
Draft Beer: $7.75
Hot Dog: $4.00 |
Time Warner Cable
Arena Address
333 East Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
704-688-9000
Get Directions
Arena Parking: $10.00 |
 |
NBA Basketball Arena Review
- Time Warner Cable Arena
 It’s no secret that the Carolinas
are a hotspot for the sport of basketball, so when the NBA’s
Charlotte Hornets left town bound for New Orleans, it was inevitable
that the NBA would bring a team back to the area. The Charlotte
Bobcats arrived in 2004 and with an appearance in last season’s
playoffs and the additions of NBA superstar Michael Jordan at the
helm, the team appears to be headed in the right direction. Their
home arena, Time Warner Cable Arena, is an incredible facility with
an array of fan amenities that’s second to none, so I was much
looking forward to attending my first game there as part of my
RoundBall RoadTrip.
My Charlotte Bobcats NBA experience
started in uptown Charlotte at a small bar and restaurant called
Ri
Ra Irish Pub. Ri Ra is a national chain of Irish pubs located in ten
major cities across the country including Atlanta, Georgia;
Portland, Maine; and Louisville, Kentucky. Each pub features an
antique bar, each one hundreds of years old, that was rescued by Ri
Ra founder Ciaran Sheehan from one of many sites all over Ireland.
Built in 1997, their location in uptown Charlotte is the chain’s
first and it features a Victorian bar at
 its center that was
originally built in the early 1800’s for the officer’s mess in the
Phoenix Park Barracks in Dublin. Throughout the pub, visitors will
find antiques dating back hundreds of years, including a restored
Guiness bar mirror and set of Dublin Corporation Ledgers written
from 1800-1840 that are located behind the bar. Interested patrons
can actually peruse the ledgers while sippin’ on a pint of Guinness.
I met my brother Erik there for a couple of dark chocolate colored
drafts and some bangers and mash. Taking a seat at the bar is like
being transported back in time to the cozy confines of a cold
evening in Leprechaun land. Ri Ra is a great pregame meeting place
with an excellent menu and some fine draft brews. After adequately
lubricating ourselves, we headed down Tyron Street for out next
pregame stop the Epicentre.
Located at the intersection of Trade and
College Streets, Epicentre is ideally situated to attend to any of
your pregame needs. With some excellent dining options, dance clubs,
and bars all located in an open air pavilion, it’s a convenient and
safe place either to begin your evening in Uptown Charlotte or cap
off the post game victory celebration. In essence, Epicentre is a
one stop shop for Uptown Charlotte nightlife. There’s even a bowling
alley and a movie theatre within the complex along with a multitude
of dining options to suit anyone’s taste. Essentially, over the
course of several days, patrons can try a variety of different
 cuisines, hit the sport bars and dance clubs, and have a multitude
of options at their disposal all located in the same place. I like
the Blackfinn American Saloon,
Flemings’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine
Bar and Enso Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar.
For Bobcats
pregame however, nothing beats a wood fired pizza over at
Brixx
located right across from Time Warner Arena. Hand tossed, thin crust
pizza is served with a variety of draft brews on tap and because
it’s located right next to the arena, it’s a popular gathering place
for Bobcats fans before and after the game. Personally I was most
impressed with their signature wood fired pizzas. With selections
like Jerk Chicken, Pear and Gorgonzola, Artichoke, Chicken
Florentine, or the Bronx Bomber there’s a pizza to suit all tastes,
and what can I say, there’s definitely something to the brick oven
baking process that really brings out the flavor in these pizzas.
 After
adequately stuffing myself on local delicacies and an ice cold
beverage of choice or two, it’s usually time to head over to the
arena. I was most surprised by the tight security in place
throughout the lower levels before gametime. Typically, NBA fans
have little trouble getting down to the courtside area, as long as
it’s early, to watch the teams warm up or to snap a photo or two
before the crowds file in. I got into the building an hour before
gametime and headed right to the lower levels as usual, but had a
very difficult time getting down there for photos. At Time Warner
Cable Arena, staff is instructed to check every ticket as fans enter
their section and only allow those fans holding lower bowl tickets
to access these areas. In some cases they were downright rude, even
as I asked to stand at the top of the section for a quick photo. I
could understand if we were minutes away from gametime and certainly
during the game, but overlooking an empty section well in advance of
tipoff, I’m not quite sure why it was necessary in this particular
arena to invoke Marshall Law.
 The concessions at Time Warner Cable Arena
are pretty good. Nothing exemplary, but it’s a solid menu offering
vegetarian options along with your standard fare such as hamburgers
and hotdogs. Prices are fair when compared to the rest of the NBA
and they have Budweiser products on tap. What sets Time Warner Cable
Arena concessions apart from their contemporaries is the “Rock the
Rooftop” indoor tailgating area that’s located on the Uptown
Concourse behind section 217. This fan friendly common area features
a full sized bar with tabletop seating where adults can gather with
their friends pre or post game while a live DJ keeps the party going
until tipoff. An interactive kidzone is also located adjacent to the
bar area so that while mom and dad are mingling, kids can play xBox
games or sharpen their skills on the practice courts. Concession
stands serve up tailgate themed foods and the area is open to the
public with free admission. It’s a great way to spend the pregame or
wait for the traffic to clear after the game has ended.
 A playoff team
last season, the Charlotte Bobcats has high hopes for the 2010-2011
NBA season. Tonight the Boston Celtics were in town, so it was an
opportunity for the hometown Bobcats to compare themselves to one of
the game’s elite. Unfortunately they apparently were not up to the
task. Lackadaisical on offense and over matched on defense the
Bobcats put in an embarrassing performance for the home crowd. They
were dominated by the big three, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul
Pierce with Rajon Rondo continuing to assert himself as one of
league’s best. Bobcats All-Star Gerald Wallace looked pedestrian
shooting 2-for-15 on the night with a combination of bricked
jumpers, missed layups and rejections in the lane on display for all
to see. The charlotte Bobcats managed a total of 62 points on the
night to post a 93 – 62 loss to the surging Boston Celtics.
Hopefully my next visit to Time Warner Cable Arena won’t be such an
embarrassment.
For More information on the city of
Charlotte, NC check out my other reviews by clicking on the links
below:
NBA:
Charlotte Bobcats, Time Warner Cable Arena - General Information
NBA:
Charlotte Bobcats, Time Warner Cable Arena - Stadium Tour
NFL: October 25, 2009 - Buffalo Bills vs. Carolina Panthers
NHL: Carolina Hurricanes, RBC Center - General Information
|
|
City of Charlotte Local Information |
|
Top Tourist Attractions:
NASCAR Hall of Fame
Richard Petty Driving Experience
Mint Museum
Local Foods:
Carolina BBQ, Fried Chicken, Brunswick Stew
Popular Bar Districts:
Uptown Charlotte (Buckhead Saloon, Bar Charlotte, Coyote Joe's, Tempo,
The Attic Bar, Breakfast Club)
The Epicentre (Suite, Kazba, Whisky River, Howl at the Moon)
Best Restaurants:
Uptown Charlotte (Mert's
Heart and Soul, Lavecchia's Seafood Grille,
Alexander Michael's, Chima Brazilian Steakhouse, French Quarter,
Capital Grille)
The Epicentre (Blackfinn American Saloon, Flemings’s Prime Steakhouse
& Wine Bar, Enso Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar)
Brixx Wood-Fired Pizza |
Fan
Resources:
Pocket Map of Charlotte
Arena Parking Map
Arena Fan Policies
Local Sports Media:
The Charlotte Observer
WBT 1110AM
Where To
Stay:
Find a
hotel in the downtown area as Bank of America Stadium is right
downtown. I would suggest the Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard Charlotte, or the
Residence Inn by Marriott.
Getting to the Arena:
Time
Warner Cable Arena is located in uptown Charlotte. There's plenty of
parking around the arena if you're coming from outside the uptown
charlotte area. If you're staying downtown, the arena is within
walking distance of most local area hotels. |
|
Planning Your Next Trip to see the
Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena?
NBABasketballArenas.com can help.
Below you'll find links for cheap Charlotte Bobcats tickets, arena seating
charts, local weather, hotel, and flight information.
|
|
|
NBA
AIRPORT CODES
Atlanta, GA (ATL)
Boston, MA (BOS)
Charlotte, NC (CLT)
Chicago, IL (ORD)
Cleveland, OH (CLE)
Dallas, TX (DFW)
Denver, CO (DEN)
Detroit, MI (DTW)
Houston, TX (HOU)
Indianapolis, IN (IND)
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Memphis, TN (MEM)
Miami, FL (MIA)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
New Orleans,LA (MSY)
New York, NY (NYC)
Newark, NJ (EWR)
Oakland, CA (OAK)
OklahomaCity,OK(OKC)
Orlando, FL (ORL)
Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
Portland, OR (PDX)
Sacramento, CA (SMF)
SaltLakeCity, UT (SLC)
San Antonio, TX
(SAT)
SanFrancisco,CA (SFO)
Toronto, Ontario (YYZ)
Washington,DC (DCA)
Other Cities |
Buy
Pre-Paid Parking for Charlotte Bobcats Games here:
|
 |
| |
|
COMMENTS?
Tell me about your
experience at Time Warner Cable Arena watching the Charlotte Bobcats. Please feel free to
post
any suggestions or comments you might have for my journey to
Time Warner Cable Arena, including the following:
- Local Hotspots (Bar
Districts, Restaurants, Clubs)
- Local Foods (Traditional Cuisine, Micro Brews)
- Your Experiences or Helpful Hints
- If you saw me let me know!
All commentary will be moderated. Your
e-mail address will not be
published. |
|
|
A
Production of Madness Unwatched LLC
Copyright
© 2009 - 2013 nbabasketballarenas.com. All Rights Reserved.
nbabasketballarenas.com
is not associated with the National Basketball Association in any
way.
Contact Us -
About Me
|
|
