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Best Seats at Scotiabank Arena
Scotiabank Arena is where Toronto’s biggest nights happen: Maple Leafs hockey, Raptors basketball, and one of the heaviest concert calendars of any arena in the world, all under one flat, hangar-shaped roof at the foot of Bay Street. It opened in 1999 as the Air Canada Centre, built inside the shell of the old Toronto Postal Delivery Building (the historic east and south walls still stand), and it sits directly on top of Union Station, so most of the region can reach its gates without stepping outside. Scotiabank took the name in 2018, and a $350-million “Reimagination” has since rebuilt the concourses, clubs and suites around the original bowl.
The honest reality is that a regular-season Leafs ticket is one of the most expensive in hockey, and the crowd that can afford it isn’t always the loudest one in the building. But when the Raptors get rolling, a headliner fills the floor, or the Leafs make a spring run, few rooms in North America get louder. Here’s where to sit for each.
Seating Guide
Scotiabank Arena is a two-bowl building: the 100 Level lower bowl (sections 101–122, about 28 rows) and the 300 Level upper bowl (sections 301–324, about 19 rows), with suites stacked on the 200, 400, 500 and 600 levels. The team benches for both the Leafs and the Raptors sit on the north sideline in front of sections 118–120, with the penalty boxes and scorer’s table across the floor in front of 108. The west end matters twice over: it’s where the Leafs shoot twice, and it’s where the stage goes for most concerts. Because the floor changes underneath you between hockey, basketball and concert layouts, a seat that’s a bargain for one event can be a mistake for another.
Best Non-Premium Seats
Sections 118–120, rows 10–20. Centre ice and centre court on the bench side, close enough to watch line changes and timeouts up close. Mid rows clear the glass for hockey and give real viewing height for basketball. The tradeoff is price, which spikes for Original Six opponents and marquee NBA nights.
Sections 107–109, rows 15–20. The mirror image across the floor, looking straight at both benches, with the penalty boxes below 108. These are sold as the arena’s Platinum seats, which carry Platinum Club access and in-seat service, and that’s baked into the price, so compare them against 118–120 before buying. The centre sections also have lower entry tunnels around row 3 on top of the main tunnels near row 20, which makes getting in and out easier than anywhere else in the bowl.
For hockey, stay in rows 15–25 of any centre section. Lower than that and the glass and boards eat into the near-side play.
Best Value Seats
Lower corners: 101, 106, 110, 117 and 121–122. You keep the lower-bowl proximity and angled views toward centre ice for noticeably less than the centre sections. Rows 10–20 are the sweet spot, because corner tunnels sit near row 20 and seats above them feel far for a lower-bowl price. Section 110 is a hockey pick, since the Leafs shoot twice at that end, but it’s one of the weaker lower sections for a concert.
Section 117 for Raptors games. It sits beside the tunnel the Raptors use to enter and leave the floor. Stay in rows 8 and below so you’re not above the tunnel mouth.
Budget / Cheapest Way In
300 Level sidelines: roughly 308–310 and 320–322, rows 1–8. The upper bowl here is a proper viewing deck, not a nosebleed, and the height helps you read plays. Entry tunnels sit just above row 3, and the aisles are steep, so the first eight rows are the easy ones. Sections 308–310 face the benches; 320 is the closest upper section to the Raptors bench.
Standing room. Scotiabank Arena sells standing-room tickets on a rail in row 19 behind sections 307–313 and 317–323, marked with an S after the section number (e.g., 319S). Every one carries an obstructed-view designation, but for a sold-out Leafs game it’s the cheapest way through the door.
Our Pick
Rows 15–20 of sections 118–120 for either team: the benches below you, the whole surface in view, and a tunnel a few steps up. For a concert, make it 109 or 118, rows 15–19.
What to Avoid (and What’s Worth Trying Once)
The upper rows of 301, 305, 313 and 317. The walls of the neighbouring end suites box in the view, and the higher you sit, the more it feels like watching through a tube.
Any row ending in X in sections 313 and 317 (rows 7X–18X). The X is the arena’s own obstructed-view marker at the west end. If it’s on your ticket, you’re partially blocked.
Lower rows 1–6 outside the glass seats at hockey. Low enough to lose the far end and look through the boards. Fun for the thud of bodies on the glass, frustrating for following the game.
Worth it once: Leafs glass or Raptors courtside. A row-one glass seat for an Original Six game, or courtside for a big Raptors night, is a story you’ll tell for years. You’re paying for proximity and noise, not for the tactical view, so go in knowing that.
Best Concert Seats at Scotiabank Arena
Most concerts here use an end stage at the west end, which drops capacity to roughly 15,800, while in-the-round productions open up the full bowl at about 19,800. The layout changes show to show, so check the event’s seating map before you buy.
Best Lower-Bowl Seats for Concerts
Sections 109 and 118. The front of an end stage lines up almost exactly with these sections, so you’re close without being pushed behind the stage. In 109 the higher seat numbers are closer to the stage; in 118 it’s the lower numbers. Rows 15–19 give the best height, and the concourse tunnels sit just above row 19.
Sections 108 and 119. Nearly as good for an end stage, and the best seats in the house when the production goes centre-floor or in the round.
Sections 110 and 117. Closer, at a sharper side angle, for less money. Skip the high seat numbers in 110 and the low numbers in 117, which have the hardest sightlines.
Floor Seats and General Admission
Floor rows can run into the 40s on a flat, unraked floor, so a tall person or a raised phone in front of you is a real risk. Single-digit rows are electric; past the mid-20s you’ve given up most of the proximity you paid for. General admission floor tickets enter through the Premium Entrance on Bay Street, not the regular gates, and on those nights Gate 3 stays closed until around showtime.
Best Upper-Level Seats for Concerts
Sections 310 and 320, rows 1–6. The best upstairs view of an end stage: close, without the extreme side angle. Sections 311 and 319 get you nearer but mostly look at the side of the stage; if you land there, take the lowest seat numbers in 311 or the highest in 319.
Concert Seats to Skip
Anything behind or tight beside a west end stage. The arena sells these as “side view” or “rear view” tickets when it sells them at all, and a rear-view seat can mean watching the back of the production for the whole night.
Two concert-night perks most people miss: ScotiaClub, the members-only dining galleries at Leafs and Raptors games, is open to every ticket holder at concerts, and Fan Services hands out free earplugs at Gate 1 and outside section 301.
Premium Seating & Clubs at Scotiabank Arena
The Reimagination rebuilt nearly every premium space in the building, and the lineup now runs from on-the-floor seats up through members’ clubs and a new upper-level club. Most of these are season or membership products, so single-game buyers usually get in through resale tickets that carry the access.
The Best Premium Experience
Leafs glass and Raptors courtside. Row-one glass seats come with access to the Platinum Club, the arena’s original fine-dining room behind the south-side Platinum seats, anchored by a 3,000-bottle wine cellar. Raptors courtside holders get a VIP entrance and in-seat service. Pricing swings hard by opponent, so watch the schedule before you commit.
Best Value Premium
ScotiaClub access tickets. The ScotiaClub galleries are mezzanine levels on the north and south sides of the 100 Level, with their own bars, food and washrooms, reached by staffed stairs. Tickets marked “ScotiaClub Access” turn up on resale for far less than a suite, and they buy you the thing that matters most at a busy game: a place to eat and drink without the main-concourse crush. At concerts, as noted above, you don’t need the ticket at all.
Other Premium Options
Mastercard Lounge is a members-only shared space in the southwest corner of the 200 Level, with all-inclusive dining and a chef’s table. MNP Pass Social Club is a members’ lounge on the Event Level where players pass by on their way from the locker room to the bowl. Rogers Club, formerly the Air Canada Signature Club and before that the Chairman’s Suite, is the event-level fine-dining room beneath the Platinum seats in 107–109, with a prime steak program from Harbour 60. Sher Club is an invite-only room that opens for every Leafs and Raptors home game.
The Loge Club is the newest addition: eight former loge suites on the 500 Level rebuilt into an all-inclusive, 100-person club. And Hot Stove, the steakhouse whose name goes back to Maple Leaf Gardens, sits on the 200 Level with its own entrance from the second floor of the Galleria, and it’s open to all ticket holders with a reservation.
Suites & Group Options
The rebuilt Mastercard Executive Suites on the 200 Level are the core product, backed by remodelled 400 and 500 Level suites, theatre suites on the 500 and 600 Levels, gondola boxes near the roof and dedicated concert fan suites. Suites come with catering, an attendant and a private entrance;
Scotiabank Arena Seating Chart
Scotiabank Arena holds about 19,800 for Raptors basketball and 18,819 seated for Leafs hockey, with standing room pushing announced Leafs crowds past 19,000. Concerts range from roughly 15,800 for a west end stage to around 20k in the round, and a curtained “concert bowl” setup scales it down to 8-10k for smaller shows. It’s the largest indoor arena in Toronto.
Two chart quirks worth knowing: an X at the end of a row number means obstructed, and an S after a section number means standing room. Wheelchair-accessible platforms are labelled 601A and 613A at the east end and are reached from behind rather than down the 300-level stairs. For event-specific layouts, use the arena’s official seating maps. In addition here are the interactive Maple Leafs and Raptors seating maps.
Maple Leafs and Raptors Tickets (Some Tips)
The Leafs are the toughest ticket in the building. Original Six opponents, the Canadiens above all, and weekend dates price like playoff games, while midweek games against Western Conference opponents are where the softer prices live.
Raptors demand has climbed back with the team’s return to the playoffs, but weeknight games against non-contenders remain the easiest good ticket in the building. Concert pricing depends on the tour; if a show isn’t selling out, lower-bowl sides and 300 Level centre seats tend to drop in the final days. Leafs tickets load into the Maple Leafs app, Raptors tickets into the Raptors app, and everything else into the Scotiabank Arena app.
Scotiabank Arena Events & Schedule
Beyond its two anchor tenants, Scotiabank Arena takes the big nights from across Toronto sports: the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo played three of its inaugural-season home games here in 2026, drawing 15,687 for its first game in the building, and MLSE has opened the lower bowl for $15 watch parties during Leafs road playoff games and the Blue Jays’ 2025 World Series run. For what’s on tonight or this week, check the Scotiabank Arena events calendar.
Grab Maple Leafs or Raptors tickets through our Vivid Seats partnership! This is your go-to source for great deals on any event at Scotiabank Arena. Raptors, Leafs, Concerts, Blue Jays over at Rogers, etc
Bag Policy for Scotiabank Arena
Only small purses, clutches or fanny packs smaller than 6.5″ x 4.5″ (16.5 x 11.5 cm) are allowed. Clear bags get no exemption, and backpacks are out. Medical bags are permitted after x-ray inspection at Gates 1, 3 and 5. For anything else, there’s a paid bag check in the Galleria across from Gate 1, with limited, first-come space. Scotiabank clients get one free bag check at Leafs and Raptors home games through Scotia Perks in the Scotiabank app.
Is Scotiabank Arena Cashless?
Yes. Debit, credit and contactless only, with Mastercard as the preferred card.
What Time Do Doors Open at Scotiabank Arena?
Gates open one hour before puck drop or tip-off, and concerts generally open 60 minutes before the listed start time. The Premium Entrance on Bay Street opens two hours early for suite and club holders.
For accessibility, there’s a dedicated accessible entrance lane at Gate 1, wheelchairs at the Fan Services desks on the 100 and 300 Levels, and a universal washroom with a ceiling-track hoist near section 114/115. During any event you can text Fan Assist at 647-694-0454.
Here is a full list of Scotiabank Policies
Getting To Scotiabank Arena
Take transit. The arena sits directly on top of Union Station, the busiest transit hub in Canada, and driving into downtown Toronto on an event night buys you gridlock and a long wait to get out.
Parking
The arena’s own two underground levels are reserved for suite holders and office tenants, apart from four accessible spaces bookable through Fan Services at (416) 815-5982. Everyone else should pre-book a nearby lot through SpotHero, the arena’s official parking partner, which beats drive-up rates and guarantees the spot. Budget extra time on nights when the Blue Jays are also home at Rogers Centre.
The best garage for a winter game is the Maple Leaf Square underground garage on York Street, entered off York or Bremner Boulevard. It’s open 24/7 and connects indoors to the arena, so you never touch the sidewalk.
Public Transit
Union Station puts the TTC’s Line 1 subway, GO Transit, VIA Rail and the UP Express from Pearson Airport (about 25 minutes) under one roof, with an indoor walk through the Galleria to the gates. Post-game, Union’s TTC platforms jam fast, and Metrolinx’s own advice for big crowds is to walk to St. Andrew station at King and University and board Line 1 there. The 510 Spadina, 19 Bay, 114 Queens Quay East and 121 Esplanade-River surface routes all serve the arena too.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft work, but Bay Street and Lake Shore lock up the moment a game lets out. Walk north a few blocks toward Front or King before requesting, and during the playoffs expect Maple Leaf Square closed to vehicles and Bremner Boulevard closed on tailgate nights.
The PATH
The arena connects through the Galleria to Toronto’s PATH, the underground walkway that runs through Union Station and north through the Financial District. In January it’s the difference between arriving warm and arriving frozen.
Scotiabank Insider Tips
Scotiabank Arena runs smoothly once you know which doors to use and when, and the atmosphere depends entirely on who’s playing. A Leafs regular-season night, a Raptors playoff game and a sold-out concert feel like three different buildings.
Inside the $350-Million Reimagination
Walk the 100 Level concourse before you sit down. It was rebuilt floor to ceiling with digital screens and gathering hubs, and it’s threaded with the Scotiabank Arena Art Collection, 76 commissioned pieces by 34 Canadian artists.
Use the Molson Brewhouse as your meeting point. It’s the redesigned 100 Level concourse bar and the building’s main pre-game social spot.
Head upstairs to the Coors Light Chill Zone above Gate 6, across sections 313–317. The upper-level social bar is the centrepiece of the renovation’s final phase, built around a 216-inch micro-LED screen.
Which Gate to Use at Scotiabank Arena
Enter at Gates 3, 4 or 5B. The arena itself points fans there for shorter lines than the main Gate 1 crush at the Galleria.
Ignore the gate printed on your ticket. It’s a suggestion, and you can enter through whichever line is shortest.
Scotiabank clients should use Gate 5. Scotia Perks gives them an express client entrance at Leafs and Raptors games, plus free popcorn and a shot at a seat upgrade.
Gate 6 is the Maple Leaf Square side. It’s where tours check in and where playoff crowds gather outside.
Scotiabank Arena Food: What to Eat
Get the brisket at Cherry St. BBQ on the 300 Level. It’s the stand from Toronto’s own Cherry Street smokehouse and the best food in the building’s cheaper seats.
Order a poutine at least once. The Poutinerie upstairs and St. Patties on the 100 Level both do fresh-cut fries, real curds and house gravy.
Try the prime rib sandwich from Hot Stove Carve. It’s the arena’s top seller, and you can order it to your seat through the Scotiabank Arena app.
Beat intermission lines at the Just Walk Out markets. Tap your card to enter Grains and Greens on the 100 Level or Molson Market on the 300 Level, take what you want and leave, with no checkout.
Eat cheaper before you go in. The Union Station food court (it closes at 9 PM) and the hot bar at Longo’s in Maple Leaf Square are both minutes from the gates and a fraction of arena prices.
Plan around nuts if you’re allergic. Nut products are sold throughout the building with no nut-free zones, and fans with allergies can call Fan Services ahead to arrange bringing their own food.
Watch Parties, Tailgates and Jurassic Park
Get a pass before you head to Jurassic Park. Raptors playoff tailgates in Maple Leaf Square are free but now require a mobile pass: enter the draw in the Raptors app from 9 AM the day before, entries close at noon, winners hear at 1 PM, and each winner gets up to two non-transferable passes. The square opens two hours before tip and closes its gates after halftime.
Register for Leafs playoff tailgates in the Maple Leafs app. Free passes open at 1 PM the day before each confirmed game.
Watch road playoff games inside the arena. MLSE has run $15 in-bowl watch parties on the big screen, with proceeds to the MLSE Foundation, and tickets go on sale through the team apps.
Understanding Leafs and Raptors Crowds
Expect a Leafs crowd that’s tense rather than rowdy. This is an Original Six club without a Stanley Cup since 1967, and the regular-season lower bowl leans corporate, so the noise builds with the stakes. The 2026 No. 1 overall pick, Gavin McKenna, has given the building a fresh reason to show up early.
Pick the Raptors for pure atmosphere. The crowd skews younger and louder, the “We The North” identity is real, and the 2019 title still gives every big night an edge.
Listen for the organ. Jimmy Holmstrom has a musical reply for every goal, penalty and momentum swing at Leafs games.
Exit Strategy
Go down, not out. Dropping straight into Union beats fighting for a rideshare at street level.
Walk to St. Andrew if Union is jammed. It’s about ten minutes on foot and gets you onto Line 1 ahead of the crowd.
Watch the clock on matinees. An afternoon game can let out straight into GO Transit’s rush hour, when Union’s tunnels are at their worst.
Scotiabank Arena Tours
Check in at Gate 6. Since May 2026, every tour enters there. Options run from the 60-minute Classic Tour to a 90-minute Premium Tour and a two-hour VIP Tour with an alumni host, booked through Ticketmaster.
Don’t book a tour on a concert day. They aren’t offered, and the Leafs and Raptors dressing rooms are off the route on each team’s home game days.
Keep your tour ticket. It gets you 10% off at Real Sports and Real Sports Apparel that day.
Families & Kids
Kids 24 months and under get in free on a lap; everyone older needs a ticket.
Grab a First Game or First Concert lanyard from Fan Services at Gate 1 or outside section 301.
Ask for an “If Lost Please Call” sticker at the same desks before you head to your seats.
Borrow noise-cancelling ear muffs for little ones. Fan Services lends them first-come in exchange for a piece of ID.
Check strollers at Fan Services, and use the nursing room on the 100 Level by Gate 1 or the sensory room added to the 300 Level.
Request a birthday message on the scoreboard through the forms on the Leafs and Raptors websites.
Autographs & Player Access
Sit beside the penalty boxes for the drama. They’re in front of section 108, with the Leafs’ box on the right half and the visitors’ on the left.
Keep any puck that reaches you. Pucks that enter the stands at Leafs games belong to whoever catches them.
Enter the Scotia Perks contests. Scotiabank clients can win access to Leafs morning skates on select game days.
Venue Apps & Tech
Download the right app before you leave. Leafs tickets live in the Maple Leafs app, Raptors tickets in the Raptors app, and concerts in the Scotiabank Arena app, which also handles in-seat ordering.
Text Fan Assist instead of hunting for staff. Send your issue and seat to 647-694-0454 for help with anything from spills to a broken seat.
Merch & Team Store
Shop Real Sports Apparel at Gate 1. It’s a 3,000-square-foot store with on-site jersey personalization and game-worn gear, and a second store now sits on the 100 Level concourse.
Buy during play, not at the horn. The post-game rush at the main store is the worst line in the building.
Things to Do Near Scotiabank Arena
Walk up to the Hockey Hall of Fame at Brookfield Place, a few blocks north. Eat a peameal bacon sandwich at Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market (closed Mondays). The CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium sit beside Rogers Centre, a short walk west.
Hotels Near Scotiabank Arena
Location is the whole game here: stay within walking distance or on the PATH and you’ll never need transit. Leafs weekends, playoff runs and big tour stops fill downtown hotels quickly, so book as soon as you have tickets.
Best Areas to Stay
South Core and Maple Leaf Square put you across the street from the arena. Union and the Financial District trade a few extra minutes of walking for PATH access, which matters in winter. St. Lawrence and Old Town, ten minutes east, are better value and closer to the city’s best food market. Harbourfront, just south of the Gardiner, gives you water views and an easy walk in.
Hotel Recommendations
Le Germain Hotel Toronto Maple Leaf Square is as close as you can sleep to the arena, a polished boutique hotel on the square itself with a bar that works for a pre-game drink. It’s the splurge for convenience, and nothing beats walking back to your room while the crowd queues for the subway.
Fairmont Royal York is the grand railway hotel across Front Street from Union Station, connected to the PATH, with the Hockey Hall of Fame a few minutes away. Rooms keep their classic style, which some guests love and some find dated.
Delta Hotels Toronto on Lower Simcoe is a short walk from both the arena and Rogers Centre, making it the obvious base for a Jays-and-Leafs weekend. Club-level rooms are worth the upgrade, and the garage is tight for bigger vehicles.
InterContinental Toronto Centre on Front Street West sits beside the convention centre, about a ten-minute walk from the gates, with a spa and a steady track record for service.
The Westin Harbour Castle is the family pick, on the water with a games room and harbour views, about ten minutes’ walk from the arena. Some of the building shows its age.
One King West is a historic tower at King and Yonge with big, apartment-style rooms a short walk from Union. Valet parking is expensive, so skip the car.
Budget Options
Novotel Toronto Centre on The Esplanade is a practical, well-located base near St. Lawrence Market and a ten-minute walk from the arena. Rooms are small and plain, and breakfast is overpriced.
Hotel Victoria on Yonge is a small, historic hotel minutes from Union with friendly staff and a good rate for the location. Some rooms feel dated.
Bars/Restaurants near Scotiabank Arena
Game-night Toronto clusters in three pockets: Maple Leaf Square outside Gate 6, the Front Street strip across from Union Station, and The Esplanade by St. Lawrence Market. King West and the Financial District pick up the overflow, and the whole area is built to absorb a sold-out crowd.
Best Pregame & Postgame Bars
Real Sports is the anchor, a cavernous bar in Maple Leaf Square with a two-storey screen and hundreds of TVs; on big nights you’ll need a reservation and should expect a minimum spend. The Loose Moose on Front Street is the big, loud, big-screen alternative two minutes from Union.
The Pint Public House, up the stairs on Front Street West, has one of the area’s best game-day patios. Scotland Yard Pub on The Esplanade is the best-rated pub in the area, with darts and a strong soccer crowd. E11even, next to Real Sports, is the quieter steak-and-seafood room with a good happy hour; it’s closed on Sundays.
Best Restaurants in the Area
Harbour 60 is the classic Toronto steakhouse just south of the arena and the same kitchen behind Rogers Club’s steak program; book ahead and dress up. Miku on Bay Street does flame-seared aburi sushi a few minutes’ walk from the gates, but it closes early, so go before the game. PAI in the Entertainment District is the city’s most famous Thai kitchen and has the lines to prove it.
Canoe, on the 54th floor of the TD tower, is the Canadian fine-dining splurge with the view to match, open weekdays only. For something cheap and local, the peameal bacon sandwich at Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market is Toronto on a bun.
Why You Should Go
Scotiabank Arena is Toronto concentrated into one room: a century-old hockey obsession, a basketball city that learned to believe in 2019, and a concert calendar that pulls in the biggest tours on the planet, all sitting on a rail hub a short walk from Lake Ontario. The renovation has made it feel new again without losing the weight of what happens inside it, and on the right night, when a Leafs playoff game hangs on one shift or a Raptors run sends the lower bowl to its feet, the whole city seems to lean toward Bay Street.
Come in the depth of winter, when the Leafs and Raptors are both home and downtown is alive after dark, and before anything else, stand in Maple Leaf Square outside Gate 6 and look up at the old post office walls the arena was built inside.
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Written by Brad Richards, Founder of Gameday Guides. This guide includes insights from personal visits as well as updated info from team sources, fan forums, and stadium policies. We aim to help you plan with confidence — enjoy your gameday.