Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City has become known as one of the world’s most famous venues. It has been home to many events, and whether you are looking to attend a concert, basketball games, or an ice hockey match, the ‘best’ seats depend, at least in part, on what you enjoy. However, these tips may help.
Concerts:
- Floor Seats: If you want a hybrid experience where, at least in theory, you can be at the front of a stage and not reading from a score but still have easy access to the bar, floor seats are your best bet. But the flat stage means that if your vision-obscuring behemoth acquires that coveted spot in the front row, your view will be of the back of his head.
- Lower Level Sideline: Sections 107-109 and 116-118 are positioned directly to the side of the stage providing great sideline views.
- Peanut Gallery: Sitting in these sections will often be the most inexpensive, but come with the chance that you will be looking at the back of someone’s head, or the back of the performer.
Basketball (e.g., New York Knicks):
- Lower Level Sideline: Sections 106-108 and 116-118 provide excellent views of the court.
- Club Seats: Above and beyond beautiful stadium seating, the Delta Sky360 Club and the Madison Club offer premium seating experiences with extra amenities such as food and beverage service.
- Upper Level: If you’re not too budget-conscious, this is where, on the court side, you get a bird’s eye view and like with the lower level, the front rows of sections 210-212 and 223-225 sit fairly far behind the lower level.
Ice Hockey (e.g., New York Rangers):
- Lower Level Center Ice: Sections 106-108 and 116-118 offer views near center ice.
- Club Seats: Again, the Delta Sky360 Club and the Madison Club provide luxury seating plus extras.
- Upper Level: The cheapest seats are in the front rows of sections 210-212 and 223-225.
Other Factors:
- Near Exits: Sit near the exits in order to beat the crowd as they leave at the end of the show.
- Proximity to Amenities: If the event you’re attending will last an hour or longer, it’s nice to be nearby to the restrooms and concessions stands.
- Jumbotron view: At times we really need bare sight of the big screen… when the live performance is really far off or is obstructed.
Ultimately, best seats, then, are a matter of individual preference, and depend on what kind of proximity you’d like to have to the performers or players – whether you prefer an overhead perspective or a side view, how much you’re willing or able to spend. If you’re really interested in where to sit, then you should look at the event’s specific seating chart (MSG, for example, has got just one). You could even search some reviews of people who have attended similar shows at MSG before to get an idea.
