Seating Chart · Value City Arena · Columbus
Value City Arena Seating Chart — Section Guide & Best Seats
Value City Arena is a 18,809-seat arena in the Ohio State University campus (Schottenstein Center) area of Columbus. At arena scale, seating decisions come down to one central trade-off: proximity versus full-court (or full-rink) view. Courtside and rinkside puts you closest to the action but sits low to the floor. The lower bowl balances nearness and a complete view of the field of play. The upper bowl is the value tier — and for fast-moving sports where reading the whole sheet of ice or full court matters, it often rewards you with a wider, more tactical vantage. Knowing which sections work best at this specific 18,809-seat venue is the difference between a great seat and one that misses half the play.
Upcoming Events & Ticket Prices at Value City Arena
45 upcoming events are listed at Value City Arena, from Sun, Nov 15 to Sun, Mar 7. The most common start time is 6:30 PM local time (14 of 45 events with a published time), and 25 of the 45 dates fall on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The cheapest seat currently listed is $7 for Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Basketball vs. Akron Zips on Wed, Dec 2 (6:30 PM local start); the dearest get-in is $47 for The Harlem Globetrotters. The most expensive listing is $1,200 per ticket (Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Northwestern Wildcats) — that gap from the cheapest seat is why it pays to compare sections on the seating chart before you buy.
| Date | Event | Local start | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Nov 15 | Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights | 1:00 PM | $14 |
| Mon, Nov 16 | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Prairie View A&M Panthers | 6:30 PM | $9 |
| Wed, Nov 18 | Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Basketball vs. Mississippi Rebels | 7:00 PM | $9 |
| Thu, Nov 19 | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. UMBC Retrievers | 7:00 PM | $9 |
| Fri, Nov 20 | Ohio State Buckeyes Hockey vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 6:30 PM | $16 |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Ohio State Buckeyes Hockey vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 5:00 PM | $16 |
| Tue, Nov 24 | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Vanderbilt Commodores | 7:00 PM | $34 |
| Sun, Nov 29 | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Lipscomb Bisons | 5:30 PM | $16 |
Showing the next 8 of 45. See every Value City Arena event
Value City Arena — Venue Profile
Venue Scale & What It Means for Seating
Value City Arena seats 18,809, putting it in the mid-range for arenas. This capacity typically means three distinct seating tiers with meaningful price and sightline differences between them. The lower bowl is close enough to read jersey numbers, the club level balances comfort and view, and the upper bowl delivers a full-court or full-rink tactical perspective at a fraction of the lower-bowl price.
How Value City Arena’s Construction Affects Seating
Built in 1998, Value City Arena is a 28-year-old venue that predates the modern wave of stadium and arena construction. The seating bowl balances the steeper rake angles of older designs with wider concourses than pre-1970 buildings. Seat widths and leg room are typical of the era — adequate but not as generous as venues built after 2005. The sightlines benefit from a generation of design that prioritized viewing angles over luxury suites.
Section Breakdown — Value City Arena
Each section is rated by sightline quality, best use case, and what to avoid — so you can match the section to your priority before you buy.
Floor-level seats at Value City Arena put you within feet of the players, but you sit low and can lose the far side of the action behind bodies and benches. They carry the highest prices in the building. The back rows of the floor are essentially a lower-bowl view without the elevation, so compare prices: if back-floor is within $20 of lower-bowl reserved, the bowl seat wins on sightline every time.
Center sections in the lower bowl at Value City Arena are the most desirable reserved seats. Value City Arena's 18,809-seat layout has a standard section count per level, typical of mid-sized arenas across the league. Aim for center-court or center-ice rows 10-25 — far enough up for full sightlines, close enough to read jersey numbers without the scoreboard. Corner sections nearest the goals can flatten your angle on the far end of the play; worth checking the interactive seating map before buying.
Club-level seats at Value City Arena typically include wider seats, dedicated concourses, and in-seat food service. The trade-off is a railing overhang directly above that can clip the center-hung scoreboard and video board. Loge rows 2-5 keep the full board in view better than row 1.
Upper-bowl tickets at Value City Arena routinely go for 40-70% less than lower-bowl equivalents. For fast, tactical sports — hockey, basketball — the upper bowl is often the optimal viewing tier because the whole sheet of ice or full court reads as a single picture. Stick to upper-center sections rather than side corners for the straightest sight angle on the action.
Best Seats by Use Case — Value City Arena
Different priorities call for different sections. Here are the picks for the most common seating decisions at this 18,809-seat arena.
Upper-bowl center sections at Value City Arena deliver the best cost-per-experience ratio. You pay 40-70% less than lower-bowl and get a complete view of the full field of play. The best vantage for following fast, tactical sports from above.
For clean sightlines without compromise at Value City Arena, lower-bowl center sections offer the best angle on the action. Rows 10-25 here are the consistent pick for buyers who care about reading jersey numbers and watching plays develop without relying on the scoreboard.
Families with younger children at Value City Arena should target lower-bowl aisle seats, which allow easy exit for bathroom trips and keep kids close to the concourse. Center-bowl rows give the clearest view of the whole game for first-time fans.
Accessible seating at Value City Arena is available across multiple price tiers. The accessible-seating interface lists companion seats alongside ADA positions. Wheelchair platforms are typically located at accessible vantage points with ramp and elevator access to all levels.
Getting to Value City Arena in Ohio State University campus (Schottenstein Center)
Value City Arena sits in the Ohio State University campus (Schottenstein Center) area of Columbus. The neighborhood around the venue shapes the pre-game and post-game experience — dining options, walkability, and transit connections all factor into how early you should arrive and how you plan to exit after the event. Arriving early gives you time to explore the area and avoid the last-minute parking or transit rush that peaks 30-45 minutes before doors.
Price Tier Expectations — Value City Arena 2026
Right now the cheapest listed seat at Value City Arena is $7 and the most expensive is $1,200. The tiers below are ranked from most to least expensive ($$$$ to $) for a 18,809-capacity arena; exact prices depend on the matchup and how close to the date you buy, and each event’s seat map shows the live price per section.
Premium proximity pricing; dynamic on game day.
Mid-tier; best seats in this range book first.
Value pick in the lower section.
Comfort premium; includes amenities.
Best value; strong sightlines for reading the whole game.
Cheapest seats; verify sightline before buying.