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Can You Bring a Backpack Into NBA Arenas? Rules by Venue

Of the 30 NBA arenas we have verified for backpacks, 4 allow them with limits, 24 ban them and 2 do not say. Rules can change by event, so check the event page for your date too. Each venue below shows its own rule, the official page it comes from and the date we read it.

Last updated

At a glance

NBA Arenas compared
30
State a rule
28
Last check
Oct 4, 2026

How the verified NBA arenas treat backpacks

Allowed with limits: Madison Square Garden, Kaseya Center, Barclays Center and State Farm Arena.

Not allowed: United Center, Toyota Center, Fiserv Forum, Chase Center, Crypto.com Arena, TD Garden, Scotiabank Arena, Xfinity Mobile Arena, Ball Arena, Capital One Arena, Little Caesars Arena, Target Center, Delta Center and Spectrum Center and 10 more.

Not mentioned on the pages we read: Moda Center and Intuit Dome. We do not guess for these, so ask the venue or check the event page.

A verdict here is a summary of the venue's own wording, and the rows below give that wording. Rules can change by event, so a game and a concert at the same venue can differ. See the backpacks guide for how every kind of venue treats them.

What each of the 30 NBA arenas says

Each row is the venue's own rule, with the official page it came from and the date we read it.

Backpack

  • American Airlines CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks and large totes are prohibited, and the arena has no area to check oversized bags or luggage.

    American Airlines Center arena FAQ page, checked

  • Ball ArenaNot allowed

    Backpacks are on the list of items not allowed.

    Ball Arena prohibited items page, checked

  • Barclays CenterConditional

    The pages do not name backpacks. Any bag larger than 10 x 6 x 2 inches is prohibited, so a backpack would have to fit that size.

    Barclays Center bag policy page, checked

  • Capital One ArenaNot allowed

    Bags, backpacks and purses are not permitted inside the arena.

    Capital One Arena policies page, checked

  • Chase CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks are not permitted. The only exceptions are single-compartment drawstring bags and single-compartment fashion backpack-style purses, which still have to fit the size limit.

    Chase Center bag policy page, checked

  • Crypto.com ArenaNot allowed

    Backpacks and bags of any size are on the prohibited list. Clear backpacks are not an exception.

    Crypto.com Arena A-Z guide, checked

  • Delta CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks, bags and purses are prohibited at all events.

    Delta Center arena policies and FAQ page, checked

  • FedExForumNot allowed

    Only clear bags up to 6 x 8 x 2 inches are allowed, so backpacks are out.

    FedExForum know before you go page, checked

  • Fiserv ForumNot allowed

    No backpack, large duffle or luggage is allowed at any time. Backpacks are on the prohibited list.

    Fiserv Forum A-Z guide, checked

  • Frost Bank CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks, oversized totes or purses, duffel bags, luggage, camera bags, laptop bags and drawstring bags that exceed the size limit are not permitted.

    Frost Bank Center bag policy page, checked

  • Gainbridge FieldhouseNot allowed

    Backpacks are on the prohibited items list.

    Gainbridge Fieldhouse prohibited items page, checked

  • Golden 1 CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks are on the prohibited items list.

    Golden 1 Center prohibited items page, checked

  • Intuit DomeNot stated

    The guide does not name backpacks. The bag limit of 10 x 6 x 2 inches for clutches, with 14 x 14 x 6 for medical and childcare needs, would rule most out.

    Intuit Dome A-Z guide, checked

  • Kaseya CenterConditional

    Backpacks, briefcases and duffle bags are prohibited when they are larger than 10 x 6 x 2 inches, which in practice rules out almost every backpack. The guide offers no check-in for them.

    Kaseya Center A-Z guide, checked

  • Kia CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks and bags are on the prohibited items list.

    Kia Center policies and procedures page, checked

  • Little Caesars ArenaNot allowed

    Any bag larger than 4 x 6 x 1.5 inches is prohibited, so backpacks are out. Hard-sided bags are not listed as permitted either.

    Little Caesars Arena prohibited items and entry policies page, checked

  • Madison Square GardenConditional

    The FAQ does not name backpacks. They fall under the bag rule, so one is fine if it fits under your seat and stays within 22 x 14 x 9 inches.

    Madison Square Garden FAQs page, checked

  • Moda CenterNot stated

    The guide does not name backpacks. A soft-sided one within 10 x 6 x 2 inches for basketball, or 14 x 14 x 6 for other events, would meet the size rule.

    Rose Quarter venue guide (A-Z), checked

  • Mortgage Matchup CenterNot allowed

    Standard backpacks are not permitted. Single-compartment drawstring bags that meet the size limit, and purses or diaper bags that resemble backpacks within 14 x 14 x 6 inches, are allowed.

    Mortgage Matchup Center policies and rules page, checked

  • Paycom CenterNot allowed

    Any bag larger than 6 x 9 x 2 inches is prohibited, so backpacks are out.

    Paycom Center security policies page, checked

  • Rocket ArenaNot allowed

    Backpacks of any size are on the prohibited items list.

    Rocket Arena security policies page, checked

  • Scotiabank ArenaNot allowed

    Backpacks are not named, but bags and luggage are on the prohibited list and only a small purse-type bag is allowed. A backpack does not fit that limit.

    Scotiabank Arena bag policy page, checked

  • Smoothie King CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks and knapsacks are on the prohibited items list.

    Smoothie King Center A to Z guide, checked

  • Spectrum CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks are on the prohibited bag list, along with totes, briefcases, luggage and cinch or drawstring bags.

    Spectrum Center A-Z guide, checked

  • State Farm ArenaConditional

    Backpacks are prohibited, apart from single-compartment drawstring bags and fashion backpack purses that meet the size limit. The bag policy page says backpacks of any size are prohibited, so the two pages are worded differently.

    State Farm Arena prohibited items page, checked

  • Target CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks are on the list of prohibited items.

    Target Center arena policies and FAQ page, checked

  • TD GardenNot allowed

    Backpacks are not named, but only bags up to 6 x 4 x 1.5 inches are allowed, clear bags included, so a backpack does not fit. Diaper bags and medical bags are exceptions.

    TD Garden policies page, checked

  • Toyota CenterNot allowed

    Backpacks are on the prohibited list, along with luggage and large bags of any kind.

    Toyota Center A-Z guide, checked

  • United CenterNot allowed

    No backpacks or other bags are allowed beyond the small purse or personal bag. Required medical equipment is the exception.

    United Center FAQ page, checked

  • Xfinity Mobile ArenaNot allowed

    Backpacks, suitcases and large multicompartment bags are restricted.

    Xfinity Mobile Arena security policy page, checked

Keep comparing

Questions about backpacks at NBA arenas

  1. It depends on the venue. Of the 30 NBA arenas we have verified, 28 state a rule for backpacks, and the rows above show each one with its source.

  2. United Center, Toyota Center, Fiserv Forum, Chase Center, Crypto.com Arena, TD Garden, Scotiabank Arena and Xfinity Mobile Arena and 16 more ban them, according to the official pages we read.

  3. Often. The venues we have verified say rules can change by event, so check the event page for your date and the venue page linked above.

Sources for this page

Every rule above comes from one of these official pages. They open in a new tab.

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