Columbus’ Nationwide Arena Ranks Among NHL’s Top 10 Home Rinks
January 30, 2026
Ranking all 32 NHL teams’ home rinks, from Montreal to MSG and more
Article originally published by The Athletic | James Mirtle
Jan. 29, 2026
This article is part of our NHL Arena Rankings series, in which we rank all 32 current rinks and present stories about memorable rinks of the past and present.
A few weeks ago, we put out the call for The Athletic’s subscribers to weigh in with our first-ever NHL arena survey. Several thousand of you responded with in-depth perspectives from all 32 markets, including thoughtful commentary on all that goes into your favorite (or, in some cases, least favorite) buildings. Nearly 30 percent of responses came from readers who are full or partial season-ticket holders in these rinks, meaning they know their ins and outs better than anyone.
We’ve now compiled your answers in four key categories — location, amenities, atmosphere and affordability — into a “Fan Score” and combined that with our own beat writers’ ranking that factors in an outsider’s perspective into what makes a particular arena great. The overall ranking is heavily weighted (80 percent to 20 percent) on the fan perspective.
Here’s how we interpreted those four key categories:
Location: As simple as it sounds. Is the building in a convenient spot? Is it near great bars and restaurants? Can you take public transit and/or is parking abundant and easy to get in and out of? Are there intangible factors that place this rink in a great area of town?
Amenities: This includes everything from the seating and sight lines, food and drink options, the jumbotron and anything else that makes this building special beyond the team on the ice.
Atmosphere: How loud and engaged is the crowd? What about the in-game experience, promotions and music? Is there a fun vibe or is it a drag to watch your favorite team play here?
Affordability: “Expensive” obviously is a subjective concept, but we asked fans to consider everything from ticket prices to the cost of food and beverages, parking and merchandise at the rink.
In some cases, the answers were to be expected, especially at the top of the list. But I came away surprised with a lot of what we learned here, and I think ultimately it made for a fascinating project. Hopefully you agree.
The cannon is a key attraction at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.Ben Jackson / NHLI via Getty Images
6. Nationwide Arena, Columbus
Capacity: 18,144
Opened: 2000
Location: 9.4 (3rd)
Amenities: 8.2 (12th)
Atmosphere: 7.7 (20th)
Affordability: 7.5 (1st)
Fan score: 8.4 (4th)
Beat writer score: 6.4 (15th)
Overall: 8.0
Blue Jackets fans are quietly some of the best in the league, given how little they’ve had to cheer for in the franchise’s history, and these survey results help highlight their genuine affection for their team.
Columbus folks stuffed the voting with a ton of love for Nationwide, praising the location in the bustling Arena District, the great sight lines and unique design of the building.
