Full Breakdown
NBA Cup Championship Moves to Hinkle Fieldhouse for First Time Outside Las Vegas
7/1/2026, 5:02:25 AM
NBA Cup Final Moves to Hinkle Fieldhouse
The NBA announced that the 2026-27 Emirates NBA Cup Championship game will be played on Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The 9,100-seat arena will host the league’s first Cup final outside Las Vegas, which held the event for its first three editions.
Background: Prior Cup Finals and Venue Choice
The NBA Cup, introduced as an in-season tournament, crowned the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023, Milwaukee in 2024, and the New York Knicks in 2025. All three finals were held in Las Vegas before the league selected a historic college arena for the 2026-27 championship.
Key Figures
NBA commissioner Adam Silver led the venue search. Kelly Flatow, NBA Head of Global Events, oversaw planning. Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics basketball operations president, highlighted the arena’s reputation for loud crowds.
Venue Profile
Built in 1928, Hinkle Fieldhouse seats about 9,100 fans. It has hosted six U.S. presidents—Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton, and George H.W. Bush—plus the 1954 Indiana high-school championship that inspired the film “Hoosiers.” The arena also held NBA games in the past and WNBA contests in 2022, and Indianapolis native Oscar Robertson played there during his high-school career.
Impact on NBA Calendar
League officials say the move will make the Cup a “signature moment” on the NBA calendar and may broaden fan engagement by linking professional competition with the heritage of college basketball venues.
Official Statements & Responses
Silver noted the league’s search for storied college arenas. Flatow said the venue offers a special setting to capture the excitement and drama of the championship. Stevens emphasized the arena’s loud atmosphere as an asset for the event.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Hinkle Fieldhouse offers a special setting to capture the excitement and drama of the Emirates NBA Cup Championship,” — Kelly Flatow, NBA Head of Global Events
- “Playing the championship in an iconic basketball environment like this will further establish it as a signature moment on the NBA calendar.” — Kelly Flatow, NBA Head of Global Events
- “and it gets as loud as loud gets.” — Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics basketball operations president
What’s Next: Upcoming Schedule
The NBA will finalize ticketing and broadcast details in the coming months. The 2026-27 Cup tournament will culminate with the Dec. 11 final at Hinkle Fieldhouse, marking a historic first for the competition.
