Harlem Globetrotters

Your Complete Guide to Harlem Globetrotters 2026/2027

The Harlem Globetrotters have been performing their distinctive blend of basketball wizardry, comedy, and audience participation since 1926, making the 2026/2027 tour their centennial celebration. What sets a Globetrotters show apart from a regular sporting event is the pacing. Every few minutes there is a new trick, a new comedy bit, or a moment where players pull fans out of the stands to participate. Kids do not need to understand basketball to be entertained. The dunking, ball-spinning, trick shots, and slapstick humor translate across every age group. A typical Globetrotters event runs about two hours, broken into four quarters with built-in timeouts that serve as mini entertainment breaks.

The Globetrotters tour hits arenas across the country, and three marquee venues for the 2026/2027 season are Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., and Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Crypto.com Arena, located at 1111 S. Figueroa Street in downtown LA, seats roughly 19,000 for basketball configurations. The arena underwent significant upgrades in recent years and offers wide concourses, numerous food options, and family restrooms on multiple levels. Capital One Arena sits at 601 F Street NW in the heart of Washington's Penn Quarter neighborhood and holds about 20,000. It is one of the most accessible major arenas in the country thanks to its location directly above the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. Barclays Center in Brooklyn, at 620 Atlantic Avenue, seats around 17,700 for basketball and features a modern design with excellent sightlines from every section.

Seating strategy at a Globetrotters game is different from what you would consider for a concert or a theater show. The lower level near the court is where the real magic happens for families. Players routinely walk along the baseline and sideline during breaks, offering high-fives, autographs, and photo opportunities to fans in the first several rows. If your child dreams of touching a basketball that was just used for a trick shot, lower bowl seats in sections closest to the team benches and tunnel areas are your best bet. That said, any seat in the arena works for enjoying the show thanks to the Jumbotron, which broadcasts close-up replays of every major trick and dunk. Upper level seats are significantly cheaper and still provide a full view of the court, making them a budget-friendly option for families who want the arena atmosphere without the front-row price tag.

Transportation to these three venues heavily favors public transit. For Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the LA Metro system is your most efficient route. Take the Expo Line or Blue Line to the Pico station, which is a short walk from the arena entrance. If you are driving, the arena's official parking structures on Figueroa and Chick Hearn Court run $25 to $40, and pre-purchasing a parking pass online typically saves $5 to $10 over the drive-up rate. Rideshare pickup and drop-off zones are located on Chick Hearn Court. For Capital One Arena in D.C., the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station on the Red, Green, and Yellow lines exits directly at the arena's front door. This is genuinely one of the easiest arena arrivals in the country, and families with strollers or young walkers will appreciate not having to cross busy streets or navigate parking garages. Barclays Center in Brooklyn is served by the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center subway station, where ten different subway lines converge, including the 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R, and LIRR. It is arguably the best-connected arena by public transit in the entire country. If you do drive, parking garages on Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues run $25 to $45.

Ticket prices for the Globetrotters vary widely depending on the venue and section. Upper level seats typically start around $25 to $40, while lower bowl sideline seats range from $60 to $120. Courtside and VIP experiences, which may include a pre-game meet-and-greet with players, warmup participation, and signed merchandise, generally run $150 to $250 per person. Weekend afternoon games are the most popular with families and sell at a premium, while weeknight games, particularly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, offer better prices and thinner crowds.

For families attending with younger children, a few practical details are worth knowing. The show involves confetti cannons, air horns, and amplified music, so children who are sensitive to sudden loud sounds should bring ear protection. Concession lines at large arenas can be long, especially during the quarter breaks when everyone heads to the concourse at once. Buying food before the game starts or waiting until the second half keeps wait times shorter. Many arenas now have mobile ordering through their apps, which lets you order from your seat and pick up at a designated counter. Restrooms on the lower concourse tend to be less crowded than those on the main entry level.

The Globetrotters actively encourage fan interaction throughout the show. Players pick volunteers from the crowd for comedy bits, invite kids onto the court during timeouts, and often stay after the game to sign autographs at the tunnel exit. Arriving early for warmups gives you additional time to watch the players practice their trick shots up close, and they are often more approachable during this pre-game window than during the post-game rush.

StubHub is a practical resource for finding Globetrotters tickets, particularly for games at high-demand venues where primary inventory sells through quickly. The platform lets you see available seats mapped onto the arena layout so you can judge exactly how close you are to the court before you buy. For families buying multiple tickets, being able to see contiguous seat groups on the map is a significant advantage. Tickets purchased through StubHub include a buyer guarantee that covers cancellations, postponements, and any issues with ticket validity.