Photos by Greg Venuto, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14
Westchester County Center 198 Central Avenue White Plains, NY 10606
Year Opened: 1930
Capacity: 5,000
Westchester Knicks Have a Home in White Plains
The Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League have made the Westchester County Center their home since 2014. It is a multi-purpose arena in downtown White Plains, New York approximately 33 miles from midtown Manhattan. The building is owned by the Department of Westchester County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Westchester, which plays in the Eastern Conference, is the affiliate of the NBA’s New York Knicks.
The G League, the letter G originates from its sponsorship by Gatorade, was founded in 2001 as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL). Every NBA team has a G League entry and there is one additional entry. The Mexico City Capitanes made their G League debut in the 2021-22 season playing exclusively on the road. The season consists of at least 50 games. The 2024-25 NBA G League season structure included two parts. The first segment was the second time 16-game Tip-Off Tournament. All 31 teams competed in the Tip-Off Tournament which culminated at the G League Winter Showcase presented by The General Insurance with the Winter Showcase Championship Game. The Winter Showcase concluded on December 22 with the Westchester Knicks defeating the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the final. The Knicks have won both tournaments.
Following the tournament, team records were reset before the 34-game regular season which began on December 27. After the regular season, the top six teams in each conference qualify for the G League Playoffs presented by Google Pixel, which concludes with the G League Finals presented by YouTube TV beginning April 1.
Top players who were called up from the G League include Danny Green, Alex Caruso, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Duncan Robinson, Christian Wood, and Hassan Whiteside.
On January 1, 2025, Tyler Kolek appeared in a rare double-header for the Knicks and the Westchester Knicks. Kolek, a second-round pick in 2024, scored 36 points and 11 assists for the Westchester Knicks and just hours later scored 2 points and 4 assists for the New York Knicks.
The County Center is the perfect venue for a G League team. The venerable building, which opened in 1930, holds 5000 but the Knicks never come close to filling the building. The County Center does not host many other events. Dancing With the Stars, the Royal Hanneford Circus, Card Shows, and Trade Shows are some of the events that come to the County Center.
The County Center also hosts the Section One high school basketball championships (consisting of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, and Rockland Counties) the first week of March. Two semifinal games and a championship game are played in three Classes and the championship game is in Class D.
Food & Beverage 3
The Westchester County Center concession stands are run by Nathan’s and offer standard food choices such as burgers, hot dogs, cheesesteaks, chicken fingers, salads, French fries, popcorn, pretzels, soft drinks, and beer. Pepsi products are the beverage of choice. Mixed drinks, white claw, and high noon are also available downstairs at a small bar.
Atmosphere 3
The County Center, renovated in 1988, has seating behind the South basket but has a Stage on the North Side called the Founders Club. The club is the Westchester Knicks version of the Delta Club at Madison Square Garden. A VIP wristband allows fans access to unlimited premium food, soft drinks, and a postgame free throw and photo at center court. There is additional premium seating with 10 round courtside tables on the right side of the building with six seats at each.
There are nine rows of seats just behind the basket on the lower level which cost $22.25 per ticket. On the left sideline, the front section has nine rows of seats, and another section with eight rows.
There are two video boards in the corners at the North End and one board above the basket in the South End that shows the lineups on the floor and running statistics. There are side line scoreboards that flash team statistics including rebounds, shooting percentage, assists, turnovers and time outs remaining. The boards are updated in real-time and are quite informative.
The Knicks roll out many contests during time-outs and between quarters to get the crowd into the action including the always popular T-Shirt toss. The staff and the mascot, named Hudson, enthusiastically attempt to fire up the crowd and wave “Let’s Go Knicks” signs. Hudson’s jersey number is 914, the area code for Westchester County.
The recorded organ sounds reverberate throughout the arena to ignite the offense, while the sound system blares a drum to enlist the chant of “De-fense” from the crowd. Just like a typical NBA game, the sound system is rarely silent. The sounds and music are played at an acceptable decibel level.
Neighborhood 3
The area, which is safe, is fairly limited for pre-game options, but at least there are a few restaurants within walking distance on Central Avenue (City Limits Diner is probably the best option) and Smashburger is .3 miles away on Tarrytown Road. There is also Buon Amici, a solid classic Italian sit-down restaurant.
The good news is the building is right off the Bronx River Parkway and less than a 10-minute walk to Metro North’s White Plains train station. It is also served by the Westchester County Bee Line Bus System.
Fans 3
The Knicks do not draw big crowds but are popular with families, kids, and groups (schools and local recreational teams). On a weeknight, sometimes only 500 or more are in attendance but the weekends can attract crowds close to 2000. The crowd is somewhat complacent and waits for a big play or to be prompted by the music or scoreboard.
The County Center was used as an emergency healthcare facility during the pandemic for almost three years. The Knicks had to play two seasons at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport Connecticut and only averaged 711 fans in 2022-2023 the second worst in the league. They returned to the County Center last season to the delight of the locals.
The best places to follow the team are on social media including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Twitch TV, TikTok and the team website.
Access 4
The good news is the County Center is easily accessible by car, bus, and a short walk from the downtown White Plains office and shopping district. There is also a Bee Line Bus Terminal and a Greyhound bus station next to the Metro North Station.
The lobby/box office is small and can get crowded as game time approaches. The line to get in can back up as tip-off approaches.
The seats are wide and offer excellent legroom since it is an older building. The only issue is the extremely small steps and no railings in the aisles which can be problematic. The design of the building is a benefit since there are no luxury suites and the upper level is situated directly above the lower which allows fans to be close to the court.
The bathrooms are large and clean.
Return on Investment 4
The return on investment is affirmative except for the first row in the lower level which are called celebrity seats and run $149. Lower level tickets are $49 but seats in the corner are only $16.85. Upper level is $28.60 at midcourt, $22.25 behind the basket. Section 60 right and 60 left upstairs offer a solid vantage point for $22.25. The upper level offers an excellent view but the sideline closest to the seats is not visible unless you are seated in the first two rows. The view directly behind the basket is somewhat obstructed. But if seated just to the right or left of the basket the view is stellar.
Parking is $15 and there are two lots directly outside the building. There is free street parking if you are willing to drive around and hunt.
The best bet for saving money is to sign up for texts and get 10% off merch plus information about ticket deals and giveaways.
Extras 2
Points are awarded for the excellent views of the court from the balcony and also for the two Westchester Knicks School Day games which begin at 11:00 AM.
Final Thoughts
The Westchester County Center is worthy of a Stadium Journey. The Knicks provide fan-friendly entertainment and a chance to see talented players up close and at an affordable price. It is a worthy outing for families and fans of all ages.
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