Photos by Greg Venuto, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Westchester County Center 198 Central Avenue White Plains, NY 10606
Year Opened: 1930
Capacity: 5,000
Knicks On the Rise In Westchester
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. Both the New York Liberty of the WNBA and the New York Streets of the National Arena League (indoor football) play their home games at the County Center. Their slogan is “Watch Us Rise,” and the Knicks have accomplished that by winning their first playoff game in franchise history this 2019 season.
Food & Beverage 3
The Westchester County Center concession stands are run by Nathan’s and offer standard food choices such as burgers (bacon cheeseburger $5.50), hot dogs ($3.49), boneless wings, salads, french fries ($3.79 for large), popcorn and soft drinks. Beer ($7) and mixed drinks are also available. There is a small cash bar on the lower level and beer is available on both levels. The bathrooms are large and clean.
Atmosphere 3
The County Center, renovated in 1988, has seating behind the South Basket, but has a Stage on the North Side called the Heineken Club. A special ticket to a baseline table that seats six or a table on the stage that seats four gains entry to that section and includes all you can eat food and soft drinks. 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 Knicks roll out many contests during time-outs and between quarters to get the crowd into the action. The staff and the mascot, named Hudson, enthusiastically attempt to fire up the crowd and wave “Let’s Go Knicks” signs.
The team employs a DJ who plays loud music and recorded organ sounds to ignite the offense, while the sound system blares a drum to enlist the chant of “De-fense” from the crowd.
Neighborhood 2
The area is fairly limited for pre-game options, but at least there are a few restaurants within walking distance on Central Avenue and Smashburger is .3 miles away on Tarrytown Road.
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 2
The Knicks do not draw big crowds, but are popular with families and kids. The crowd is somewhat complacent and waits for a big play or to be prompted by the music or scoreboard.
The building holds 5,000 and typically is not even half full. The team does suffer from lack of promotion and media coverage, although ticket deals are available on Groupon.
The best places to follow the team are Facebook and Twitter 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. Some fans said the wait to get in can be long.
Return on Investment 5
Tickets are reasonably priced and can be purchased for as little as $10. They often run BOGO specials and ticket deals can be had on Groupon. Food is not too expensive and much cheaper than a night at Madison Square Garden.
Parking is $15 right across the street from the County Center but there is usually free or metered parking nearby in a safe neighborhood.
Extras 2
The Knicks offer Fan Experience Opportunities for groups of 25 or more. These include singing the anthem or performing at halftime, watching the team warmup from the bench and running out with the team before tip-off.
The old venue is also a good extra on its own.
Final Thoughts
Westchester Knicks games are a fun and inexpensive night out. The caliber of play in the G League is fairly high and the games are usually over in just over 2 hours. Even though some of the court (the baseline or near sideline) may not be visible from certain seats, on the whole the County Center is a nice place to watch a game as fans are close to the action.