Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena is a hockey rink in Columbus, Ohio, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL, Metropolitan Division). It opened in 2000, making it 26 years old in 2026 and seats 18,144 for hockey. That makes it the 18th-largest rink in NHL.
Its record crowd is 19,434 hockey (vs. Boston Bruins, March 5, 2022) – franchise record.
Rink facts
- Location
- Columbus, Ohio
- Home of
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- League
- NHL · Metropolitan Division
- Opened
- 2000
- Capacity
- 18,144
- Record crowd
- 19,434 hockey (vs. Boston Bruins, March 5, 2022) – franchise record
- Also home to
- Columbus Fury (MLV)
- Size rank in NHL
- 18th of 32
Famous moments at Nationwide Arena
- Blue Jackets' first game, 5–3 loss to Blackhawks (2000)
- 2015 NHL All-Star Game (2015)
- Fairleigh Dickinson upset No. 1 seed Purdue 63–58 (2023)
- NHL Entry Draft (2007)
- First Blue Jackets home playoff game, before a record crowd of 19,219 (2009)
- First Blue Jackets home playoff win, 4–3 in overtime over Pittsburgh (2014)
- U.S. Figure Skating Championships (2024)
Game night
Getting there. COTA CoGo routes 3, 6, 8, 9, 72, 74
Seating & views at Nationwide Arena
Hockey capacity is 18,500. The arena bowl has modern scoreboards and LED ribbon boards around it.
Parking & tailgating
There are more than 15,000 parking spaces in lots and garages within a 10-minute walk, including the McConnell and Front Street garages. Several COTA bus lines stop within about a block of the arena.
Sources: Wikipedia, nationwidearena.com
Plan your trip to Nationwide Arena
Rinks near Nationwide Arena10
- 1NCAAValue City Arena — Ohio State Buckeyes same city
- 2ECHLHeritage Bank Center — Cincinnati Cyclones 99 mi
- 3NCAAGoggin Ice Center — Miami RedHawks 99 mi
- 4NCAASlater Family Ice Arena — Bowling Green Falcons 102 mi
- 5ECHLHuntington Center — Toledo Walleye 120 mi
- 6ECHLWesBanco Arena — Wheeling Nailers 124 mi
- 7AHLRocket Arena — Cleveland Monsters 127 mi
- 8ECHLAllen County War Memorial Coliseum — Fort Wayne Komets 134 mi
- 9USHL/NAHLCovelli Centre — Youngstown Phantoms 143 mi
- 10Junior ANature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre — Leamington Flyers 144 mi
Questions about Nationwide Arena
Where do the Columbus Blue Jackets play home games?
The Columbus Blue Jackets play at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
How many people does Nationwide Arena hold?
Nationwide Arena seats 18,144 for hockey.
When did Nationwide Arena open?
Nationwide Arena opened in 2000.
What is the attendance record at Nationwide Arena?
The record crowd at Nationwide Arena is 19,434 hockey (vs. Boston Bruins, March 5, 2022) – franchise record.
What other rinks are near Nationwide Arena?
Value City Arena is also in Columbus. See the full list of nearby rinks on this page.
Where do you park at Nationwide Arena?
There are more than 15,000 parking spaces in lots and garages within a 10-minute walk, including the McConnell and Front Street garages. Several COTA bus lines stop within about a block of the arena.
What is the seating like at Nationwide Arena?
Hockey capacity is 18,500. The arena bowl has modern scoreboards and LED ribbon boards around it.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your rink? Get the “Listed on RinkGuide.com” badge for your website.