Went to the Kohl Center for the first time to attend a Men's basketball game. The game was the Michigan State Spartans vs the University of Wisconsin Badgers. Going through the security was quick and painless. The security alarm went off due up my metal wallet. So I took it out it was all good. We arrived about 30 minutes before the game started so we hung out near the concessions. We purchased a couple cold beverages. Pricing for the beer was just as expected, it was $11 each. Decided to get food at halftime. We got to it seats to tip. The seats were easy to get to, we were in section 222. The seats were comfortable and the view of center court was perfect. The fans were friendly as I was wearing Spartan gear. I thought I would get some chirping from the Badger faithful. At the half, the lines were long to get food. It took a while to get through but our luck, it seemed the other lines were moving much quicker. While we were halfway to the register we were informed they ran out of beer!!!! I think that is a sin to run out of beer in Wisconsin! We got our food, I got pizza and my friend got a brat. Prices were as expected , I forgot what I paid for both of us but it was about $23 total including a water. We arrived to our seats a little late as they started the 2nd half. Overall, I had a better experience than my Spartans as they lost by more than 20 points. I did hear about it from one fan I responded, "That's ok, I still feel good cause I'm a Chicago Bears fan!" And he quickly gave turned away and has nothing else to say. LOL. I had a good time. Slow concession lines and running out of beer (at least in our concession stand) is why i rated it a 4. I'm sure Tom Izzo would have given his experience a 1 star. read more

Kohl Center - Michigan State Team warming up. Too bad they never got hot. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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It's a UW sports complex... they've really upped their food offerings over the last several years. The facility is well maintained... meets expectations. read more

Really great event center! Quick to get through security. Seats are easy to find. Was generally very clean for the amount of people in the arena. read more

Came here for our first Badgers basketball game! Event parking was $15 at the nearby UW garage. We got there a little early and toured the entire stadium where we learned so much history of various sports. Our seats were very close to the front and we met Bucky for the first time. Seats were not as comfy but couldn't expect too much since it's not NBA. Food and drinks were ridiculously expensive. read more

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Hard to believe that given all of the visits to Madison over the decades I had never been to any event in the Kohl Center. Now living here I made it my goal to get to an event as soon as possible. We picked up tickets to a Wisconsin basketball game and headed down on a Wednesday night. We had time to check out the facility and enjoyed all of the displays of the different Wisconsin sports and athletes in the concourses. The arena space itself seems well laid out and pretty typical. I was surprised that the rest rooms were so small and poorly marked. Unlike others I was not surprised that they didn't serve booze given it was an on-campus facility. We didn't try any of the food but there looked to be a good selection with some nice Wisconsin touches like the Supper Club stand. Parking is also a challenge but if you are willing to walk 10 mins or so you can find cheap and uncongested parking downtown. read more

Kohl Center - Badger basketball - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Had a very great time at the Kohl center. Very clean and well kept. Entertainment was top notch. Fan experience was awesome. read more

Always good memories coming here for the UW Badgers Basketball games. I have nothing but fond memories, no matter who the opponents they're playing against. They have metal detectors now at the door, which is a plus since you don't have to unzip your jackets anymore and feel like a flasher. No more flashlight searches in ladies' purses either! . . . . . Hope you're still watching and falling asleep at the games, Marty. Even up there. read more

Kohl Center - Badger basketball - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

No alcohol at a Metallica concert? First of all, parking was a little confusing. After getting in the slow moving traffic that was leading up to the venue, we had to turn around, drive around and figure out where to park. Luckily about 20 mins later, we got a spot in a random parking lot behind the venue. That lot charged us $15. I don't think there's an actual venue lot to park in. There was no alcohol being served. Yeah I get it, rules are rules and this is a campus town. No beer at a Metallica concert just doesn't sound right though. On the bright side, I was able to remember the concert very well and saved a lot of money. The positive, everything was very clean. The bathrooms, concessions and just the whole arena itself. I'm also used to being at bigger arenas, so considering this arena was smaller made the concert a bit more intimate. The fact that there was no alcohol made for less rowdy people everywhere as well if that's your thing. I would definitely go back if there was a worthy concert. Now I know where to park and how much pre-drinking I should do. read more

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Took my son to see a Badgers basketball game on a cold Tuesday night. It was Badgers vs the Indiana Hoosiers. Of course the Badgers beat them thanks to a dominant performance by Ethan Happ. He scored a seasons best 28 points. The stadium is beautiful, clean venue, and best of all screams Badger Pride. We enjoyed our first trip to the Khol Center and we will return for another! Fly the W read more

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The Kohl Center is always full of interesting events: Art, Celebrations, Graduations, Games, Concerts and the like. The concession prices are ridiculously high, and the popcorn is so salty you will have to buy a $4.50 water(that costs $1.25 in real life). A great experience, promoting Breast Cancer Awareness month. My first college basketball game ever. I'm so glad we were able to attend. read more

Kohl Center - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I started going to the Kohl Center just a few years after it opened as a season ticket holder for Badger Hockey, and the facility still looks like new after twenty years of being open. That is pretty impressive. Everything is bright and clean, and operations run pretty smoothly in my experience - security checks are quick but thorough, lines move fairly fast, I've never really had to wait for the bathroom, and it's pretty speedy to get out after an event. I've attended dozens of hockey games, my college graduation ceremony, and a handful of concerts over the years. All have gone smoothly and been enjoyable experiences. Concessions are on the pricy side, but no worse than any other large venue ($4 water, $4.50 soda, etc.) and it's true, they don't serve alcohol. I'm personally there for the event so not having an adult beverage doesn't bother me, but it does seem to surprise/bother people. It had been a couple of years since I'd last been to the Kohl Center, but I think I need to get back for some Badger hockey this year! read more

During women's basketball season, you can find me courtside. It is a great facility! Bathrooms are usually clean and easy to get into. Staff and Volunteer Concessions are friendly. I've been here for many different types of sports and concerts. I will keep coming back. Only thing keeping this from being perfect is the RC cola drinks. Gross. Come on, Badgers! Bite the bullet and get better drink choices. Even the Badger Max Water is not great. It's water, it shouldn't taste weird. The drinks do not stop me from attending games but I don't spend as much on concessions as I used too. read more

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Of course I love the Badgers, but we're talking about the venue here people. Walking into the Kohl Center is like walking into an NBA arena. Its great in that it's basically brand new (1998) but it most definitely lacks that "college basketball arena" feel. The place seats 17,190 people (just ~1,000 less than the Bucks at the Bradley Center) for Buckys sake! Now let's talk about the placement of the student section, another important feature of college venues. Pretty bad in my opinion. Of course a place built in the late 90's and primarily funded by donations (named after US senator Herb Kohl who donated $25 mil of his own cash) more than likely isn't going to put student placement first. You've got to have your rich alumni sitting lengthwise along the court and also have tons of luxury boxes. Surprisingly to me (as far as the building structure itself), the Kohl Center is considered one of the most raucous home courts in the Big Ten and in all of college basketball and boasted a 38 game home winning streak in 2001 (no doubt thanks to whiskey-filled student section and upper deck). However, of course the place gets loud, has new top notch equipment for the prospective and current athletes, and has a really cool blown glass decoration as you walk in the main gate. If you can get suite tickets, do it. Its all you can drink bottled beer and food (chicken fingers, pizza, variety of dips, chips, and veggies. After visiting games at older stadiums (Illinois, Duke, Northwestern) I can only imagine seeing a Badger hoops game (I've seen other events) at the old Field House. read more

Kohl Center - Kohl Center front in the daytime - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We're here for a basketball game and had a suite provided by an employee. Food and drink and an enjoyable game to watch. The games at the Kohl Center are always a blast. The service in the suite was excellent. read more

Kohl Center - Enjoying a Suite at a Badger Basketball game. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The Kohl Center is a pretty basic facility, but I give credit to its management for continuing to find ways to improve the fan experience. The concession options are sub-par, there's no alcohol served, the seats so-so in comfort and there's no dedicated parking. The bathroom facilities get crowded at breaks, but kept remarkably clean, given the volume of fans using them. The security staff does a decent job getting fans through the metal detectors before the game. Kudos to the UW for the recent upgrade to the video scoreboard, whose crystal-clear screens can be easily seen from any seat in the stadium. And the recent addition of graphics that can be projected on the court was appreciated as well. With all that said, I do love the Kohl Center. The student section is often as entertaining as the team on the floor and there always some activity going on during the breaks to keep the crowd engaged. And there's nothing like the electricity of a Kohl Center crowd when a close game is on the line. read more

I'm not very sportsy, but I am rocky, so my review of the Kohl Center is based on my experience at the Foo Fighters concert on November 7, 2017. Foo Fighters = A++++++++++ Kohl Center = C or C- Pros: - The building is laid out nicely. There aren't bottlenecks at the doors when people are entering the arena. Getting in/out of the building is easy, and the concourses are roomy. - Getting through security is quick and efficient. The security consisted of a purse check and walking through a metal detector. Coats/jackets could remain on. - The bathrooms are big, clean and have lots of stalls. The bathroom lines (even with a sold-out event) are short. - The arena itself is clean. It seems like a totally new structure even though it was built in 1998. - Ushers are friendly and helpful in directing you to your seat. - Parking is not bad. While there really isn't ample parking very close to the arena, we only had to walk a few blocks after parking in the State Street garage. Cons: - Concessions are very limited and not vegetarian- and/or health-friendly. The choices included hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, mac & cheese, ice cream and some candy items. A larger variety of food options -- wraps, various sandwiches, salads -- would have been nice. - Concession stands were quite pokey. I stood in line for over five minutes with only two orders in front of me. The people working the concession stands did not appear to work quickly or try to keep the line moving. - Alcohol. I understand the campus is a "dry" campus, but a FF concert isn't a school event. Why is alcohol not served at a rock concert? It's my understanding that the Kohl Center has served alcohol at other concerts before. The answer I received from the concession stand lady was that alcohol is not served at the Kohl Center because any venue associated with the UW doesn't serve alcohol. How does this explain alcohol sales within the suites at the Kohl Center? While I'm happy Foo came to Madison for a concert and I enjoyed the show, I don't plan on returning to the Kohl Center. read more

Kohl Center - Foo Fighters at the Kohl Center on November 7, 2017. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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As a general rule, sports facilities make for poor concert venues. The Kohl Center proves this to be doubly true. Metal roof, concrete floor = bad sound. We had good seats for the Foo Fighters tonight but everything sounded like it was being shot out of a metal tube. I'm sure the place is great for Big 10 action but a concert without a beer is just bad. The Beatles could reunite here for a once only show and I'd take a pass. The staff were friendly but I won't be back. read more

This is a beautiful venue for sporting events. We attended a Badger hockey game and loved it. The facility is top notch with video screens everywhere, even in the restrooms! Concession prices are high, what do you expect? There seemed to be a good variety of items, including Babcock hall ice cream. The production of the game was great, including Bucky Badger and the UW band members. I wish we lived closer! We would come to more events here. Note that tickets bought online are print at home and you must bring a hard copy for admission. read more

This place is a piece of liberal garbage. We were at the semi final games on Thursday and we got in the problem and my wife was carrying a purse. We walked six blocks to get to the gate and the rent a cops said that her purse is a bag and wouldn't let her in. She had to walk back six more blocks. What a liberal piece of garbage. I will never again come to this piece of crap. read more

I haven't been to a game at the Kohl Center in 16 years. The game was great, fun to watch. Parking is terrible and the concessions were the worst of any venue I have ever attended. There were only 2 booths and 1 ice cream stand for several thousand people, 5 total workers. This place doesn't allow any carry in food. So disappointed! Hire food trucks! read more

Other than overpriced everything this place is pretty nice and big. Security is friendly and always fast and convenient when getting people through the doors. Bathrooms are pretty nice here. Love coming here for Badger Basketball games! read more

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It's hard not to be sentimental about the Kohl Center - I love going to hockey games, I love how awesome the atmosphere is when it's full and the band is going nuts and I love the Badgers. But the building itself - can kind of be a pain in the butt. I mean, it's not really any better or worse than any other big stadium I've been too, but it does have its quirks. If I'm being nitpicky, for non-students, the parking situation is atrocious. There are inexplicable railings in the 300 level that pretty much block my whole view while sitting down, making me think no one actually USED the seats before they finished the whole thing off. I don't think there's any rhyme or reason as to where the restrooms are put (sometimes I can pass two or three men's rooms before finding the ladies room), the sensors on the sinks in the restroom NEVER work, the placement of some of the concessions lead to serious concourse traffic jams and the cement stairs are kind of treacherous in the winter months. But the atmosphere always more than makes up for those things and you don't really notice them, so there's that. read more

Came to see the last men's hockey game of the season. Was not sure what to expect...but this place is very nice and clean. All the seats are good...there is really no bad views....If I had to choose one...it would be the nose bleed area...but even up there, you can see everything. read more

I like UW sports. UW sports plays here. How can I ask for much more? It's rather stark inside but feel the suites and amenities definitely make up for it. On Wisconsin! read more

Until the University of Wisconsin can convince the band director to retire, the Kohl Center will continue to decline as an exciting and intimidating place to watch Big Ten basketball. I have probably attended 99% of the men's games played at Kohl Center, and there has been a steady and rapid decline in atmosphere over the past three seasons. Every single game, and I mean EVERY SINGLE GAME, the game day routine is exactly the same. Half the student seats are empty for at least 75% of the games, probably because they are sick of being forced to do the Time Warp dance again, and again and again. If I have to watch Space Wisconsin played at the under-8 timeout in the second half and kill any life in the building during big game, I might just have to become a Marquette fan. Fun and excitement are currently dead at Kohl Center. read more

I can't give 5 stars because as others have said parking isn't great. $15 for a spot on the third floor of the ramp an hour pre-game. We were almost run over by other cars trying to park. But the check in was smooth, insulin pumps and supplies weren't an issue through the metal detector. Concessions were short lines and pretty decent for a hot dog and soda. The salted pretzels could probably remove the ice in your driveway though, so brush a bit off first. Seats are comfortable (ish) and I cannot complain about the entertainment and crowd. read more

Kohl Center - Senior night with UW Badgers Hockey - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Just got done seeing Metallica here. They put on a great show, but.... Don't plan on drinking a beer at the Kohl Center, unless of course you pay a lot of money for one of those fancy box suites. Alcohol is ok for them but not for the general audience. I would recommend you find a different venue for concerts. I read somewhere that they kept their bathrooms clean during events and there were never long lines. That is not true. I don't mind lines personally but they absolutely do not keep them clean. Dirty is all I really can say. I did find the staff friendly but the concessions they were selling rather pricey. $5.75 for a Pepsi and $3.00 for a bottle of water is a bit much. They are charging beer prices for a Pepsi. Go see Metallica or any other band you wish just don't go see them at the Kohl Center. read more

Stopped in for a concert the other evening. It was easy to get through security and the building is well organized. Lack of star for extremely expensive water at like almost $5. The bathrooms were clean and the seats comfortable. I would come back. read more

UW Men's Hockey! I'm not even a UW student or alum, but I love the atmosphere of this place during a hockey game. The students are really rowdy and that chants are a mix of hilarious and incensing. Surprisingly, the place almost never seems dirty, even near the end of a game. The bathrooms always seem relatively clean, too, which is really surprising. The food is decent for a sports arena, if overpriced (hey, you're captive at the game, what are you gonna do?). Considering the price of a hockey game here, it's a reasonably inexpensive and very fun way to kill an evening. read more

Home to the Badger's hockey and basketball team, this place is nice and clean, fairly easy to find, and has some nice displays, too. I haven't been here for a basketball game, but I have been here for plenty of hockey games. The tickets are always a good value for the kinds of seats you can get. From my 10+ different experiences here the bathrooms are cleaner than what you'd expect and the seating area is usually pretty clean--no sticky floors here! There's plenty of concession areas, including separate areas for hotdogs/nachos/pretzels/etc. and areas for sweets. This is, however, a dry stadium so don't expect to find any alcohol being sold. There's plenty of entrances around the building, which helps to avoid the pushing and general impatience that happens when you go to sporting events at other places. Ample parking all around, you can park on the street or in a parking garage nearby. Most of the time the parking garages all cost the same amount and most are nice and toasty during the wintertime. Now go cheer on the Badgers! read more

Greatest Arena in the State of Wisconsin quite possibly the Best in College Sports and every game's always a sellout and it's a small Arena and Loud as Hell so keep up the Good work Badgers and Bring home a National Championship this yr. read more

Kohl Center - After the SemiFinal Game on Friday night good Win GTOWN. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I have been coming to the Kohl Center for many years for all sorts of events - basketball, hockey, concerts etc. Today I was at the Kohl Center for a men's hockey game. The Kohl Center is a great facility. The bathrooms and very large and always nice and clean and accessible. There are a lot of concessions options- the different concessions have been updated recently and some of them are more classy than the traditional standard concession options. The atmosphere at the Kohl Center is awesome and there is almost always a large crowd. They have also upgraded to metal detectors at the doors to enter, increasing safety. I have not noticed a huge increase in wait time to get into the facility because of this. They have a lot of space as well and are very accommodating for people with disabilities. Overall, the Kohl Center is still a top notch facility for sports and it is well kept and inclusive of all ages and abilities. read more

Kohl Center - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Despite the size of the Kohl Center it is a great environment to watch some Big 10 basketball! It is on the bigger end of basketball arenas for the Big 10 conference. It is number 3 in size behind Ohio State and Indiana. The students are into the game which is nice to see. There are even decent views of the court from the high up sections. read more

Superb acoustics for the Paul McCartney Concert in June 2019. Great acoustics for Aerosmith, the VERSy FIRST concert open to the public in February of 1998. Clean, new, very user friendly and easy to find everything. Fresh, tons of light with the glistening of the exquisite glass sculptures that adorn he whole Kohl Center. Beautiful art all over really shows a beautiful combination of homage to the ARTS and sports!!! Love it! Took my band kiddos every year to the UW-Varsity Band concerts and the staff was great. However, the staff that was hired out for the Paul McCartney Concert wee absolutely horrible yelling at the crowd in people's faces....MULTIPLE times. Very rude. These screaming man and women bosses kept walking and screaming at the top of their lungs at all of us as we entered. It was SO extremely unprofessional. I was flabbergasted the Kohl Center would have managers that treat their workers and patrons with such disrespect. Especially after paying over $1000 for a ticket!!! Bad form, Kohl Center...... read more

This is absolutely an amazing place to watch an amazing basketball program. You walk in and see all the red and all you can do is smile. Amazing place. read more

Kohl Center - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Even though it doesn't have the old fashioned charm of the Field House, The Kohl Center is a fantastic place to watch a Sporting event. I have been here for several things and have had a great time every time! The Wheelchair seating is fantastic and I love the fact that they have options at all price points. The staff is always friendly and helpful, too. The food options are the best I've had at any College Venue. I always save room for an Ice Cream Cone from The Sweet Shoppe! read more

Nickel and dime you. Water $4.00 for 20oz bottle. Don't allow you to bring in your own empty water container. No re-entry for an all day high school event forces you to eat what they serve at their prices. What about those financially stressed that want to support their kids. WIAA please find another location every high school family can afford to watch state finals and not have to spend an arm and a leg to watch their state qualified high school wrestlers compete. read more

Came here to see a Wisconsin hockey game with some friends who live up this way. It was a super clean arena (let's face it, I've been in some nasty arenas!) and your feet didn't stick to the floors! Awesome turnaround time too as there was a Wisconsin/Michigan basketball game earlier in the day, and we arrived at 6:30 for the hockey game. Of course, the ice was softer than normal (poor kids were sliding EVERYWHERE!), but that's to be expected with a full house basketball game earlier that day. Consessions were decently priced, and everyone was friendly. read more

Great place for college sports.

Attended my first ever Badger hockey game on Fri night and loved it. Loved this cute stadium and all of the traditions but if I'm writing a critique (and I think I am)- I'm removing a star for the parking situation. It's bad. And expensive. And pricey. And downright confusing, especially for out-of-staters. But I did like the family feel of the Kohl Center and the variety of concessions and the souvenir shop. Everyone was friendly and the lines, while maybe long, were running quickly. I do wish we could have had a few beers, though. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and hope to be back. read more