The San Diego Sports Arena opened on November 17, 1966, in the city’s Midway District, built by local sports entrepreneur Robert Breitbard for about $6.4 million. More than 11,000 fans packed the building for its debut, a San Diego Gulls hockey season opener, and the arena quickly became the city’s primary indoor venue for professional sports and major entertainment for decades.
Over its run under that name, the arena was home to the NBA’s San Diego Rockets and later the San Diego Clippers, the ABA’s San Diego Conquistadors, and multiple eras of Gulls hockey and Sockers soccer. It also hosted the 1971 NBA All-Star Game and the 1973 heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton. The building still stands today, renamed Pechanga Arena after a string of naming-rights changes.
- Houston Rockets played here 1967–1971. See every Rockets arena →
- Los Angeles Clippers played here 1978–1984. See every Clippers arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): San Diego Rockets (NBA), San Diego Clippers (NBA), San Diego Conquistadors (ABA), San Diego Gulls (hockey), San Diego Sockers (soccer)
- Location: Midway District, San Diego, California
- Opened: November 17, 1966
- Capacity: About 14,500 for basketball, up to roughly 16,100 for boxing
- Current name: Pechanga Arena
- Notable fact: Hosted the 1971 NBA All-Star Game and the 1973 Ali vs. Norton title fight
A Launchpad for San Diego Pro Sports
Before San Diego had an NFL stadium or an NBA team of national note, the Sports Arena was the city’s proving ground for major-league sports. The Rockets played there until relocating to Houston in 1971, and the Clippers moved in from Buffalo in 1978, giving San Diego an NBA tenant for six seasons before that franchise, too, left town. The ABA’s Conquistadors and years of Gulls hockey and Sockers soccer filled the gaps in between.
Boxing, All-Stars, and a Long Second Life
The arena’s biggest single night came in 1973, when Ken Norton upset Muhammad Ali there to win the NABF heavyweight title. It had already hosted the 1971 NBA All-Star Game, cementing its reputation as a venue capable of drawing national sports attention. After its original teams left, the building kept working as a concert hall and multi-sport venue, cycling through names like iPayOne Center and Valley View Casino Center before becoming Pechanga Arena.
Explore more: Explore more iconic stadiums and arenas.
For late-season football, outdoor hockey and October park nights. Shake, pocket, and stay warm for hours.
12 x 10.5 x 6 in. — built to the common stadium clear-bag size. Check your venue's rules.
USB-charged warmers for cold night games — no disposable packets.
San Diego Sports Arena FAQs
What is the San Diego Sports Arena called today?
After several naming-rights changes, the building is now known as Pechanga Arena.
Which NBA teams played at the San Diego Sports Arena?
The San Diego Rockets played there from 1967 to 1971, and the San Diego Clippers played there from 1978 to 1984.
How many people can the arena hold?
Capacity varies by configuration, from about 12,000 for hockey and arena football up to roughly 16,100 for boxing and wrestling events.
Get More from San Diego Sports Arena
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate San Diego Sports Arena, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: Nehrams2020 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.