The Bucks joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1968 and have always played in downtown Milwaukee. They have had three homes: the Milwaukee Arena (the MECCA), the Bradley Center and, since 2018, Fiserv Forum.
Here is every home in order, with the years the Bucks played there, what made each one matter and what stands on the site today. Each arena with a ThrillZing guide links to it.
Every Bucks Arena, 1968 to Today
- Milwaukee
- 1968–1988
Milwaukee Arena
Home for the first 20 seasons, including the 1971 NBA title. Known as the MECCA from 1974, and home of Robert Indiana's painted court from the 1977–78 season. By 1985 it was the smallest arena in the NBA.
Today: Still standing as UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena, home of the Admirals, the Milwaukee Panthers and the Milwaukee Wave
- 1988–2018
Bradley Center
Opened in October 1988, a gift to the state from Jane Bradley Pettit and Lloyd Pettit in memory of her father, Harry Lynde Bradley. The gift didn't cover long-term upkeep, and by 2015 it was the NBA's third-oldest arena.
Today: Demolished in 2019; the Bucks own the site for future development
- 2018–presentCurrent home
Opened in August 2018 for $524 million, $250 million of it from taxpayers, after a 2015 state vote kept the Bucks in Milwaukee. The Bucks won the 2021 NBA title in their third season here.
Visiting guide →
Bucks Arena FAQ
Where did the Bucks play before Fiserv Forum?
At the Bradley Center, from 1988 to 2018. Before that they spent their first 20 seasons (1968–1988) at the Milwaukee Arena, known as the MECCA from 1974.
How many arenas have the Bucks had?
Three: the Milwaukee Arena, the Bradley Center and Fiserv Forum. They also played occasional games at the Wisconsin Field House from 1968 to 1975, and returned to the old arena for one commemorative game in the 2017–18 season.
Why did the Bucks build Fiserv Forum?
By 2015 the Bradley Center was the third-oldest arena in the NBA, and the original gift that built it never covered long-term upkeep. New owners Wes Edens and Marc Lasry were expected to put $100 million toward a new one, and in July 2015 the Wisconsin State Senate approved public funding. Fiserv Forum opened in August 2018.
Is the Bradley Center still standing?
No. It was demolished between January and May 2019, and the Bucks own the site for future development. The Milwaukee Arena, the Bucks’ first home, still stands as UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Where do the Bucks play now?
At Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, which opened in 2018 and seats 17,385 for basketball. The Bucks won the 2021 NBA title in their third season there, and Marquette’s men’s basketball team plays there too.