NBA Cup Final Could Be Headed to College Basketball’s Most Iconic Arenas - Including Allen Fieldhouse
The NBA Cup might be getting a new home-and it’s not another glitzy Vegas venue. Instead, the league is seriously considering bringing its midseason tournament finale to some of college basketball’s most legendary arenas. That’s right-places like Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse, Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, and Kentucky’s Rupp Arena are now in the mix to host the NBA’s in-season championship game.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver floated the idea during an interview on the “NBA on Prime” set, fresh off the 2025 NBA Cup Final-a 124-113 New York Knicks win over the San Antonio Spurs at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Vegas has hosted the Cup’s final weekend for three straight years, but change could be on the horizon.
“We’re going to go back to home markets for the semifinal games next year,” Silver said, noting that teams were initially hesitant to host on short notice. “Now that they’re seeing that their fans care about the Cup, they want the benefit of a home crowd and the energy that’s there.”
As for the title game? That’s where things get interesting. Silver revealed the league is in talks with Amazon Prime Video-its Cup broadcast partner-about staging the final in “unique locations,” with storied college arenas leading the list of possibilities.
Allen Fieldhouse in Play
When you start naming iconic college hoops venues, Allen Fieldhouse is always in the conversation. Home to the Kansas Jayhawks, Allen has hosted some of the most electric atmospheres in college basketball history. And KU head coach Bill Self is all for the idea.
“Love it,” Self said via text when asked for his thoughts on the NBA potentially bringing the Cup to Lawrence.
Allen Fieldhouse seats 15,300 fans and has already proven it can handle NBA-level events. Back in 1997, the building was packed for an exhibition between Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and the Seattle SuperSonics. Former KU players still talk about that night like it was yesterday.
“I remember everything about that year and the mystique around Michael Jordan,” said former KU center Eric Chenowith. “People talk about the Beatles coming to town or whatever, but I’ll never forget the fieldhouse that night. It was packed two hours before the game.”
Former Jayhawk guard Ryan Robertson added: “This was Jordan in his heyday. It was peak Jordan. And so to be a basketball player and have Michael Jordan in the fieldhouse was a very big deal.”
Another NBA exhibition came to Allen in 2001, when the Utah Jazz played the Philadelphia 76ers. That one didn’t sell out-stars Allen Iverson and Karl Malone didn’t make the trip-but it still marked another chapter in the building’s NBA history.
Why College Arenas? It’s About Energy, Not Capacity
The idea of swapping out a 20,000-seat NBA arena for a smaller college gym might raise eyebrows at first glance. But for the league, this isn’t about size-it’s about atmosphere.
“It wouldn’t be about the size of the building; it would be about the place going nuts,” one NBA executive told Sports Business Journal.
Cameron Indoor, for example, seats just 9,314 fans. But it’s a cauldron of noise and intensity.
Allen Fieldhouse is bigger but still delivers that same intimate, high-energy feel. Rupp Arena, with a capacity of 20,500, offers a mix of size and tradition.
“Amazon would eat it up,” the executive added, comparing the potential vibe to MLB’s “Field of Dreams” game-a made-for-TV spectacle that blends nostalgia with big-league action.
Fan Interest Is Real-and Growing
The NBA Cup was designed to inject some juice into the early part of the season, and so far, it’s working. Silver said the league just wrapped up its three highest-attended Novembers ever, and ratings are up 25% in November and December compared to pre-Cup years.
“The fans have responded,” Silver said.
That kind of momentum is what’s giving the league confidence to take bigger swings with the event-like moving games out of neutral sites and into basketball cathedrals that ooze history.
Who’s on the Shortlist?
If the league does decide to make the move, several arenas are already being floated as potential hosts for the 2026 NBA Cup Final. Among the names being discussed:
- Allen Fieldhouse (Kansas)
- Rupp Arena (Kentucky)
- Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke)
- The Palestra (Penn)
- Hinkle Fieldhouse (Butler)
- Assembly Hall (Indiana)
- Dean E. Smith Center (North Carolina)
- The Pit (New Mexico)
Some analysts have suggested the NBA should target states without NBA franchises, tapping into fanbases that rarely get to see the league up close. That could make places like New Mexico or Indiana particularly appealing.
“Take two of the best professional basketball teams in the world, some of the best basketball players on the planet and put them at Cameron Indoor,” said one analyst. “I know it has a capacity of only 9,314.
But what does that mean? We sell 9,000 fewer tickets for one game?
It’s fine.”
Vegas Still in the Picture-For Now
To be clear, nothing is set in stone. Silver made a point to say the league has “loved our experience” in Las Vegas. And Tuesday’s title game drew a sellout crowd of 18,609 at T-Mobile Arena.
But attendance for the semifinals was underwhelming-likely due to the short turnaround between the quarterfinals and final four. Fans had just three days to plan a trip, and unlike previous years, there wasn’t a built-in fan presence from teams like the Lakers or Hawks. That lack of buzz may have nudged the league to reconsider its setup.
Still, Vegas has been a reliable NBA partner, regularly hosting Summer League and other events. Whether the Cup stays or goes, the city will remain a key part of the league’s calendar.
What’s Next?
The NBA hasn’t made a final decision yet, but the conversation is heating up. With Amazon involved and fan interest climbing, the league is clearly looking to evolve the Cup into something more than just a midseason curiosity.
And if that evolution includes bringing the NBA to places like Allen Fieldhouse or Cameron Indoor for a championship game? That’s a win for basketball fans everywhere. The idea of Steph Curry pulling up from the logo in front of a packed house in Lawrence or Durham isn’t just compelling-it’s electric.
Stay tuned. The next chapter of the NBA Cup might be written in the same buildings where basketball history has been made for decades.