Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Vancouver, British Columbia
Weekend Warriors
The National Lacrosse League has long been known as an everyman league, where the players are generally more accessible than those in other major leagues, and many are actually “weekend warriors” who have regular jobs during the week. In 2018, the Vancouver Stealth were sold to Francesco Aquilini and his Canucks Sports and Entertainment and moved from the Langley Events Centre in Langley, a significant distance from downtown Vancouver, to Rogers Arena.
This was a huge moment for the newly minted Vancouver Warriors bringing NLL lacrosse back downtown for the first time since the days of the Vancouver Ravens in 2004. The Warriors franchise was originally the Albany Attack in 2000. The team moved to San Jose in 2004 to become the Stealth and then up to Everett, Washington in 2010. The move was made to Langley in 2014.
Rogers Arena is home for the Warriors and owned by Canucks S&E. Built in 1995 as General Motors Place and a replacement for the Pacific Coliseum, the arena most famously served as the venue for Sidney Crosby’s golden goal for Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Food & Beverage 4
The concession options at Rogers Arena are on par with just about any other major league arena. For Warriors games, the upper bowl is draped off, so the main concourse concession stands are what is available. Burgers at Triple O’s, hot dogs at Steamers, sandwiches at Melt and Carve, pizza at Panago, noodles at Chop and healthier food at Sante are all options.
There are plenty of alcohol options, although Molson Beer is definitely the title sponsor and Molson Canadian is readily available. The main concourse does not have 360-degree access as the club section requires a ticket to enter that concourse. The concession area offers a food court type seating area. Inside the arena, there are bars on both ends of the floor that also offer light snacks.
Atmosphere 4
Rogers Arena has an attractive exterior with silver panelling with blue highlights. It is really wedged into Downtown Vancouver with viaducts on both sides of the arena. Of note, the opening scene of the movie Deadpool was filmed on one of the viaducts just outside Rogers Arena. There is no real and true main entry at Rogers Arena and entry is at multiple levels.
A number of entries will not be open for Warriors games as the upper level is normally not sold. There are a number of Vancouver Canucks banners on the outside of the arena and a couple of Warriors banners also. Inside the arena, the main concourses are fairly wide and non-descript with not too much that is interesting to see. Inside the seating bowl, the floor is east-west oriented with the best spot for the centre logo picture from the north. There are plenty of Canucks banners and markings hanging from the ceiling, but none for the Warriors.
A banner commemorating the opening concert by local favourite, Bryan Adams, also hangs. The roof is vaulted, circus-tent like shape and is fairly unique. With the upper deck curtained off to give a more intimate experience, the lower bowl capacity is around 12,000. Rogers Arena features a state of the art, four-sided video board above the floor and a full ribbon around the upper bowl fascia. The Party Zone is found at the east end on the floor and the Rally Zone at the west end. Both spots are very popular.
Gameday production at a Warriors game is a little more muted than some other NLL experiences. Music does play throughout the game, but the PA announcer is less involved than in some places like Toronto or Buffalo. There is plenty of use of the LED lights above and in the partitions of the glass. The goal horn at Rogers Arena is from a BC Ferry. The Vancouver Warriors Dance team participates in the pre-game and performs during breaks in the action. Timbr the Sasquatch, the Warriors mascot, participates in the pregame and some of the performances also. Destanik also performs in the Rally Zone during halftime and pregame.
Neighbourhood 5
Rogers Arena is located in Downtown Vancouver, adjacent to Chinatown. There are a number of spots for pre or post-game food and drink within walking distance of the arena. Some options include The American, London Pub, Shark Club, Bodega on Main, The Keifer Bar, The Pint Public House and Frankie’s Italian.
A major city like Vancouver has a number of other sporting options. Rogers Arena is shared with the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. Other options include the British Columbia Lions, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Vancouver Goldeneyes and the UBC Thunderbirds varsity teams. Other tourist options in the area include Stanley Park, Chinese Garden, Vancouver Aquarium and the BC Sports Hall of Fame, found in BC Place. Vancouver also offers among the mildest climates in Canada. The proximity to golfing, skiing and beaches is excellent. Fans should also consider taking in the tour of Rogers Arena.
For fans wishing to stay near the arena, Hotel Blue and Hampton Inn are just steps away.
Fans 4
Fan support of the Vancouver Warriors has slowly increased over the years. The return to Rogers Arena and new ownership should not be undervalued. At the time of writing, in the 2026 season, the Warriors averaged over 9,700 fans per game, a slight increase from the previous season. The Warriors ranked 4th out of the 14 team NLL. There is still room for improvement, of course. However, with the upper deck draped off, Warrior attendance is in a great place. Fans in the stands are knowledgeable and supportive of the team.
Access 3
Rogers Arena is located in Downtown Vancouver, adjacent to Chinatown. It is wedged between a pair of elevated roads, known as viaducts. It is found on the east side of Griffiths Way. Getting to the arena can be a bit challenging due to the different elevations of different roads and fairly significant Vancouver traffic. There are some surface lots and parking garages in the immediate area, however, they fill quickly.
The best option is to plan to be at the arena early and pre-pay for parking if possible. There are a number of different public transit options, including the Aqua Bus, buses along Expo Boulevard as well as the subway, which is found at the Stadium-Chinatown stop, close to the arena. Fans should consult the TransLink website for fares, maps and schedules.
Entries into Rogers Arena take place on a number of different levels and exterior staircases are prevalent around Rogers Arena and BC Place. With the upper level curtained off for Warriors games, this is less of an issue than for Canucks games. The concourses are of decent size, however, the club section in the 100 level has concourses blocked off. This does not allow fans without club section tickets 360-degree access to the concourse. Washroom facilities are adequate for the arena.
Stadium Journey recognizes that arena security is constantly changing and strongly encourages consultation of the Vancouver Warriors and Rogers Arena websites for the most up to date security protocols, including bag policy and prohibited items.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Vancouver Warriors begin at $29 for General Admission entry. Standard tickets run from $37 to $63. Paid parking should run around $25 and concession prices are what one would expect in a major sports facility. The gameday production in Vancouver is solid and the product on the floor has improved significantly over the last few seasons. Overall, fans will definitely enjoy their outing to see the Vancouver Warriors.
Extras 3
An extra mark for British Columbia as a hot bed of lacrosse.
An extra mark of the ownership of Canucks Sports and Entertainment along with the return to Rogers Arena. Both have given the Warriors a significant shot in the arm.
An extra mark for being able to experience a major league venue for less than major league money.
Final Thoughts
The Vancouver Warriors are putting together one of their best seasons to date. Returning to Rogers Arena under the ownership of Canucks Sports and Entertainment has been a boon for the team and they are quickly becoming an upper echelon team in the National Lacrosse League.