Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
FedExForum 191 Beale St Memphis, TN 38103
Year Opened: 2004
Capacity: 18,119
Elvis, Tigers, and Grizzlies, oh my!
The Grizzlies NBA franchise started in 1995 as the Vancouver, BC Grizzlies. The franchise relocated to Memphis, TN, in time for the 2001-2002 NBA season. For the first three seasons in their new Southern home, the Grizzlies played at the Pyramid Arena in downtown Memphis as their new home at the Fed Ex Forum was being built.
The Grizzlies have been playoff regulars in recent years. The fans call the team's style of play incorporates the “Grit and Grind Grizzlies.” This means they use a high-pressure defense and get to an advantageous spot to take a shot.
They have the talented Ja Morant to take the Grizzlies deep into the postseason. The team is adamant about beating at home as they boast an 85 % likelihood of winning the game on their home court. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the NBA.
Food & Beverage 3
FedEx Forum offers a wide selection of concession items that range from typical arena fare to much more deluxe offerings in its sit-down arena clubs. There are more than 100 concession points of sale throughout the arena, so you should not experience any long lines at the games.
The SNAX stands to offer your typical arena fare of burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, and sodas. They have multiple stands along the concourses at each level in the arena. Rendezvous offers nachos, BBQ sandwiches, and chicken.
Fowline Plaza has buffalo tenders, chicken tenders, and turkey burgers. Lucille’s Bandstand features burgers, chicken tenders, pretzels, and beer. Casamigos serves more Latin fare, including walking tacos, elotes, and burritos. Sissy’s Log Cabin Lounge offers seated meals and drinks at the floor level of the arena.
There are also three Grab N Go self-service convenience locations at the FedEx Forum.
Alcoholic drinks are available at the stands for the Old Dominick’s Distillery, the Truly Bar, Wiseacre Brewing Company, Michelob Ultra Club, and the Hennessy Bar. All retail shops and concessions stand at Fed Ex Forum and operate on a cashless basis.
Atmosphere 4
Memphis has long been the center of the universe for various musical genres, including the blues, soul, country, gospel, rock, and roll. The FedEx Forum has incorporated the musical theme in several ways. First, the Forum is right next to Beale Street, the heart of blues music in the city.
The plaza that fronts the arena is named for B.B. King, a superstar in the blues realm. The Rock n Soul Museum is also located just off the plaza. Once inside the arena, you will find all types of art featuring the elites of blues, country, and, of course, Elvis Presley and rock n’ roll music. Several of the concession stands along the concourses feature a musical theme, including Lucille’s Bandstand, Rockabelly’s, and the Uptempo Bar. Even the Grizzlies team colors relate to this music heritage, as its blue uniform color is known as Beale Street Blue.
Once inside the seating bowl, you will be surprised to see that there are five levels of seating to choose from. Some levels are restricted to corporate clients, season ticket holders, and VIPs, but overall, you can be on the floor level with the action or high above the action with a great overall view of the length of the court. Best of all, the seats at the FedEx Forum are wider and offer more legroom than a typical NBA arena.
The arena also boasts a superb electronics package, as the center-hung videoboard measures 16.5 feet high by 145.5 feet in diameter. There are also four display boards located in each corner of the seating bowl, with each one measuring 20 feet x 37.5 feet. The FedEx Forum is also a major site for concerts, so its sound system is among the best in the business. The lighting system is also quite advanced, as the facility uses rings of LED lights high above the playing court.
If you have a nice expense account, the FedEx Forum has 27 courtside seats, 32 club suites, and 80 club boxes.
Neighborhood 5
The FedEx Forum is in the downtown area of Memphis. More specifically, it is located adjacent to the Beale Street Entertainment District, the heartbeat of the musical soul of Memphis. It is within walking distance of countless bars, nightclubs, and music venues along Beale Street.
As we have mentioned earlier, the Rock n Soul Museum is located on the plaza adjacent to the Forum This museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute, and it traces the growth of rock and roll music and soul music in the city from the early 20th century through the 1970s.
Other attractions within a few blocks of the arena include the National Civil Rights Museum, the Blues Hall of Fame, and Mud Island, which is along the Mississippi Riverfront and tells the story of the big river as it passes to the west of downtown Memphis. Visitors to this area can even get a photo opportunity with Elvis, as his statue is located just three blocks west of the Forum. After you have worked up an appetite, you can check out Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken, the SugaShack, Dyer’s Burgers, or Wiseacre Brewing Company for lunch and a cool drink.
There are numerous accommodations located within walking distance of the FedEx Forum. Guests staying at these hotels can avoid the parking expense involved with the arena. The Hampton Inn and Suites Beale Street, the Hilton Garden Inn Memphis Downtown, and the Westin Memphis Beale Street are all a few blocks from the home of the Grizzlies.
The Peabody Hotel is further north of the arena and is quite a bit more expensive than these other brands. However, it is extremely popular with tourists as it features the daily spectacle of its pet ducks walking through the lobby each afternoon for a swim in the hotel’s fountain.
Fans 4
The Grizzlies have one of the most loyal and involved fanbases in the NBA. Memphis has the smallest population base of any team in the NBA. This makes it easy for the fans to get to know the Grizzlies team members as fellow citizens of the city. Memphis is also one of the few cities in the country to have only one professional sports franchise. This means the energy is all focused on the Grizzlies during the fall and winter months.
The Grizzlies have put together a talented team of entertainers to keep the fans involved during the action on the court, then entertain them during the timeouts and breaks between the quarters. The entertainment lineup includes the Grizz Girls dance team, the Grizzlies Grannies and Grandpas Senior dance squad, the Blue Bunch of teen dancers, the Grizzline drum line, and finally … Grizz the Bear mascot. Grizz loves to get the crowd fired up while also impressing them with his ability to dunk the ball in the basket while using a trampoline to gain some height.
Access 4
Getting to and around the FedEx Forum is extremely easy. It is located along one the largest thoroughfares in the city of Memphis and is also served by the Main Street trolley line. If you are driving to the game, getting there via either I-40 or I-55 is very easy.
The FedEx Forum has a parking garage that can handle 1,500 cars. Once it fills, there are numerous surface parking lots along Beale Street that are within easy walking distance of the arena. The drop-off and pickup area for rideshares is located at the east end of the arena on 4th Street between Beale Street and Linden Avenue.
Unlike most arenas, the FedEx Forum funnels fans into the facility via one central entrance. There are multiple doors and lines to spread out the traffic. Once through the turnstiles, you are in a huge lobby that features a large marquee that advertises that night’s game and opponent.
Before you leave the lobby, make sure you look to the right. There is a window where you can look directly in to see the Grizzlies warming up for the game on the practice court. The lobby also includes a large Grizzlies Den Team Store where you can shop for your “bear” necessities.
Return on Investment 3
A night out at a Memphis Grizzlies game can be quite expensive for a family of four. Being the only professional sports team in Memphis allows the team and FedEx Forum to charge higher prices due to its exclusivity. Parking at the garage adjoining the arena runs $30-$40, depending on the opponent and crowd size. (You can save by taking the trolley to the game as a day pass is only $3.50).
Seats in the 100 level of seating go for $137.50 for seats at the end of the court and $218.50 for seats along the sides of the court. Tickets on the second level of the seating bowl run from $47.25 for seats at the end of the court to $84.75 for seats along the sides of the court. Seats in the semi-private Pinnacle level of the arena are $136.50.
The concession prices vary a great deal depending on which stand you visit. The stands featuring the typical arena fare (soft drinks, burgers, hot dogs, and popcorn) had quite reasonable prices, while the more specialized stands were much more expensive.
Extras 4
The FedEx Forum stays busy throughout the year, as it hosts concerts by national entertainers like Justin Timberlake, U2, Lady Gaga, and Usher. It also serves as the home court for the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team.
The Forum also hosts a wide variety of basketball tournaments in the postseason. These competitions include the NCAA regionals (2009, 2014, 2017), the American Athletic Conference Tournament (2014, 2019), and the 2010 NCAA Southern Regional Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The 2024-2025 season marks the 30th Anniversary of the Grizzlies franchise.
Final Thoughts
The FedEx Forum continues to deliver as the home court for the Memphis Grizzlies. It buoys the Downtown Memphis Entertainment District along with the music venues along Beale Street.
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