Billboard Names Van Andel Arena One of the Best in The World

If you’ve ever lost your voice at a griffins game, or have a shirt hanging in your closet from when your favorite band played there, this one probably feels personal.

Van Andel Arena just landed a pretty big bragging right. On Tuesday, (December 22) the arena shared that it’s been named Billboard’s 13th Best Arena in the world in the 10,000–15,000 capacity category.

Not “in Michigan.” Not “in the Midwest.” In the world, and that’s massive!

In their post announcing the ranking, Van Andel Arena gave the credit to the people filling the seats. They know and appreciate that fans who show up early, sing too loud, stay late, and somehow turn a random weeknight concert into a core memory.

If you’ve ever been packed shoulder-to-shoulder during a big chorus or watched the lights come up while everyone collectively tries to process what they just saw, you know the vibe.

I mean, where else in the world are you going to see Eric Church wander around in the crowd without his sunglasses on, then show up in Lions gear? Nowhere other than Van Andel, because that really happened this year.

This Billboard honor also comes on the heels of another big nod. Earlier this year, Van Andel Arena was nominated for Venue of the Year by the ACMs. While they didn't win, but the nomination alone says a lot about how the industry views our hometown arena when it's up against legendary venues like Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

For a city our size, having an arena that consistently pulls major tours, big music and sports moments, and national recognition is such a gift that many people may not appreciate.

With the Acrisure Amphitheater opening next year in downtown Grand Rapids under the same great management team, we’re officially stepping into a new era of live music and entertainment in West Michigan. Big events with no long drive to the east side of the state required, what a dream come true.

We’re lucky to live in West Michigan, and Billboard finally made it official.