Wolves Know Before You Go
Looking to catch tomorrow’s next NBA stars? Looking for an affordable, family-friendly, and fun experience during another long winter in Des Moines? Come downtown to Wells Fargo Arena to watch the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League franchise of the Minnesota Timberwolves! Check out our Wolves A-Z Guide before you come to Wells Fargo Arena.
Join the Pack for the 2023-24 season with unlimited ticket exchange, exclusive events and bonus perks! Buy season memberships here. The 2023-24 schedule is viewable here.
About the NBA G League and the Iowa Wolves
The NBA G League, formerly the NBA Development League or NBA D-League, is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory.
Minor league professional basketball has been played in Des Moines since 2006 when the Iowa Energy debuted at Wells Fargo Arena. The Energy was one of the most successful franchises in league history winning the 2011 league title and three conference championships. Rebranded the Iowa Wolves after being purchased by the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the 2017-18 season, the Wolves are one of 29 G League teams affiliated with an NBA franchise. Former Iowa Wolves Luka Garza, Jordan McLaughlin, Josh Minott, Jaylen Nowell, Naz Reid, Jarred Vanderbilt and Wendell Moore Jr. were all valuable contributors for the Timberwolves in 2022-23 during their exciting run to the postseason. On the sidelines, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch along with multiple of his assistant coaches coached in the NBA G League.
Attendance
Inside Wells Fargo Arena in Downtown Des Moines, the Iowa Wolves play in one of the best home game environments in the entire NBA G League! The Wolves smashed their franchise single season attendance record during the 2022-23 season with Iowa averaging 4,148 fans per game over 24 games, drawing nearly 100,000 fans to Wells Fargo Arena with a total attendance of 99,552 fans. The previous single season mark was set in 2017-18, the first year of the Iowa Wolves franchise. The Wolves’ single game average and total attendance were second in the NBA G League behind only the Texas Legends who drew a league-best 5,840 fans per game and 140,156 total fans.
“These exciting attendance numbers are an absolute testament to the love of basketball our fans in the state of Iowa share for the game and the numerous partnerships we’ve been able to create to bring this next level NBA talent front and center,” said Iowa Wolves President of Business Operations Ryan Grant. “A huge thank you to all our fans, partners and employees for making this a year we will always remember!”
Tickets
The Wolves offer many affordably priced ticket options that put fans close to the action of elite professional basketball featuring talented players on the cusp of the NBA! Visit iawolves.com for ticket deals to all Wolves home games while tickets are always available for purchase including on game days at the south ticket office of Wells Fargo Arena. Group tickets, single game tickets and season memberships are available now! Call 515-564-8550 to howl with the Wolves all season!
Fun off the Basketball Court
The excitement and fun are not just on the basketball court during Wolves games! Help escape the long Iowa winters as the Wolves offer lots of family-friendly fun for all ages with exciting pregame activities, cool giveaways, fun in-game and halftime contests and games and talented local and national entertainment acts! And roaming the stands before, during and after games is our famous mascot, Alpha! Follow the Iowa Wolves social media platforms to stay up to date on all the HOWLING fun at Wolves games!
Parking
The main arena parking lot is located between 3rd and 5th Streets, with an entrance on each street. It’s just northwest of the north entrance for Wells Fargo Arena. On game days, the main Wells Fargo Arena parking lot is first come first serve and costs $12 per car (cash or card accepted). Metered street parking is available outside Wells Fargo, and Sundays metered parking is free in downtown Des Moines. The City of Des Moines recently implemented the ParkDSM app for street parking.
Food and Drink
Outside food and drink is prohibited at Wells Fargo Arena. The Wells Fargo Arena’s concession stands offer a wide range of food and drink options. All stands are cashless with the exception of the Exile Beer stand and the Dip N Pop stand. Guests can purchase gift cards at the Exile stand with cash, place increments of $20 on the cards and then use the cards at all other concession stands inside Wells Fargo Arena.
Schedule
The Iowa Wolves play a 50-game schedule that typically starts late October/early November and ends late March/early April. The Wolves are scheduled to play 24 home games at Wells Fargo Arena during the 2023-24 season. Opponents, game times and the 2023-24 schedule are viewable here.
To view membership and ticket opportunities visit iawolves.com.