Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

[Graphik]

From the games I've watched so far this year it seems like fans aren't filing up the stands like in years past. Watching that Houston game last night made me think about it. That place was empty for a nationally televised game. Definitely something I've been noticing with other teams too. I've also seen Bulls Saturday home games with a empty stadium. The Warriors and Cavs are the exception, they seem to sell out. Other teams seem to be struggling.

What are you guys thoughts?

[areobee401]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

I would think last night's game is Houston was a result of having the Super Bowl in town. People probably wanted nothing to do with that mess.

Attendance seems normal to be me. See for yourself...

http://scorecenter.espn.go.com/nba/attendance?sort=awayAvg&order=false

[Graphik]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Do they count ticket sells towards attendance? If so, those numbers would be a bit inflated. I know most of the ticket vendors(stubhub, etc) buy so many tickets but don't sell them all.

Being a lifelong Bulls fan, it disturbs me when I see the UC empty. Even on a Saturday where those games always sold out.

Also, would it have anything to do with the fair-weather fans lack of interest? The NBA has seemed to create this diversity where everyone and their momma knows it will be a Cavs-Warriors finals.

[pietasterp]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Also, would it have anything to do with the fair-weather fans lack of interest? The NBA has seemed to create this diversity where everyone and their momma knows it will be a Cavs-Warriors finals.

If there is any decline in interest, I think this would be 99% of the reason. Half the clubs have pretty much given up (and it's not even the All-Star break yet) and even the semi-contenders have no real significant chance of actually winning the title. If you're an 8-seed by record at this point, is a more desirable outcome getting swept out of the 1st round or getting yourself into the lottery?

[bakan723]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Yea, that's the big negative on the NBA. I've gotten to the point where I don't even care about the end result really and just try and enjoy the ride along the way/lead up to it.

[23]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

It is superbowl weekend but the beginning of that Rockets game was wild lol. Seats were empty as heck.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

This has been going on even prior to this weekend.

I remember when the Warriors came to Houston a few weeks back and you definitely could see quite a few rows/sections of empty seats. Mind you, this was midway in the 2nd quarter.

[Majingir]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Do they count ticket sells towards attendance? If so, those numbers would be a bit inflated. I know most of the ticket vendors(stubhub, etc) buy so many tickets but don't sell them all.

Tickets sold/given away count. Amount of people who attend doesn't.

I really hope one day these leagues are able to stop people from buying up all tickets just to turn around and make a profit. Or like here in Toronto where scalping is a major business and companies even buy season tickets, giving half to employees for business purposes (meaning you get lots of "suits" in the stands) and other half gets sold so that company covers the cost of their business expenses.

Nothing wrong with people selling tickets if they bought them with intent to go, only to not be able to afterwards. But unfortunately with sites like stubhub, people can charge whatever they want.

But I don't think leagues care as much because while those people might make a profit, if the league's did try banning this type of stuff, they risk not selling as many tickets to games with them only having fans buying tickets.

[Graphik]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Tickets sold/given away count. Amount of people who attend doesn't.

I really hope one day these leagues are able to stop people from buying up all tickets just to turn around and make a profit. Or like here in Toronto where scalping is a major business and companies even buy season tickets, giving half to employees for business purposes (meaning you get lots of "suits" in the stands) and other half gets sold so that company covers the cost of their business expenses.

Nothing wrong with people selling tickets if they bought them with intent to go, only to not be able to afterwards. But unfortunately with sites like stubhub, people can charge whatever they want.

But I don't think leagues care as much because while those people might make a profit, if the league's did try banning this type of stuff, they risk not selling as many tickets to games with them only having fans buying tickets.

Damn I almost forgot about this thread.

I don't like jacked up ticket prices either. I was about to go to the Bulls game a few weeks back when they played the Kings. I was trying to grab a couple of 300 section tickets but balked on it. I turn the game on later that day and the place was like a ghost town. I wished I did buy the tix cause I would have sat closer.

Ticket prices are ridiculous now a days because of the people who buy in bulk and sell em online. The reason why I didn't catch a cubs game this year.

[Graphik]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

This has been going on even prior to this weekend.

I remember when the Warriors came to Houston a few weeks back and you definitely could see quite a few rows/sections of empty seats. Mind you, this was midway in the 2nd quarter.

Yes, I've actually been wanting to make a thread like this since December. I watch most of the ESPN and TNT games along with the Bulls and the low attendance is everywhere except in Warriors or Cavs home games. At first I chalked it up to the recent election. Maybe folks weren't trying to spend money till we figured out who the next prez was. Now I still see the same low numbers in the stands.

Just look at some of the highlight vids each day if you don't believe me.

[Majingir]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Damn I almost forgot about this thread.

I don't like jacked up ticket prices either. I was about to go to the Bulls game a few weeks back when they played the Kings. I was trying to grab a couple of 300 section tickets but balked on it. I turn the game on later that day and the place was like a ghost town. I wished I did buy the tix cause I would have sat closer.

Ticket prices are ridiculous now a days because of the people who buy in bulk and sell em online. The reason why I didn't catch a cubs game this year.

Jays games this year we're ridiculous too. So hard finding tickets and if I did, it's halfway up the 500 section, no view of the Jumbotron(cause Rogers centres design leads to a number of "non baseball views") and price of it was the cost of tickets I used to pay for seats by the bullpen.

[23]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Yes, I've actually been wanting to make a thread like this since December. I watch most of the ESPN and TNT games along with the Bulls and the low attendance is everywhere except in Warriors or Cavs home games. At first I chalked it up to the recent election. Maybe folks weren't trying to spend money till we figured out who the next prez was. Now I still see the same low numbers in the stands.

Just look at some of the highlight vids each day if you don't believe me.

Thats interesting man. I'm going to have to keep an eye out on that.

People also don't usually get into the nba until after thr super bowl

2017

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

Thats interesting man. I'm going to have to keep an eye out on that.

People also don't usually get into the nba until after thr super bowl

2017

And that interest lasts until March once the NCAA Tournament is here. There's still people watching but not as much as the league prefers.

[33JAF]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

For me, it's just too expensive to go more than a few times a year. I live near Milwaukee and I'm a Bucks fan. I used to go to about 5-10 games per year, and all of the home playoff games (if we were in them) when I was younger.

Now that I'm getting older it's different. It's usually pretty cold, so I pay to park near the BC, that's $20-$30. I have vertigo, so I can't sit much higher than the lower part of the second level without getting dizzy. That's about $40 per ticket minimum. Grab something to eat and drink and I'm almost up to $100 for 3 hours of entertainment, and that's if I am only paying for myself, being a single guy with no kids.

Last time I went, I took my 8 year old niece. It was her first game so I wanted to make it special. I brought enough cash to be able to get her a souvenir and whatever food/drinks/ice cream/etc she wanted. The grand total of the night was over $200- sitting in below average seats. It was well worth it, but not something I can afford to do more than a few times per season.

I could very easily cut expenses and go to a game, park somewhere free and walk, sit way up top, and not eat or drink, and only spend about 20 bucks, but I would honestly rather watch at home.

And this is Milwaukee, probably one of the cheapest cities to see an NBA game in.

Sorry that this is getting long, but more teams should do what the Bucks did this year. We had a package deal in JAN for 10 wins @ $150. So, if you paid the 150, you got tickets for every home game until we won 10 of them. This fills in the empty seats for a very reasonable price. I would have paid for it if I didn't have an odd work schedule.

[Graphik]

Re: Is it me or is attendance real low this year?

For me, it's just too expensive to go more than a few times a year. I live near Milwaukee and I'm a Bucks fan. I used to go to about 5-10 games per year, and all of the home playoff games (if we were in them) when I was younger.

Now that I'm getting older it's different. It's usually pretty cold, so I pay to park near the BC, that's $20-$30. I have vertigo, so I can't sit much higher than the lower part of the second level without getting dizzy. That's about $40 per ticket minimum. Grab something to eat and drink and I'm almost up to $100 for 3 hours of entertainment, and that's if I am only paying for myself, being a single guy with no kids.

Last time I went, I took my 8 year old niece. It was her first game so I wanted to make it special. I brought enough cash to be able to get her a souvenir and whatever food/drinks/ice cream/etc she wanted. The grand total of the night was over $200- sitting in below average seats. It was well worth it, but not something I can afford to do more than a few times per season.

I could very easily cut expenses and go to a game, park somewhere free and walk, sit way up top, and not eat or drink, and only spend about 20 bucks, but I would honestly rather watch at home.

And this is Milwaukee, probably one of the cheapest cities to see an NBA game in.

Sorry that this is getting long, but more teams should do what the Bucks did this year. We had a package deal in JAN for 10 wins @ $150. So, if you paid the 150, you got tickets for every home game until we won 10 of them. This fills in the empty seats for a very reasonable price. I would have paid for it if I didn't have an odd work schedule.

That's a sweet deal. Wish they did do something like that here. You can imagine staying in Chicago the price of tickets. You will definitely come up out of 100+ just going to a game alone with drinks, parking, food, etc. Its beyond ridiculous. I just went to the ice capades last weekend and the cheapest toy was about 30 bucks. Told my daughter that we can grab something better from target lol.