Ball Don't Lie - NBA


I had to cringe last weekend when I read Phil Mushnick's column about the attendance problems that some NBA teams are having. He reports that at a recent New York-Memphis game in Tennessee, an eyewitness said there were only about 4,000 people in the stands to see the two teams play. Mushnick also believes that by next spring we will be hearing/seeing stories about how some NBA (and NHL) teams are close to suspending operations because of larger financial troubles.

I wish I could refute his thinking, but, I actually agree with him.

I have watched NBA games throughout my entire life and I don't ever remember seeing this many empty seats in arenas all over the league. I've covered several games in Orlando during the early part of the season, and there are always plenty of good seats to be had. What surprises me more than anything, though, is the general lack of enthusiasm from some of the crowds. For the most part, the crowds I've seen at Magic games are flatter than a pancake. Sure, there are some exciting moments, and, if asked, the fans are usually willing to get out of their seats and cheer. But, if it wasn't for the noise blaring from the speaker system, you would be able to hear Stan Van Gundy barking out orders on almost every possession.

The scary part for David Stern and company is that Orlando has a booming fan-base compared to that of the Sixers and Grizzlies. Those teams rank 28th and 30th, respectively, on the NBA's attendance list. The Grizzlies have been bad for several years now, but the Sixers have a young team, that added Elton Brand in the off-season, so why are they struggling so badly to draw a crowd?

The financial crisis has had an impact on all professional sports teams in some way, but it sure feels like the NBA may have been hit harder than anyone over the last couple of years. Just two seasons ago, the league broke its own attendance record ... now you read stuff like Mushnick's column.

What happened?

When you look at the attendance figures one thing is clear: fans want to see a winner. The Magic (ranked 20th, after six home dates) are the only team in the bottom third of the chart that has a winning record. Winning would cure a lot of teams' concerns, but I don't think that is the overriding problem.

I just think the NBA game has gotten stale in a lot of markets.

When I go to games, even ones that are packed in other cities, I don't see a lot of fans decked out in their team's gear, I see a lot of yuppie businessmen who have decided that the NBA game is the place to be seen. They could care less what happens on the court, as long as they can glad-hand the rest of the "important" people.

David Stern's not an idiot, he can see all of this. That's why if I were the commish, I would do exactly what Jerry Colangelo did when he was trying to figure out how to re-create the U.S.A. basketball team. The former Suns' executive rounded up a panel of basketball legends to brainstorm ideas on how to turn the national program around. The foundation of the Americans gold medal winning performance in Beijing was laid at that meeting.

While Stern would certainly face a much larger task, the input from a panel of NBA experts: players, coaches, marketing people, etc. couldn't hurt. The league has got to find a way to get more fans interested in the game, because if they don't, a few thousand empty seats are going to become the least of its worries.

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  1. Saro G
    1. Posted by Saro G Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    CONTRACTION
    CONTRACTION
    CONTRACTION
    Shorten the schedule to increase the quality of play as well.
  2. Roger Mason Jr. = Hero
    2. Posted by Roger Mason Jr. = Hero Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    Well, at least Ronald McDonald is watching.
  3. Tim418
    3. Posted by Tim418 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:39 pm EDT

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    The Sixers troubles I think have more to do with the way the Phillies managed to capture fan attention in the month. And it didn't help that the team got off to a sluggish start. Things may pick up as the season progresses, especially if it looks like they'll be a playoff contender.
    I wouldn't worry too much about the Sixers, but some of these other teams in smaller markets may have some problems. Memphis...eek.
  4. ticktock6
    4. Posted by ticktock6 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:20 pm EDT

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    I guess the New Orleans media should start writing articles about how much everyone else's attendance sucks.
  5. Jacob S
    5. Posted by Jacob S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

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    I got an email from the the Spurs promoting $2 tickets and another one for "Guys Night Out" where you get two free beers and a Spurs beer mug... tough times indeed.
  6. Saro G
    6. Posted by Saro G Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    Huh? People are still celebrating too hard in Philly not to go to Sixers games? That may be one of the worst excuses I've ever heard. If anything, a local team winning should bleed confidence to the other teams in the city.
  7. Boomhauer
    7. Posted by Boomhauer Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:12 pm EDT

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    Changing pricing to allow the die-hard fan closer to the action while keeping the "there to be seen" non-fan away from the court to drink their lattes.
  8. Brick Tamland
    8. Posted by Brick Tamland Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

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    Nick, tell me if you agree, but this is how i think you fix the Magic...
    1. Get a solid agreement with cable companies to show Magic games. I live up in Gainesville, and we sometimes get Magic games on SUN, and we never get HD games up here.
    2. Make seats more affordable. I would drive the 2 hours to see the Magic play once a week if I could afford decent tickets for my friends and I.
    3. No more Otis. He's just made too many bad deals, both with trades and signings. He turns off a lot of fans, and when you lose your hardcore fan base, and you have trouble attracting casual fans, attendance goes WAY down.
    4. New Arena? Not sure if this will help the problem or not, but what we have now is just kinda old, and lame.
    Just some suggestions.
  9. Kelvin J
    9. Posted by Kelvin J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    I agree with Saro, they need to shorten the season. In Grant Hill's interview in the Suns win against the Pistons he said something to the degree of " . . . we played great today. I don't think its much of a statement game considering they are on the last game of a 4-game road trip and probably just wanted to get home." WTF is that? Everyone knows it. Everyone can see it. The NBA season is too long. Players, coaches, fans all see how brutal the traveling schedule is (more so than any other league by a mile). Just like MLB who also plays too many games, the NBA should reconsider cutting some of their games to make them more meaningful and encourage players, coaches to actually consider taking every game seriously.
  10. ASGisChillin
    10. Posted by ASGisChillin Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    the length of the season isnt the problem. if it was then attendance would be on a steady decline for many years as opposed to 2. i think the problem is simply the economy. people dont have the disposable income to spend right now and basketball tickets, lets face it, are a luxury item. i think the best way to get attendance up in a down economy is to lower ticket prices and start doing promotions to get folks there. ticket prices have likely gone up with people's incomes and now that needs to correct itself to realign with where people are now.
  11. b.rad
    11. Posted by b.rad Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:44 pm EDT

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    Ticket prices are too high, especially for "good" seats. As a result, the majority in most "secondary markets" are owned by businesses or semi/wealthy individuals. Businesses don't care about filling their seats every night, and certainly aren't preoccupied with reselling seats. Plus, most fans wait til the "last minute" to make plans. Combine that with the fact that it's impossible to sell tickets last minute for below ticket face value (Ticketmaster rules). So if you're sitting on good, overpriced tickets, in a weak economy, it's getting harder and harder to sell them; you can't sell them for a loss through official resell channels (Ticketmaster TicketExchange) even if you wanted to. So you either scramble to find folks to go last minute (once you know your seats haven't sold) or you can't be bothered and just don't go. Sounds ridiculous, but it happens. Oh, and did I mention that Warriors season ticket prices are ridiculous? I'd like a show of hands from fans who would have paid those prices this year if they'd known in advance that Baron was opting out early...
  12. Jace
    12. Posted by Jace Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:26 pm EDT

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    In our neck of the woods (Minnesota) it's simply inept ownership and bad decisions on drafts, trades, and players (see Kevin McHale) and obviously long losing streaks and terrible records since we traded KG to Boston.
    Neither of them (Glen Taylor and Kevin McHale) have any credibility here, therefore, neither does the NBA. The franchise is being ignored locally for the most part and has become meaningless.
  13. PANDO
    13. Posted by PANDO Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:59 pm EDT

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    They should eliminate the middlemen in selling tickets. Why don't the games venues just sell the tickets? This way it will eliminate the jacking up of prices.
  14. blingmizzy
    14. Posted by blingmizzy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    I think it is time for the recession to hit NBA players as well. Salaries need to come down in order to lower ticket prices. If the owners tighten their wallets (not going to happen) and pay their players less, maybe I could afford a ticket.
  15. Valentina G
    15. Posted by Valentina G Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    how about lower the prices! fans will go to support the team no matter what, but with the economy the way it is, no one can pay $200-300 to take the family to the game and sit anywhere close to the court. duh!!! give me $40 per lower level tickets instead of $80 and i'll start going again, and so would America! real financial geniuses these sports teams have.
  16. Fuzz
    16. Posted by Fuzz Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:23 pm EDT

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    definitely lower ticket prices. This is a perfect example of the consumers setting the price of a product.
  17. idizzle
    17. Posted by idizzle Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    We sold out a preseason game......what's the problem?
    They need to lower good ticket prices. Trail Blazers lower bowl ticket goes for about $150. Add on $8 beers, $10 cocktails and a $10 burger and you're looking a pretty expensive night.
    Plus, the Trail Blazers are in the middle of a TV controversy. Comcast bought the rights and created one of their Comcast Sportstnet channels, but don't have distribution, so nobody outside of Portland (only comcast area) can really see the games because they blackout LP withing about 200 miles. It's a total joke.
    But we're selling out games anyways, I just felt like ranting.
  18. Hambone
    18. Posted by Hambone Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:17 pm EDT

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    It's just like the economic crisis. The franchises (banks) increased their operating costs and salaries (mortgage lending) based on the public's ability to pay through the nose for tickets and merch (real estate value). Once that basis collapsed, the teams are stuck with tons of financial obligations, e.g. contracts (investements), that they need a lot of income to pay off. Thus, they need to keep charging high ticket prices (increasing mortage rates), but then that drives away the fans (causes defaults), and they're stuck with empty seats (bank-owned houses) that are all but worthless to them, and they're in the sh!tter. Maybe we should make the players buy the tickets and give them away.
  19. Tony C
    19. Posted by Tony C Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:52 pm EDT

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    amen to blingmizzy. why aren't the players' salaries taking a hit due to the economic recession? just a perfect example of the rich getting richer and the poor (and middle-class) getting poorer.
    cut down on their ridiculous salaries, and make games affordable. closest team to be is the Bobcats, though. =( and we know dumbass MJ won't do anything intelligent regarding his team.
  20. dropknee
    20. Posted by dropknee Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:10 pm EDT

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    Definitely price...If it were more affordable, I'll drive my lazy @ss to the games instead of watching it on my 50" HD screen. Then again...some of us rather enjoy it in HD where the "action is in ur face" Plzzzzzzz!
  21. Ernest "Man of the People" E
    21. Posted by Ernest "Man of the People" E Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    People the economy is just part of the problem the other part has to do with people perceptions of dirty officiating has also hurt the perception of the NBA and the on going perception of players being perceived as thugs, but bottom line is the N.B.A could rival the popularity of the N.F.L but it isn't due to the way the nba suits are running the league.
  22. Ernest "Man of the People" E
    22. Posted by Ernest "Man of the People" E Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    Hold the phone!, i don't think it's fair to want the players salaries to be cut, while no one is asking for the owners salaries to be cut. The players make the NBA with out them their would be no league guys like Letron James and Dwight Howard just don't grow on tress you know
  23. Kelvin J
    23. Posted by Kelvin J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT

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    I can see the economy effecting attendance games, but let's be honest here. The people who are suffering the most from this recession at the moment weren't going to NBA games on a regular basis anyway. I'm sure it will effect attendance if the recession lasts for another year, just like you and Phil are saying but no its not the cause right now.
    I think maybe a third of NBA tickets are easily tied up in corporate sponsorship and not even available to fans. My company just gave away 30 Suns home game tickets in a raffle. I'm sure some of my co-workers will attend the games but I know most aren't basketball fans and wouldn't think twice about not going if something more interesting came up. There is only about 1000 seats available to the general public for All-star games every year as well. The way tickets are dispersed could use an overhaul as well. But the NBA or Stern could not care less, becuase those tickets are paid for. If the individual team doesn't make any money from concessions he really doesn't give a crap.
  24. SeanO
    24. Posted by SeanO Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:52 pm EDT

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    Yeah, Laker tickets are soooo expensive. On a normal night (say vs. the Kings, Blazers, etc)... tickets in the lower section can get up to $5,000! A good seat with a view like watching TV would cost around 400.
  25. Ernest "Man of the People" E
    25. Posted by Ernest "Man of the People" E Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    Kelvin that's messed up that a thrid of the nba seats are tied up in corporate sponorship which goes to that nba isn't a league of the people and is perceived that way by a lot of the sports going public. I mean the nba is composed of more casual fans than the other sports leagues in this country and that should concern David stern ,but he thinks he's smarter than he is and stern comes off as really smug to me.

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