As wins rise, Rockets reap benefits of higher fan attendance, engagement

With six straight wins, the 2023-24 Houston Rockets (6-3) are on the rise under new head coach Ime Udoka. And after three rebuilding seasons with records near the bottom of the Western Conference, fans are already showing their appreciation for that growth.

The raucous environments at Toyota Center were hard to miss during the team’s opening homestand, which concluded with a 6-1 record and Sunday’s statement win over the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. But beyond fan engagement being clearly higher, raw attendance numbers are improving, as well.

The Rockets sold out four of their seven games on that homestand — and with an average nightly attendance of 17,121, they are at 94.8% of capacity. That’s up from 90.4% in the 2022-23 season and 86.3% in the 2021-22 campaign, according to ESPN data.

Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations, told Vanessa Richardson of the Space City Home Network that all VIP courtside seats are sold out for the full season — which hasn’t happened since the 2018-19 year. In recent days, the team opened up a waitlist for future opportunities. Lexus Lounge memberships are also at capacity.

“People definitely like wins, so it’s been fun,” Sheirr said. “A lot of it is about wins on the court, but it’s also about the full-360 experience when you’re here. It’s a testament to how great the fans are in Houston, and to how fun it is to be at Toyota Center.”

Story originally appeared on Rockets Wire