How many fans will the Rockets lose now that Yao has retired?

I see what you did there.

 

Let's restate this question

"How many bandwagon fans will the Rockets lose now that Yao has retired "?

 

Imagine him on TNT
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China still needs a NBA team to cheer for. Why not the Rockets still? Kind of like their personal team who plays there during preseason still.

 

I'm Asian and a basketball fan in general. I started rooting and following the rockets since his arrival. I used come to this site like 10x a day. I'll still root for the Rockets as a whole.

 

Well, I'm pretty sure Steve Francis isn't going to be voted into an All-Star game by the Chinese again anytime soon.

 

Aren't the Rockets like the Yankees/Lakers/Cowboys of China, even with Yao not playing? Still got plenty of fans over there.

 

A LOT! HAHAHA!

 

Definition of Real Rockets fans. Non-YOF, non-MOF, non-BOF .....non....OF....OF and ......OF. How about those 'only fans' but are still here or the trolls that are still here on this forum?

 

I get goosebumps every time I see that video. And yes, any fans that decide to stop rooting for us because of the departure of Yao were not true fans to start with.

 

Don't worry Clutch created this site and will always fight for Clutch City against evil
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1.3bil according to wiki.

 

You will definitely see changes like this, no more China sourced articles about Yao or other players on the Rockets, no more shoe deals for the players, those Chinese billboards at the games gone.

Honestly, the Rox are pretty boring without Yao, TMac and SF3. No star power equal less national exposure so I don't expect to see many games on ABC, ESPN or TNT. The Rox will become the 3rd best team in Texas followed only by diehard Houston fans.

 

Kinda makes me think part of the D-Mo trade was because Morey knew Yao was retiring. At the very least he knew he was either done, or he wouldn't be back with the Rockets due to salary he'd demand and the high risk involved. Mostly because he's a new international prospect who is being advertised as a center.

I don't think D-Mo will make it in this league without the support of the fans.

 

well, i used to be a HOF (Hakeem Only Fan) but i started to like every Rocket player (Drexler, Barkley, and others),, but since the Rockets old aged superstar era have gone, i didn't follow Rockets closely,, part of it because my country didn't aired the NBA back then, but also i didn't follow them on newspaper (there's no cheap internet connection back then) because i didn't know the players (Stevie who? Cuttino? Moochie?)

and then Yao drafted by Rockets,, the whole Asian enthusiastic support him,, TV station aired the NBA again and i get to know the Rockets players again,, he's my 2nd favorite Rockets after Hakeem,, but now, with Yao retired, just like the Hakeem era, i get to know and like our players (Martin, Scola, Lowry, Hayes, Dragic, Pat Pat, and others),, i like how our team played, scrappy hustling overachieving wit lot of heart,, i like our tradition (big man tradition, championship on Jordan prime era),, there's many reasons to like this team,,