I do think traffic is a real problem. If you don't want to miss the first quarter you have to leave a good hour or two early to get there on time which could be difficult for people who work. Traffic after the game is also a nightmare. Games usually end around 9 or 9:30 but the two times I've gone I didn't get home until 11:30.
That's your problem. NEVER park in the Toyota Center garage. There is another garage on Clay near San Jacinto for $5 a game and you're out of there in 5 mins.
I live in San Antonio and go to the ATT Center every time the Rockets are in town. It is deafening! I think the major difference is the corporate suites at the ATT Center are up high.
The area I think most of you are talking about is the Rockets East & West Club, which is the prime seats between the baselines on the lower level and one of the nicest areas of the arena. The difference between the Rockets and the Spurs & Mavs (and most teams in the NBA) is that their club level seating is not in the lower level, so on TV you don't notice those seats that have access to nicer amenities, lounge, etc. So comparing them is really apples and oranges. My wife and I have season tickets in C121 and I always make it a point to be in my seat by introductions. However there are usually a TON of people at the bar in the Club ordering drinks, watching other games on the TVs or sitting on the ledge in the Club and watching the game from there. At first it drove me crazy but it is what it is. Those seats at Toyota Center are very expensive and generate a ton more money then other seating in the arena and help pay for the team. While it sucks to have empty seats, I also don't blame people for taking advantage of what they pay for.
Rockets (as an organization -- not the players) are getting exactly what they asked for. They had input on design of the stadium. They were the ones that wanted it to be a great place to entertain clients to justify tickets at those prices. They make a boatload of cash on those bars, I'm sure. Went to OKC's arena over the Christmas holidays. I know I was supposed to be blown away by that crowd, but I wasn't. And the building, itself, is nowhere close to being as nice as Toyota Center. Not even in the same discussion. No amenities like that.
not sure if anyone mentioned but in basketball its home court advantage. in football/baseball its home field. miami has the same problems as us. nba on espn retweeted that lowerbowl is half empty on todays finals rematch! lol
Home field? This isn't football. But yeah, unfortunately the Toyota Center ever since it opened hasn't hosted **** in terms of playoff success. We need to start winning in order to get the crowds riled up. Houston's always going to be a football city unfortunately, because I surely am not but small markets are always going to have the biggest home court advantages IE Oakland/OKC/Sacramento.
Toyota Center? More like Toyota Library. As long as the corporate people are willing to hand over cash for season tickets, this problem will not be resolved.
The games start too early in my opinion. I work and live in Galveston county. It's difficult to get off work during rush hour and navigate Houston traffic to make a 700 tip off. Not to mention parking.
traffic is a laughable excuse. It's easy to navigate downtown and parking is plentiful. If you want to be there at tip-off, you'll be there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GRFYDWsI9U I wish the people at the Toyota Center would do this. But the fans are too boring for this.
Where do you live? I live 15mins walking from TC and rarely make it home before 10, I stay for the entire game.
Surprising your company does not. Mine's slightly smaller than those majors and when asked, I realized we have about 16 season tickets; 4 sets of 4 throughout the arena.
Crowd was pathetic last night. It's the ****ing playoffs. STAND UP AND GET LOUD. I know the team wasn't playing well, but come on. Crowd noise is a huge factor in playoff games.
Deciding to bump this thread instead of starting a new thread. Last night's crowd was promising, but in the end, came back down to reality. We were DEAD once we lost the lead after our hot start. We actually were loudest when we fouled DeAndre Jordan after they fouled Smith or Howard, I dont remember and maybe booed the loudest when Blake Griffin got that AWFUL foul call against Smith later on in the game, it actually caused him to miss his first free throw. The fact that the crowd as a whole was so dead was disappointing. The high flying dunk act and acrobats got NO LOVE whatsoever from anyone since they had to perform in the 4th quarter after Crawford nailed that rainbow luck bank shot. Hate how hot and cold TC can get, too many fairweather fans in the building (yes it's playoffs, and those tickets cost money, etc. etc.) But come on, this is too ridiculous. I feel like if the crowd had been into it more, the team might not have lost it at the end. This game was lost in the 4th quarter EDIT: well apparently I wasnt the only one who had this idea.
Energy wasn't there. The long layoff has effected the crowd. It is up to Clutch the Bear to get the fans amped.
I was there and the crowd was dead because our team played so sloppy. No execution at all. Harden is our team's leader and when he gives up on a game, the team and the audience give up too. His body language was absolutely awful. 9 TO's too. We had SO many turnovers, were you watching the same game?