Why is H-town such a poor bball town?

run-bdp · 02-12-2002, 11:49 PM

So, the rox are struggling... happens to every franchise from time to time. Why is Rockets attendance so piss poor? According to the chronicle, the Rox are only a smidgen above Charlotte in attendance. I don't believe it's only the record. Last year we went 45-37 and were in the bottom 5 in home attendance. Yet we were one of the top road draws bc other cities respect our exciting young team led by Franchise and the Cat.

So what is the problem? Is it marketing? Is Houston a poor bball town? Ticket prices too high? What? I grew up in Houston and grew up loving the Rockets, why do I feel like I am alone here?

kidrock8 · 02-12-2002, 11:51 PM

We're a poor sports town to begin with.

Lil Pun · 02-12-2002, 11:59 PM

Blame Enron! :D

DaDakota · 02-13-2002, 12:10 AM

Maybe because people don't want to be ripped off and see such a terrible basketball team play?

I mean be realistic, the Rockets are not very good right now...sure injuries have taken a major toll, but if you get tickets it is about a 50/50 chance that Steve won't play either.

The team plays bad defense, turns the ball over a lot, and doesn't share the basketball, and when some players are off, the coach still leaves them in the game.

Who wants to pay for all that?

I mean how many times do you need to see the Mooch's hair?

DaDakota

NCSTATEFAN · 02-13-2002, 12:29 AM

Its just not good entertainment. If I want to watch freelance basketball, i'll go the "Y". No wait, theres that one play... cuttino or francis drives into a double team, where one barely kicks the ball back out to another guarded player as time expires and a bad shot is taken.

I like these guys, just its way to painful to watch for a whole game.

dskillz · 02-13-2002, 12:57 AM

Well, the Rockets are the 3rd highest tickets in the league, the brand of ball is extremely boring. No set plays, 1 on 1 ball, a ton of missed shots and turnovers make for a bad experience. Don't get me started on the in-arena entertainment. I watch the NBA League Pass and see the other cities having ticket specials, givng 2 for 1, etc. but that doesn't happen here. The bottom line is no one wants to pay to see a loser, especially when you have to pay championship era prices.

I love the Rox, I have been to about 10 games this season and will go to a few more in the second half. But I am not going to dis an entire city because the management has overpriced it's product.

TroyBaros · 02-13-2002, 02:14 AM

Well spoken Ds
Everyone who does attend the games knows very well they give away lots of freebies to make up for their prices.
So I do not complain when I go to the game I get a Free coke EVERY GAME my rockets trading card,rockets photo, and game notes not to mention i might get lucky and nab a free t-shirt!
So I do not complain I get my moneys worth I will stay a season ticket holder till the day I leave this earth and then In heaven I will watch from the clouds:D
so just to give a break down
each seat I pay for is $13 dollars per
$26 total
subtract the Free coke which is about ide say $2.00
Then my Rockets trading card id say about .50 cents net worth
Then my player photo which ide pay a buck for if I had to
Game notes their very informative Ide say $1.50
Rockets power dancer poster autographed
Now just using 1 ticket as an example
13-2-.50-1-1.50=8 bucks for all that! GOOD deal if you ask me

ZRB · 02-13-2002, 02:21 AM

What about last year? The Rockets had about five sellouts the whole season. Most of the time, it was a tomb in Compaq Center, even during that 16-4 stretch. Face it, Houston is just a pathetic basketball city.

Oh, and those ticket prices don't help much either.

Jared Novak · 02-13-2002, 04:39 AM

The problem with Houston is that there are too many johnny-come-latelys, and fair weather fans. Right now the Texans are all the buzz, and so are the pathetic Astros.

I've lived in thi city all my life, and have seen great games from all the majoir teams in this city, and have felt great heartache from the losses as well. I'll not point anything out as to not start yelling out loud or shedding a couple of tears.

However, I am a die-hard Rockets fan, I go to games when I can, which isn't often because of my job, but I always listen to Gene Petersen when not in front of a TV, or I'm watching the game.

Just to let you know there are a few of us that still live and die with the team no matter what the win column says.

leebigez · 02-13-2002, 08:30 AM

The product on the floor isn't very good to start with and knowing Houston, a winner is the only way to get this. Not a mediocre 1st rd and out playoff team, but a true contender that the fans really feel has a shot to do something special. Lets face it, making the playoffs in the nba isn't like making it in football or baseball. For this team to not be part of the 8 teams in the west kinda dissappoint fans. Plus the fact that the team is very boring to watch doesn't help.

Band Geek Mobster · 02-13-2002, 08:42 AM

Rockets basketball sucks.
Rockets fans suck.
Compaq Center prices suck.
and Jay Rocket sucks.

I think that's about all you need to know.

DCkid · 02-13-2002, 09:02 AM

I don't quite see how some of you can say this team is no fun to watch. They have two of the most exciting players in the league in Mobley and Francis. I know they're losing now, which is never really fun, but had everyone remained healthy it would be a totally different story. I mean, the only reason Francis got so many votes for the All-Star is because fans think he's fun to watch.

Band Geek Mobster · 02-13-2002, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DCkid
I don't quite see how some of you can say this team is no fun to watch. They have two of the most exciting players in the league in Mobley and Francis. I know they're losing now, which is never really fun, but had everyone remained healthy it would be a totally different story. I mean, the only reason Francis got so many votes for the All-Star is because fans think he's fun to watch.

1) Cuttino's not one of the most exciting players in the league
2) Dribble Dribble Dribble Desperation Fade is not exciting either

DCkid · 02-13-2002, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Band Geek Mobster

1) Cuttino's not one of the most exciting players in the league
2) Dribble Dribble Dribble Desperation Fade is not exciting either

Okay, then why do so many people refer to the rockets backcourt as being one of the most exciting backcourts in the league? I know Mobley is just about the most inconsistent player there is, but when he's playing good I don't see how you could not agree that he is an exciting player. Even in the poor game he played last night, some of those fingerrolls he made gliding through the lane after he left his man in the dust were pretty "exciting" if you ask me.

I know most of y'all probably rarely miss Rockets games, so I have to ask why some of you torture yourselves watching something that you find so boring. Are y'all masochists or what?

Evil Beaver · 02-13-2002, 09:43 AM

It's true that we are a bad basketball town. Before the championship years, we always had poor attendance even though we were going to the playoffs.

Other teams have less talent and are less exciting to watch yet they have better numbers than we do. I can't explain that. I wish we had rabid fans that get excited about the Rockets, win or lose.

I watch the Rockets on TV today as much as I used to when we were winning. That hasn't dropped off. But ticket prices are too high. Why should I pay $80 per ticket (or higher) to watch a basketball game for a couple of hours? To pay Kelvin Cato's salary? Why do other businesses have to control their salary expense, but the NBA doesn't? Why should Kelvin Cato (one of the laziest players in the league) make more money than a CEO at a major corporation? The NBA is full of Kelvin Catos and they all make ridiculous money.

If the NBA goes bankrupt one day it's their own fault for pricing fans out of the market.

Band Geek Mobster · 02-13-2002, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DCkid
Okay, then why do so many people refer to the rockets backcourt as being one of the most exciting backcourts in the league? I know Mobley is just about the most inconsistent player there is, but when he's playing good I don't see how you could not agree that he is an exciting player. Even in the poor game he played last night, some of those fingerrolls he made gliding through the lane after he left his man in the dust were pretty "exciting" if you ask me.

Okay you didn't say most exciting backcourt in the league, you said they were 2 of the most exciting players in the league, and I guarantee you that no one in the World thinks of Cuttino Mobley when they think of the most exciting players in the league.

Honestly, the backcourt hasn't improved much at all since last year and that's why I think less people are saying they're the best backcourt in the league.

Cuttino's putting up Jerry Stackhouse like numbers this year and I'm pretty positive most people in here would say Stackhouse is overrated.

Quote:

Originally posted by DCkid
I know most of y'all probably rarely miss Rockets games, so I have to ask why some of you torture yourselves watching something that you find so boring. Are y'all masochists or what?

In the beginning of the year I used to go out of my way to watch Rockets games because I didn't have FSSW, but now I don't bother anymore because the games do bore me.

I do go to the games sometimes, but it's not even that exciting at the Compaq Center either.

Our team plays bad basketball...

DCkid · 02-13-2002, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Band Geek Mobster
Okay you didn't say most exciting backcourt in the league, you said they were 2 of the most exciting players in the league, and I guarantee you that no one in the World thinks of Cuttino Mobley when they think of the most exciting players in the league.

By exciting player, I just mean somebody who is capable of making incredible plays. There's not too many people that can make some of the plays that Mobley does, simply because there's not too many players who can match his speed, quickness, and body control. Of course in the same breath, I can also say that Cuttino makes more stupid plays than any one in the league.

kidrock8 · 02-13-2002, 11:04 AM

The backcourt has regressed tremendously from last year.

Moochie has sunk further down than Enron. Francis has been very inconsistent with his shooting, as well as missing every other game with the 'graines, and Mobley is I guess about where he was last year.

When 2 of the 3 guys you counted on from last year haven't produced like they did, a bad team is what you will get.

FranchiseBlade · 02-13-2002, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kidrock8
The backcourt has regressed tremendously from last year.

Moochie has sunk further down than Enron. Francis has been very inconsistent with his shooting, as well as missing every other game with the 'graines, and Mobley is I guess about where he was last year.

When 2 of the 3 guys you counted on from last year haven't produced like they did, a bad team is what you will get.

But the Rockets have improved over the last two weeks. They have passed more, played defense more, and last night they played defense for more than half the game, and won the game because of it. Cat played a SMART game, when he wasn't hitting his outside shot he drove to the basket. Cat also played some really great defense on Shane Battier.

Shooting and Defensive rebounding were the only bad things about last night's game, and the Rockets got the win.

People can claim they have a borring style of ball to watch, but when they stop watching or don't give the team credit when they make improvements then it's pointless.

TheFreak · 02-13-2002, 11:22 AM

I don't think it's about ticket prices. First of all, Houston = the 4th largest city in the country = more people than most other cities = more people that make more money. The cost of living in Houston is not high either. There should be no problem filling up 16,000 seats on a given night in a city as big as Houston. Not to mention that if you're going to a pro game, you know right there that you're going to be spending quite a bit of money to begin with. If you didn't want to spend money, you wouldn't go through the hassle to begin with. You'd watch it on TV. The last time I paid for a ticket, it cost me 45 bucks. Good seat, too. Not 90 bucks as was mentioned earlier.

Attendance numbers aside, just freaking go to a game, and you'll see that it's not merely a problem with people not showing up. The people that do show up just don't care. Try to act like you do care, and you get strange looks. What do supposed high ticket prices have to do with it when you're already in the door?

As far as the "winning" argument. The team was 45-37 last year, and was dead last in attendance. Dead. Last. That's awful, man. Flash back to 1994 -- the Rockets host their first conference semi-final game since '87. Seattle, the #1 seed, has just been eliminated. The city should be pumped for a title run, right? Wrong. 2,000 empty seats for a SECOND-ROUND PLAYOFF GAME. What more needs to be said?