No way it's the Rockets' fault. The people down low just aren't interested in getting loud, plain and simple. If the team starts winning consistently in spectacular fashion, maybe the culture at Toyota Center will change and people will look forward to going and getting rowdy. Minute Maid Park didn't used to be a loud place to catch a game, either, and it's not like they play exciting music there, either. Slowly, though, the team built up some buzz for itself and the fans realized that it was more fun the louder it got. For whatever reason, this team hasn't really captured the imagination of the casual fan in Houston. I think the media coverage of the team has a lot to do with it. The Rockets simply aren't the talk of the town and haven't been for a long time. As the die-hard fans, it is our job to hype them up to our friends, families and co-workers as much as possible in order to build some interest and buzz around the team. That much we can do. And it's about all we can do, because the only way to make the lower bowl loud is to make it FASHIONABLE to get loud.
Actually the Rockets had the Tundra Dancers going around downstairs trying to start chants "LETS GO ROCKETS...clap.clap.clap.clap.clap." etc. Most people just oogled them, but I think this may catch on. The crowd was weak, but when we started winning and padding the lead they got into it a bit. It's early, I think winning will make the crowd get into it more.
Such is the nature of pro sports. If you want excitement go sit in the Ozone in the Erwin Center for a UT basketball game.
I thought the crowd was as pumped as the team was, and energized proportionately. That will be the case with the season as well, as someone here pointed out already. It's nice to have a loud arena, and I think the team prefers it, but honestly, I think they make enough jack that it shouldn't be REQUIRED of fans, or face derision. I personally am loud at the game. Not everyone enjoys being loud... but it doesn't bother me. Not everyone enjoys MY being loud... that bothers me less. Too much is made of this... in my opinion.
They need to feed the crowd with crowd noise and applause. They will here the cheers and be compelled to get involved. Like a tv laugh track but applause instead. Or maybe they could put some hidden mics in the upper level and blast the feed through speakers in the lower level.
I like that idea too. People really do feel more comfortable cheering when they have others around them cheering. My company has two suites and most of the time I'm surrounded by customers. I try to cheer as loud as I can without getting fired but it's hard when noone else is cheering. Sometimes I get a rowdy customer and it makes it so much funner.
Comparing tix price with Knicks and Bulls are not approperiate. Things are much more expensive in those 2 cities, especially NYC. There are also a lot more "real" fans in those cities that can afford the expensive tickets. Look, with the money Yao bought his house in Houston, one may be able to buy a 50-year old studio on Manhattan. But tix prices at MSG are not even 2x more expensive than at TC. Relatively speaking, TC is expensive.
Fans can always sell their tix on Stubhub, but I doubt many who can afford season tix on club seats would care about going through the trouble of doing so. You have to make it easy for these rich people. Say allow them to call box office 3 hours ahead to put their seats on sale, and if it get sold, their accoutns are credited 50% of the price for that game.
Even so, that doesn't explain why places with far more expensive seats are able to draw noisy crowds when we cannot. My point here is that it isn't on the Rockets to force patrons to be noisy. They sell to whomever buys. If you want louder, noisier crowds, talk to the ticket holders. Blame the right people.
Seriously - the mannequins in the lower bowl (there are some actual fans down there, but not many) are just there to impress their dates and/or potential business partners. They care less about basketball than they do about frosting their tips, getting pedicures, and using moisturizer. ...and I'm talking about the guys.
