Tonights attendance (vs. Golden State) was not very impressive. Only 10888. I am thinking that we should come up with some challenge to get more people out to the Toyota Center. Need more people to come out and help Rockets out. The players feed off the energy of the crowd and its hard to do that when all you see are empty seats
You guys should get off the damned BBS and go to a game for a change. I always take the opportunity to go to at least one when I'm in town. Come on, the T-Center was like a tomb tonight.
People don't often have enough money to go to alot of NBA basketball games. Yeah, you could get the cheap seats, but they're uncomfortable and the view is always better on your couch. That said, people when they finally decide to go to a game, would much rather see an exciting team like the Lakers or a playoff rival like the Suns instead of seeing the Warriors and their craptacular lineup of no NBA superstars. Not saying the Warriors aren't a good team, because they are. And despite the fact it was a very exciting and quality game tonight, the average fan wants to see one of the big teams. Even die-hard fans would rather see us play the Spurs or something rather than Golden State.
I am doing my part in going, I bought a 6 game pack and bought 4 additional tickets plus I STILL go to some games that were not on my pack. I have already gone to 3 games this season and 1 preseason game. BTW, this has been an ongoing issue for the past 3-4 years, the city of Houston is unfortunately a bandwagon city and pretty much thats the bottom line. I can guranteed if they make the playoffs this year, it will be rockin' there next year.
You could always buy the cheap seat and move on down. Especially since the arena was half empty or half full...
I do agree that our home court is not much of an advantage considering the poor attendance. It would be cool if they would have a clutchfans promotion night, where registered users got a few bucks off thier ticket price. Even then, it seems to me that the few fans their aren't exactly the rowdiest bunch. Its on the Rox PR people to get the fans more into the games- cheap beers, hotter dancers, something to get them on their feet from the tip off.
by all accounts, they are MUCH stricter this year in an attempt to stop that. it isnt like at the Summit, where the stairs to the lower deck were right next to the stairs to the upper level. They are on totally different levels IIRC. that being said... it is a matter of money for me...I will attempt to go to my standard number of games as usual...5 or more. and I will put up with the cheap seats just to get to be there. Of course, if my corporate friends come thru, I will get some lower level ones again..hopefully.
If you could find 8,000 midgets or children under 12 I'm sure they would be perfectly happy to watch the game from the upper deck. Look, get used to the poor attendance. If you can't or don't want to pay over $150 for a seat or if you can't luck into free seats in that price range or better, your game experience will be miserable. The Rockets will have a respectable (or better) team this year, and hopefully for years to come. But I predict that most who attend a game and sit in the upper deck will not return, at least not regularly.
I don't have a problem with people who don't buy tickets and don't go to games. It's your hard earned money and no one can tell you how to spend it. I can only afford to go to 5 or 6 games a year. My problem is the season ticket holders who already have tickets and just decide not to go. Most of those people are in the lower bowl and that's why it looks so empty on TV. If you have tickets, why in the hell would you not go to the freakin' game?!?!?
10800 people in a 18000 capacity arena is actually half empty, No matter season ticket holder come to game or not. The problem has to be Local Channel coverage, if I can watch TV and sitting comfortable at home, why I need pay 50 bucks to come to the game against team like GS? I don’t know how the other teams work. But in New York metro area, Nets games are covered by Yes Network and Knicks covered by MSG, both require standard cable package. But if Rox games are broadcast by Cable Channel, I am sure a lot of folks here won't be happy.
I'm tired of people complaining about the cheapseats. If you are lucky enough to get the 10 dollar tickets, then dont complain. I'm 6' 3", and i dont let a slight lack of footroom ruin my experience at the game. Try standing up to cheer every once in a while. I bought tickets for 13 games, and i consider myself lucky to attend them. I dont know what the point is of whining on a rockets fan board. If you think they're going to rebuild the arena, or remove rows of seats, then don't hold your breath. I've been to two games so far, in the cheapest seats money can buy, and i wouldnt even think of describing it as "miserable".
I will be at, at least, 2 games at TC this year. I live in Dallas... that said, I was already at the game we lost in Dallas at the AAC, and will be there Feb. 21st also. Support the team whenever you can... if the money is a problem, just save about $20 bucks, use you check card, buy a ticket way in advance, about a month... then save another $20 inbetween for spending at the game (one coke and a program... eat before you go.) Sitting anywhere is better than never experiencing the game. As you can see, it was high, but it was fun even though we lost. It cost me $10 per seat (2), and we spent about $30 on parking, program and cokes. PLEASE! If you live in H-Town, don't deny yourself the treat of going to the TC. I sure wish I could. BTW- I'll also go to maybe 8 other games besides the two Rockets games up here in Dallas... just the good match-ups that aren't sold out. While your living room view is great, just tape the game, go to it live, then watch it on tape later. That's what I do.
Hey all, I attended the Golden State game and this was my first trip to Toyota Center. My thoughts: Leg roomeople who said the leg room was small in the upper level were dead on- very little leg room in the upper level and it was very steep and dangerous. Also it seems as though the upper level is unfinished or something-- plain concrete floors with no finish at all. The upper level was very poor compared to compaq. Attendence: Like people have said in this thread the attendence was horrible , and it can be due to many things-- in my opinion -outrageous ticket pricing compared with lack of support in houston. Some of the lower seats in the upper section cost up to $30 - $40 which is totally not worth it and is a total ripoff considering they are trying to fill the stands. Also Rockets need to stop with all this corporate crap. Many fans were there were businessmen and not true fans at all. I mean who the hell wears a suit and tie to a basketball game anyway? These fans had great seats and were leaving in the 4th quarter even though the game was close. In the 2nd half i had a chance to sit in the lower bowl and the experiece there was alot better, much closer view but i can see why someone wouldnt want to shell out $65 a seat for that area, in a lifeless arena. All and all i had a great time , but im not that impressed with the new Toyota Center at all, in many ways Compaq center was better. Rockets need to understand this problem and do more things to brin g the hardcore fans like the ppl on this BBS such as LOWERING prices signifigantly for games they cant sell out, and they also need to cater more to the rabid fans in the upper section- as they are the kind of fans Houston needs and should not be ignored.
Very unfortunate. I live in Austin, so it is rare that I make it to any games. I'm a little shocked that there hasn't been any attendance surge due to the new arena. Hopefully the team will turn their image around and attract more fans ASAP. Keep on winning. That's the best way to put people in the seats.
Bottom line... HARDCORE FANS IN HOUSTON WON'T COME UNTIL THE TEAM WINS CONSISTANTLY!!! Remember our Championship 93-94 season... the year after we were one OT period away from going to the Western Conference Finals?... well, early on during on during our 15-0 start, those home attendance figures were ABYSMAL! 9,000 for a Nets game 10,000 for a Heat game, etc. And this was when Hakeem was in his PRIME... and in the midst of what was going to be a MVP season. It wasn't until the second half of that season where people started to feel this team had a shot, and still the only true sellouts were either weekend games or against the big-name teams. It will be hard for the Rox to draw well against teams like the Warriors, on a weeknight, unless the city is used to watching this team win... until then, expect nothing more... new arena and all.
Man... Ive noticed this while watching on TV. The arena is dead. C'mon people this is a new exciting venue. Even the non hardcore Rockets fans should come out. Even the people who could care less but just want to gape at the new arena and have a social experience should be there these first few years. Could it be that a new arena just isnt that interesting anymore since we have two other brand new sports venues in town? I mean please...both of those have opening roofs...but the Toyota Center doesnt...maybe thats the attraction? Les should of thought of that....now that would be BIG! I think the town has just become jaded towards this team since they have failed expectations for many years I hate to say even going back as far as the Barkley trade and then the Pippen debacle. I wish that I could see a game at home this year, but I just realized that on the one trip I have planned so far to come to Htown will only have one home game which coincides with the Xmas party I am coming in for in the first place. Maybe next year.
Hardcore? Are you sure you don't mean "bandwagon?" Those are the ones that usually fill the seats when we win consistently. Make the play-offs and they should come.
Yeah, I think the Rockets need to implement dynamic ticket pricing if they want to fill the Toyota Center every game. Simply speaking, there is no way a game against the Clippers can be equal to a game against the Lakers. I've chatted with the eBay seller who I bought Rockets tickets from and he told me last year's Lakers game tickets he sold for 5x face value. Meanwhile, he was lucky just to break even on Clipper game tickets. Also, the Rockets need to set up some sort of online exchange for Rockets fans and season ticket holders to buy, sell and trade tickets. I live within a stone throw of the Toyota Center and can afford to be a season ticket holder but there is no way in the world that I will ever choose to be one. Why? Because my schedule does not allow me to be at every game. I occasionally need to do OT and also travel for my job. Having a season ticket which I cannot resell or exchange simply seems like a waste of money to my cheap *ssed mind. I believe the San Francisco Giants have an online ticket exchange and they manage to pack every game. The Rockets would be wise to follow their example. Maybe the Clutch City BBS/website can be set up to be an online ticket exchange. That would be really cool!
I live in California, and I am going to Houston during my winter vacation early January. I plan on attending both the Utah and GSW games.... Any suggestions on how early I should buy the tickets? I am thinking $10 tickets for one game and $40 for the other, since my total budget is about $50..... I just don't know how fast the cheap tickets sell.
