According to the latest issue of Sports Business Journal: Through 18 home games, the Rockets are averaging 11,899 fans per game. An average of 73.1% of the Laptop is filled to capacity per game. Total fan attendance (through 18 games) is 214,182. Last year, the Rockets averaged 12,461 fans per game. Therefore, attendance is down 4.5% from last year. For the ADD people: AVG ATT. = 11,899 (3rd worst in league) CHANGE = -4.5% (10th biggest decline from last year) % CAP. = 73.1% (5th worst capacity filled % in league) So, you ask, who's worse than the Rockets in attracting fans? From worst to the Rockets: AVG. ATT. = New Jersey Nets (10,719), Charlotte Hornets (10,903), ROCKETS (11,899)... % CAP. = New Jersey Nets (53.5%), Charlotte Hornets (54.7%), Atlanta Hawks (63.6%), Cleveland Cavaliers (67.4%), ROCKETS (73.1%)... WORST CHANGE IN ATT.** = Hornets (-21.8% drop from last year), Bulls (-17.4%), Cavaliers (-16.9%), Nets (-13.8%), SuperSonics (-8.9%), Hawks (-7.5%), Pacers (-5.6%), Trail Blazers (-5.1%), ROCKETS (-4.5%)... To end on a slightly bright note, the Jazzholes' attendance is down 3.5%... **You can't take too much stock in this "ranking," because it wholly depends on last year's team attendance last year and is therefore misleading and skewed.
Oh, wait... I forgot the obligatory "I'm-on-crack" trade proposal that'll bring people to this thread and create discussion: HOUSTON TRADES (TO DENVER): KELVIN CATO HOUSTON TRADES (TO DENVER): DAN LANGHI HOUSTON TRADES (TO DENVER): GLEN RICE HOUSTON TRADES (TO DENVER): MOOCHIE NORRIS HOUSTON TRADES (TO DENVER): WALT WILLIAMS TOTAL: $23,913,850 DENVER TRADES (TO HOUSTON): RAEF LaFRENTZ DENVER TRADES (TO HOUSTON): ANTONIO McDYESS DENVER TRADES (TO HOUSTON): NICK VAN EXEL TOTAL: $24,548,892 TRADE ACCEPTED Whew. That was close. Much better now...
I'm kidding. I have to wonder about New Jersey. You think our attendance is bad? NJ actually has a good team that is playoff-bound and leading the East. Meanwhile, their competition for basketball dollars, the Knicks, sucks. Sound like a good recipe for getting fans in the door. So, where the hell are they? They have worse attendance than Charlotte who basically told their city to kiss off. There are more fans in Charlotte willing to put up their money despite getting kicked like some slavish dog than there are fairweather fans in NJ to come to watch the hometown win? The Nets have my sympathy.
I think it's interesting that New Jersey's attendance is down despite them being one of the top teams in the East.
If the rockets ended up drafting Yao Ming expect the attendance issues to be resolved. Yao would pull sooo much of Houston's asian population that just about every game would be a sellout which is making Les drool.
New Jersey, is interesting, sure they are winning this year and playing extremely attractive ball, but at the end of the day their Stadium is a b**** a of place to get to, especially for families on anything other than friday and saturday nights.
LMAO!!!!!! By the way, could you post a link to that article (if you got it offline)? I'm curious to see the Nugs stats.
Yes, Phoenix did get reamed in the Barkley deal, but he didn't want to play there anymore. I don't think all of those Nuggets are desperate to leave.
Amen. I've never been to a Nets game because I don't have the slightest clue how to get there (living in Manhattan and all). I still don't understand how the Nets draw so little fans. The NYC-NJ area is packed so densely with sports nuts, that it's unfathomable to believe only 10,000 people show up per game. All things being equal (with the Rockets' performance being the same), I can see Houston at the bottom of the attendance rankings next year. NJ, after the great season they're having this year (with potential to go very far), should draw considerable more fans next year. Charlotte will be in New Orleans, so I see their attendence going up as well. That leaves only Houston as the leading candidate for the attendance futility crown. That would suck.
