I pretty much agree with all of these quotes, and there's no reason to go much further. Personally, I really do not care how people spend their money, or how often they watch the games in what manner. They've worked hard for their money (or gotten that money from somewhere). More times than not, I'm probably not going to go to any game with two mediocre teams, unless I am with my friends, have nothing to do (on holiday or slow week), or tickets are super cheap and I have some free time on my hands. The team is winning right now, but not firmly in the playoff picture with no star attractions or exciting young players. That's not only what people watch in their home cities, but also on the road. During Yao-T-Mac years, despite having middling home attendance percentages, the Rockets were one of most watched teams on the road (percentage wise) from 02-09 in the NBA, even rivaling the Lakers, Kings (early 2000s), and Cavs (better than the Spurs). Regardless, how internet sports fans or critics perceive LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, the main going consumers show up in droves at their games (Critics and haters do not realize that the controversy is making both players even more prominent). What would be the point of a road customer to come and watch the Rockets, if they are middle of the road team with no identifiable stars or promising future all-stars? Even when the Lakers were mediocre, people still watched them in droves on the road and at home, because of Kobe Bryant (and the Lakers brand as well). Also with Yao and T-Mac, people actually did come to see the Rockets, just not in Houston, but to destroy the myth that either player was lacking in appeal. When it came to general fans who "actually" went to the games on the road, again, Houston ranked in the top 5 in road attendance raw numbers, percentage capacity, and sellouts. Even looking at the Rockets right now, there's no clear direction for the future. Anything involving a superstar on the market coming to Houston is almost pure fantasy, we do not have the pieces to acquire, such a player unless . . . we have a collection of valuable draft picks to go with it as well. If we had a top 5 pick on the horizon, maybe, but we don't and we aren't going to be bad enough to get such a pick or player. Look at what has happened in Detroit, best home attendance in the NBA for almost seven years and are now near the bottom. There's nothing about the team that is intriguing and they are losing, horrendously.
Sad fans? I say they lower the prices of beer at the game. Then you will see me at the game acting a fool. Probably even louder than the roudies.
You brought up good point, that shouldn't make you any less of a fan or not, if you watch and follow the team, loyally. That's good enough. I could see once, maybe, but several times over a year that could get expensive for the average person to fly to another city to watch their favorite NBA team and fly back home. That's not very practical, if someone is really pulling their pennies together. Like I said earlier, are people going to want to watch Springsteen or Kayne West in Toyota Center or are they going to want to watch a local mediocre club band or singer performing at the Toyota Center. Though, if you change the word mediocre to promising or exceptional band/singer. With some people, they do not realize the NBA is just entertainment. Even the league itself takes thing entirely too seriously sometimes. It's a little game for kids that men play and make an exorbitant amount of money doing, while their owners swim in most of it. Rockets right now, are sort of in phase like the Miami Dolphins, in which they are almost always good enough to reach, get close to, or not be too far out from the playoffs, but never good enough to be a real contender. Not really bad enough, annually to get super high picks, while most free agents tend to such a city as a 2nd or lower choice with fair weather fans not coming to the game (what do you expect in Miami?). I know the die-hards hate to hear this, but these people are not going to just come to games, because certain people do not think they are "real" fans. Because, fair-weathers are not about to spend their "real" money on watching a mediocre product or just merely win couple ordinary regular season games. As much as I bash Florida Marlins' fans and their ghost town stadiums, I cannot blame them, because originally they did not want to pay for a new stadium and have owner who doesn't necessarily believe in putting a quality team on the field year in and out. Though, they caved, and new stadium got built, and Huizenga put money in to the team, this year (watch out, though). I do not feel sorry for the Dolphins either, they've had many opportunities to build a fairly decent team, while most of all getting a quality QB. They've past on Drew Brees (didn't like his shoulder), Matt Ryan (draft, LT would be more valuable than getting a QB with first pick - Parcells), Jay Cutler (price to high for draft picks), Michael Vick (radioactive from prison stint, but some team took a chance on him), Carson Palmer (price to high for picks), and Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III (turned things around to fall out of those sweepstakes). The Dolphins are just the opposite of New England, lack of risk taking, or being able to get a good end of a deal. http://phinphanatic.com/2011/12/14/what-if-the-dolphins-drafted-matt-ryan/ http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/34447/what-if-the-dolphins-drafted-matt-ryan http://bleacherreport.com/articles/895358-why-chad-henne-isnt-the-biggest-problem-in-miami
Completely inaccurate. Are you really trying to say that the heights has more to offer then downtown? You might want to try and walk a couple of blocks over to Houston Pavilions or how about the amazing discovery green park. Downtown is FULL of bars, theaters, concert venues, sports venues, parks, art, and everything you could as for. Could it improve? Of course it could and it how been, maybe 10 years ago this statement would have been true but not today.
Can we please stop these BS excuses about the economy, do I need to post again: http://www.chron.com/business/article/Houston-economy-faster-growing-in-North-America-2591026.php I am not saying people are struggling but as a city we are doing far better than other US cities with a basketball franchise. If anything it should be the REASON we are buying more tickets then other cities not an excuse of why we are in the bottom 5.
Francis was much more marketable. He sold jerseys, and he brought fans to the game when they made the playoffs. He also had some national appeal. Yao Ming brought fans to the TC as well, but the truth is people only want to support a winner. I don't want to watch the Rockets maybe lose to the Pistons. I want to be sure my team is going to beat the Pistons. Then I might buy tickets. Look here: http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamatt.htm?tm=hou&lg=n The reason they charge $7 or $8 for one beer is because they don't want fans to leave games over the legal limit. They have much less control over how much beer someone buys unlike in clubs or bars. The last thing they want is a drunk guy making an accident with a family in the Toyota Center parking garage.
I'm pretty sure if one believes something to be irrelevant in their world, they can't really call themselves fans until they decide that something is relevant to them again.
I live in Austin, so while I wish I could go to the games, I simply cannot. I do however watch them whenever I have time and thus far that meant all the games.
I disagree. I'm a fan of the franchise...I'm rooted in it. It's not like I'm rooting for someone else. But I have a difficult time caring about this current crop. I don't think management cares for them much either. Hell, we label them assets and they all know they're dangling by a thread. I have a difficult time with ownership who doesn't seem to grasp the state of his franchise at all...and seems to be ignoring his heralded GM. I can't root against the Rockets..but I'm also not very excited by them either. If I go to a game, it's because I'm looking to take my boys out, and I use stubhub to buy them super cheap (which is quite easy right now, frankly)...or its because my accountant has crazy good seats and we drink too much and ogle the power dancers. Frankly, aside from this message board, they generate virtually no conversation in my daily dealings with friends or anyone else, aside from the occasional comment from Jacoby. Having said that..I love the HOUSTON ROCKETS. And I'll be here calling myself a Rocket fan long after this roster has moved on and called themselves something other than Rockets.
I guess I just don't understand how someone couldn't love this group of players, regardless of what their record is. I could understand the early aughts, but not this year (or last). To each his own and all that. Anyway, now that I know you go to get drunk and make creepy eyes at the power dancers without inviting me, I'm a little upset.
If they were my tickets, you know you'd be invited!!! I have had season tickets at 2 different points of my life (94-98 and 2004-6), and I've never had seats that are as good as my accountant's. It's ridiculous how good those seats are. I try not to make creepy eyes, but I guess if I'm a few beers in, I can't make any guarantees. :grin:
Meh. Some of the Clutchfans here can attest that if I go, I'm getting #)$#^)&#$ing loud. You've met me... and I am #)*^$#* loud when my team plays... no matter if it is a bad season, I'm in the top bowl, have NOT had any beers, or if it's a day game. I just don't have the time or the money now to go... but I wished I had season tickets and go EVERY game... and in the lower bowl, too. Would I be annoying? YES. Always stay classy, never curse, cheer for your team, also applaud nice things the other teams do. I will wear my RED, White, and Gray jersey. ALWAYS. I can't believe people don't have at least ONE red polo or nice t-shirt to show some spirit. Always wearing suits? WTF. Have a red polo at your office just in case, Chad, Bob, and Jim. Let me throw some gas into this fire: Aside from the lockout, I think it's also how so many people cried "foul" at the NO-TRADE of Pau Gasol or the no-Nené deals. How quickly we forget about that one?
I don't see an easy way to get seats upgraded (yet), nor do I think the TicketExchange is well-utilized.see unsold tickets go directly to Groupon or a similar site. I don't honestly think a team should fear their event will be "devalued" if it is sold for $10 when face is $50. It just generates new fans who will buy crap at the arena. No reason it shouldn't be done.
How easy would it be for some of us "cheapskate" fans who buy upper-bowl tickets to go to an usher of the lower bowl and say: "Man... look at that... no fans... I wished I would sit there... so I could cheer my team louder" ... and get moved down??? 'Memmer this??? <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vsK6kKBuQg4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> How easy?
I understand that downtown isn't that bad. Im talking about right there by Toyota center. There really isnt much to do right there in that area of downtown. I dont know if you have ever made the walk from the theatre district to the Toyota Center. Its not a stones throw away. The TC/ George R. Brown area is not a destination area for Houston. Im just giving you an example of a city that got it right with the AAC in Dallas with a sports crowd similar to the "fair weather" fans in Houston. Rockets diehards are a totally different animal. Much better down here. If they want to bring in more of the trendy socialites to fill the stands, they should do better urban planning right there in that part of downtown. Ex:-Hell I went to try to get a beer before the game the other night at the B.U.S., and that one bar, the only one by the TC had gone out of business. I walked a loop around the TC, couldnt see anywhere to go too that wasnt a 20 minute hike, and said screw it and paid 8 dollars a beer inside. Thats a problem. Im just saying.... Rockets diehards are doing their job just fine, its the fairweather/socialite fans that Les and the city of Houston need to worry about bringing in. Those people need another reason to drive down to Houston other than the basketball game.
Every game I go to I ask for an upgraded ticket at the table infront of 410. There's always someone standing there, usually with a stack of comped tickets, but nobody talks to them and the tickets go to waste. Last night we got 4 upgraded tickets to section 102. Works almost every time.
