Axeman makes valid points on #1 and #2. Ticket prices are outrageous for a product that does not make the playoffs two consecutive years. When the Rox are in the playoffs, ticket prices are less of an issue (still an issue, but more bearable). But, let's face it everyone. Winning cures everything! If this team were 10-5 right now, there would no complaining about tix prices or bad moves the owner has made. Les has done everything that you expect an owner to do and more considering his off the court contributions. The Rox won the franchise of the year in volunteer and charity work twice! On the court, He has done nothing short of trying to build the best product possible for the fans, because the fan base means more $$$. Les is a smart man and he has an ego. This ego is a good thing, because he wants to make money and win (the two go hand-in-hand). At the same time, he makes mistakes as we all do, but no doubt, he is an astute business man. His legacy has no black marks in my opinion. He made moves on this team that brought us 2 Championships and some nice playoff runs in the past 5 years! He also made some bold moves that led to nothing much. But, still this is one of the top franchises in the NBA. Except for Sac-Town and New York, show me another city that supports it's team (as proven by some to be with sellouts) in tough times? Not one team other than the two above were selling out during rebuilding or tough times. Examples: Fans bailed on Chicago, Seattle, Boston, LA, even god's basketball country--Charlotte! Fans want Ws..bottomline. Les has done everything possible to ensure success, except for some bad breaks and some moves that in hindsight did not work out, but, he has done what he and basketball experts thought was the smart thing. You have to respect that. Prices do stink and are outrageous and I wish they could roll them back. And, yes corporate fans in the lower round do sit on their hands. But, they are up in droves when we are winning and in the playoffs..make no mistake about that.
Axeman, thanks for clearing all that up. It takes a real man to admit when one's wrong, or to clear up their post. A lesser man woujld have ignorantly and insolently defended their position. I dont think the rockets will have any problem selling tickets once they start winning. Look at the lakers, they couldnt sell any tickets until they got Shaq, and now their house is packed every night. Im not saying the rockets are gonna get a player with the market value of shaq, but in a year or so franchise will be a marquee player of the league and griffin will start to mature and therefore our record will also start to improve. As a result we will have no trouble at all selling tickets. I think the rockets are going through a strom righ tnow with the francis injurt and rice not hitting, but we'll just have to weather the storm. These are the times taht try men's souls, and us non-fair weather fans will juss have to stick with them an support the team we all know and luv.
I've read all the arguments here. If the local fans like sports, you're going to have fans. It's really that simple. The BOTTOM line is the following: I'm in my 3rd job. I'm turning 18, just graduated out of high school. My job is paying me $1000 per month. I wouldn't waste a penny of that money on going to a Rockets game if the arena was right in front of my house, here in the Middle East. It's just TOO expensive. What I'm making is qute a bit for an 18 year old, and I could probably afford to go to a few games a week. But I wouldn't wanna sit in the nose-bleed seats, and I wouldn't wanna give up my paycheck to sit courtside. It's very simple. I live and die for the Rockets. But the tickets just aren't worth it, if I can watch the games at home. An example I'd live to give is this. I love soccer, but I absolutely despise the soccer team/clubs of the country I'm LIVING in. To sit as close as possible to the players, it costs roughly $30. I go to around 6 games a month. I know you're thinking that these are crappy games. But, the point is, I'd pay it, cause I'm a fan of soccer, and this is a soccer-mad country. So you're gonna getr the fans, either way. Simply, it depeds on the fans and the pricing. The majority of both aren't very good.
When the tix prices are high, people who got to games are not necessarily die-hards like anyone who posts on this site. Different levels of fans go to games and the mix all depends on winning and losing. There are four general levels of fans in my book (available at Barnes and Noble soon). This fan base study below was administered by Harvard Medical School and general observations coming from 10-yr season ticket holder and 20-year rocket fans: 1) Corporate Fans (occupy 40% of arena at all times) - nothing to say except - Free Company Tickets or client took me! 2) Fare weather Fans (occupy 5-10% of arena at any time) - They only go to games when tickets are given to them through the company or by other means and only ask for them when it looks like the team is going to the playoffs. They only follow Houston Rockets basketball when they are winning and know nothing about the rest of the league or the rules and wonder where Hakeem has gone. Only root when the team is in the playoffs (like my dad!). They are cheering loudly, but boo loudly and constantly criticize when things do not turn out as planned--almost as if the team is not allowed to lose and star players have to shoot 100% from the field every game. First to lose interest when the team drops below . 500 and the first to claim "they are back" when the team is above .500. Probably voted against the arena. Probably only buy Rockets gear for a playoff game. 3) Casual (occupy 10% of arena)- Round out the sellouts by sitting in the upper mids. Decent fans, but other things occupy their life like jobs, kids, other events. Go to few games a year, follow on TV occassionally, but do not stay up late for the west coast games and have a general interest in the team and the league. Do not get depressed when the team is either losing or not in the playoffs. Probably voted for the arena, but make arguments against the arena too. 4) Rooting Fans (occupy 20-25% of arena) - Purchase mini season packages, split packages with other people or attend games when feasible (probably would go to more if they could afford full season ticket packages or if the company gave up more), follow rockets closely on tv and generally stay up late to watch west coast games. Have favorite players, follow the NBA news, dial frantically to get playoff tickets. Own some rockets gear and wear it occassionally during games and voted for the arena. 5) Diehard Fans - (occupy 10% of arena) Definitely do not miss games--no matter what. Probably own season tickets or know many who do. Definitely post on Clutch City. If no cable or not in Houston, go to a sports bar and demand the game or get the NBA package. If do not own season tickets, constantly hits friends, neighbors, company for tickets and will attend many games and never miss a game on TV, except for the occassional funeral or birthday. Have strong opinions about players, strategies, coaches and other teams. Attend or host draft parties, rocket watching parties and definitely voted for the arena. Bottomline: the arena attendance depend on all levels of fans. it would be nice to be in NY or Sac town where everyone is level 3-5, but that is utopia. So, we have to deal with reality and that is that all fans will go to games when winning. Level 1, 4 and 5 will generally be the majority of the arena. The attedance differential this year is in level 2 and 3 (20%). These folks generally will only pay these prices or attend games when the team is 11-4, 10-5 or 9-6. Gotta win at these prices and sell outs will happen and fans will be frenzied!
Maybe so , but the Compaq Center would still be empty unfortunately because Houston is not a city that supports professional sports...period.
NJ; Unfortunately, I think Houston gets a bad rap on these issues. Tell me a city other than Sactown and NY (specifically the knicks, not the nets) that fills out the arena when not winning? -You could probably use this formula in all sports generally. Not many cities support losing teams any more! With the big money LA and NY have (see the salary cap overage), should there not be sellouts every night? Also, how do you explain the 4 years of consecutive sellouts in the Compaq center from 1993 through 1998? I was there (in the compaq center) during this period and can tell you that while Houston fans are not rowdy, they do know when to get supportive. We do not flip over cars and burn them during championship celebrations, nor do we throw pennies and batteries on the court during games, but we sure show respect to players and teams that come in here and can get pretty enthusiastic about our teams.
I was unaware of that, Is that really true? From what I remember (from seeing it on tv only), the Rockets sometimes ahd trouble selling out playoff games. I guess I stand corrected. Either way, my main point is that some cities will support a franchise regardless of W-L records and Houston isn't one of them. You are right...there aren't that many. (NY, Sac, St Louis (not NBA but the sports they have a well supported), and maybe a few others. )
NJ: ya, sometimes is gets overlooked, but the sellouts have been there. in fact, it maybe more than 3-4 years...it could be more like 4-5 yrs. of course, you have a point, Houston is not the most overly enthusiastic group in the US either, but one thing players will repeat about Houston is that this a good fan support town. does this mean overly flowing turnstisles..probably not, but close. Oilers really gave Houston the rap due to their departure. That was kinda overblown too. I remember going to games that were 60k, but they did not sell out in time for a national audience. but, on game day..it was sold out.
Could someone tell me what the hell we're doing with Glenn Rice here for the next 2.5 years? This is just starting to sink in....I ....it's just...obsurd...errr..GAH!......Could someone tell me what the hell we're doing with Glen Rice HERE for the next 2.5 years??? WHAT IN THE HELL????? ARE WE DOING ???? WITH GLEN RICE??????? ****HERE !!!!!!!!?!?!??!?!?!? FOR THE NEXT 2!?*?!??!!!**!!! .5 !!!!!!!!!!! YEARS?!??!?!??!?!?!
fromobile, I hear if you place a bag over your head like they do with frightened horses, it can help you forget about scary things.
Let's remember something else. The team that won in 1994 was put together by Steve Patterson, then the GM of the Rockets, with help from Ray Patterson. I don't know if you all know this or not but Ray Patterson is the man who drafted Lou Alcindor (aka Kareem Abdul-Jabaar) when he was the the GM for the Milwaukee Bucks in 1972 (who soon after that draft won a championship). Ray put together the '81 and '86 teams that went to the Finals. Ray drafted both Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon. Steve Patterson drafted both Sam Cassell and Robert Horry. Steve also made the acquisition of Vernon Maxwell and Otis Thorpe, and is responsible for bringing Elie into the mix. And they were the ones who made Rudy T coach -- and they went out on a limb doing it because Rudy wasn't even an assistant coach - he was a scout and had no NBA coaching experience. I'm not trying to bag on Les here. He's done a good job as an owner. He spends more money than god trying to make this team successful. Ray and Steve Patterson worked under owners who were reluctant to spend money on the team, but they still found a way to put a competitive team on the court. They put together the team that Les was lucky enough to buy. And, what did Les do in '93 when he bought the team? He fired both of them. They weren't able to take part in the success that they created. That must have simply SUCKED. Sure, the next year they were looking pretty bad and did the Drexler deal without Steve and Ray, and that worked out but only because the nucleus of the team was still intact. But since then it's been a slow, steady, downhill roll. Another bottom line for you: Les is very lucky that he won two championships. All the credit goes to Steve and Ray Patterson for building that nucleus. It's a shame that Les ran them out on a rail the way he did. Les walked right into a gold mine and maybe now he will have to feel some of the pain that Ray and Steve went through all those years trying to build a good team from scratch. It will be a good experience for him, I think.
Axeman: good point on the Patterson dealio! He did set up Les for the windfall in 1994! Based on history since Les has had the team, he has shown us that he is not shy nor dollar conscience in making moves in an attempt to help this team. He makes the call based on Rudy and CD, so maybe we need to rethink the last four years and wonder how we can better the ship! You gotta say that Les doing everything he is supposed to at this point. Allowing players to play, coaches to coach, General Managers to Manage and shelling out the shimmies when needed!
This is one of the WORST thread of all-time. There have been some seriously steaming pile of crap threads, but this one takes the cake. Would you prefer Drayton McLane or Bud Adams to own the Rockets? I didn't think so.
