Cavs games are "getting so quiet these days that you
can hear the attendance drop," according to Chris Tomasson
of the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, who writes that the team is
averaging 13,573 at Gund Arena, down 3.9% from last season.
Season-ticket sales have dropped "significantly" from last
season when the Cavs sold about 9,500, and the team is "on
pace to have their worst season at the gate" since moving
into Gund Arena. Cavs President & CEO Jim Boland: "Sure,
we're disappointed. But we knew coming out of last year
that we had a lot of work to do. We knew that it wasn't
going to be a quick fix." Boland cites the retirement of
Michael Jordan and the lockout as main reasons for the
attendance drop. Boland: "I hate to keep using [Jordan],
but we sold a lot of ticket packages that included the
Chicago games" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 2/15). Cavs Owner
Gordon Gund, on the drop at the gate: "We are very mindful
of it and are very concerned. ... I am disappointed in the
attendance. Hopefully, it will go up." Gund: "I am not
going to say I will never sell the team. Some day, that
could happen. At this point, I am not thinking in those
terms at all. As for the franchise, I certainly know it is
not going to leave Cleveland" (Cleve. PLAIN DEALER, 2/15).