The "least-attended" home playoff game in Hornets
history came Saturday night against the 76ers, as "only"
11,766 fans showed up after 15,023 tickets were sold,
according to the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER's Peter St. Onge, who
examines the team's attendance woes in a front-page report.
But it "got worse" for Game Two last night, as paid
attendance "was just" 11,686, but "actual turnstile totals
were not available." The playoff attendance "mirrors a
dramatic decline in Hornets' regular-season attendance," as
the team has "lost about" 7,000 season-ticket holders in the
past four years (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/25). Also in
Charlotte, Rick Bonnell wrote that there were 8,000 unsold
tickets for Saturday's game. Bonnell: "It's curious that
there wasn't more interest. The Hornets draw dramatically
better on weekends normally" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/25).
Meanwhile, Lauren Markoe reports today, "Weary of waiting
for the Hornets, Charlotte officials will ask team co-owner
Ray Wooldridge to present a financing plan for a new arena
early next month." Charlotte City Council member Don
Lochman, on Wooldridge, who has "broken two dates" since
December to appear before the Economic Development committee
with an arena plan: "This gentleman walked [in] ... and said
'I will have this for you,' and I haven't seen the guy
since." Markoe adds that "several" council members want
Wooldridge to "reveal" the plan's "broad outlines" at their
May 1 or May 8 meeting (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/25).
BIENVENIDOS A MIAMI? In Miami, Barry Jackson writes
that the Heat "decided Monday to close off" 3,100 upper-
level balcony seats for tonight's Game Two of its series
with the Pistons. For both games, capacity "has been
limited to" 16,500 at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat sold
all 16,500 available seats for Game One and "listed it as a
sellout," while "about" 500 tickets remain for tonight's
game. The team "will consider opening" the balconies during
the second round of the playoffs (MIAMI HERALD, 4/25).
Saturday's Game One "marked the first time the balconies
were closed" for a weekend game since the arena opened in
January (MIAMI HERALD, 4/23). The Heat's attendance at the
first year AmericanAirlines Arena was the focus of a front-
page report in Friday's WALL STREET JOURNAL by Sam Walker,
who wrote, "In one of the most perplexing developments of
the year in sports, thousands of Heat fans have been AWOL
this season, even at big games" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/21).
IN MOTOWN? In Detroit, Chris McCosky writes that "fewer
than" 10,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's Heat-
Pistons Game Three at The Palace (DETROIT NEWS, 4/25).
