Turnstile Tracker: NBA Regular-Season Attendance Down 2.1%
The NBA this season averaged 17,396 fans per game, down 2.1% from a year ago, but still taking in the third-highest total attendance in league history. The Pistons regained the league's top spot with 22,076 fans per game at The Palace of Auburn Hills, overtaking the Bulls who had a 1.2% drop in average attendance. The Trail Blazers and Celtics both saw double-digit gains, up 19.5% and 10.6%, respectively. The Sonics' attendance dropped 16.3% at KeyArena due to season-long rumors of a possible move to Oklahoma City and the second-worst record in the league. Despite finishing second in the Western Conference, the Hornets' average dropped 20.5% from a year ago, when they played 35 games in Oklahoma City. Despite five teams posting double-digit declines in attendance, NBA teams combined to record more than 647 sellouts, up from 600 sellouts last year and the most since '95-96. Total gate revenue also was up 3.0% from a year ago. The following presents team-by-team regular-season attendance for the '07-08 season, with comparisons to last season (THE DAILY).
|
'07-08 NBA REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE
|
|
HOME TEAM
|
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
GMS ('06-07)
|
|
Pistons
|
41
|
905,116
|
22,076
|
100.0%
|
22,076
|
0.0%
|
41
|
| Bulls |
41
|
901,502
|
21,988
|
101.3%
|
22,253
|
-1.2%
|
41
|
| Cavaliers |
41
|
839,074
|
20,465
|
99.5%
|
20,436
|
0.1%
|
41
|
| Mavericks |
41
|
831,738
|
20,286
|
105.7%
|
20,351
|
-0.3%
|
41
|
| Jazz |
41
|
816211
|
19,908
|
100.0%
|
19,566
|
1.7%
|
41
|
| Warriors |
41
|
804,864
|
19,631
|
100.2%
|
18,104
|
8.4%
|
41
|
| Trail Blazers |
41
|
801,566
|
19,550
|
97.8%
|
16,360
|
19.5%
|
41
|
| Heat |
41
|
798,004
|
19,464
|
99.3%
|
19,721
|
-1.3%
|
41
|
| Raptors |
41
|
796,835
|
19,435
|
98.2%
|
18,259
|
6.4%
|
41
|
| Knicks |
41
|
783,739
|
19,116
|
96.7%
|
18,796
|
1.7%
|
41
|
| Lakers |
41
|
778,877
|
18,997
|
100.0%
|
18,986
|
0.1%
|
41
|
| Celtics |
41
|
763,584
|
18,624
|
100.0%
|
16,843
|
10.6%
|
41
|
| Spurs |
41
|
761,149
|
18,565
|
98.9%
|
18,654
|
-0.5%
|
41
|
| Suns |
41
|
755,302
|
18,422
|
100.0%
|
18,422
|
0.0%
|
41
|
| Wizards |
41
|
736,461
|
17,962
|
89.0%
|
18,410
|
-2.4%
|
41
|
| Rockets |
41
|
718,524
|
17,525
|
97.5%
|
16,545
|
5.9%
|
41
|
| Nuggets |
41
|
711,962
|
17,365
|
90.9%
|
17,230
|
0.8%
|
41
|
| Magic |
41
|
709,346
|
17,301
|
100.1%
|
17,095
|
1.2%
|
41
|
| Clippers |
41
|
692,408
|
16,888
|
88.6%
|
18,406
|
-8.2%
|
41
|
| Hawks |
41
|
667,518
|
16,281
|
86.9%
|
15,595
|
4.4%
|
41
|
| Nets |
41
|
641,921
|
15,657
|
77.6%
|
17,047
|
-8.2%
|
41
|
| Bucks |
41
|
639,421
|
15,596
|
83.3%
|
16,186
|
-3.6%
|
41
|
| 76ers |
41
|
609,675
|
14,870
|
73.2%
|
15,012
|
-0.9%
|
41
|
| Bobcats |
41
|
603,403
|
14,717
|
77.4%
|
15,549
|
-5.4%
|
41
|
| T'Wolves |
41
|
593,537
|
14,477
|
74.8%
|
15,999
|
-9.5%
|
41
|
| Hornets |
41
|
581,432
|
14,181
|
74.0%
|
17,833
|
-20.5%
|
41
|
| Kings |
41
|
580,181
|
14,151
|
81.7%
|
17,317
|
-18.3%
|
41
|
| Sonics |
41
|
547,556
|
13,355
|
78.2%
|
15,955
|
-16.3%
|
41
|
| Grizzlies |
41
|
523,578
|
12,770
|
70.5%
|
14,655
|
-12.9%
|
41
|
| Pacers |
41
|
501,092
|
12,222
|
66.6%
|
15,360
|
-20.4%
|
41
|
| TOTALS |
1,230
|
21,395,576
|
17,395
|
90.5%
|
17,767
|
-2.1%
|
1,230
|
ROAD WARRIORS: In Boston, Steve Bulpett notes the Celtics "were the league's biggest road draw," averaging 19,042 fans per game away from TD Banknorth Garden. The team drew "franchise-record crowds on consecutive February nights at Denver and Golden State." The crowd of 20,711 for the February 20 game at Oracle Arena "constituted the largest gathering to ever watch a basketball game in California" (BOSTON HERALD, 4/18).
HIVE OF ACTIVITY: In New Orleans, John Reid noted Tuesday night's Clippers-Hornets game drew a sellout crowd of 17,388 at New Orleans Arena, pushing the Hornets' average home attendance to 14,738 since December 1. The figure is above the 14,735 opt-out point in the team's lease agreement with the state of Louisiana, something that "seemed impossible just three short months ago." Also, the team last week announced that it has signed 1,500 new season-ticket holders for the '08-09 season (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/16).
|
