In visiting Hartford, new CBA Owner Isiah Thomas called
the city, home to the league champion Pride, the "jewel of
the CBA," but noted that the team had one of the worst
attendances, as it averaged about 2,200 fans a game,
according to Stan Simpson of the HARTFORD COURANT. Thomas:
"You have champions of the league that are being asked to
play on the international stage. People want to see the
Pride play in France. We've been asked to send them to
China and everyplace else. But yet, here there seems to be
some type of disconnect between the corporate support we're
receiving and also the local community support from a season
ticket standpoint." Thomas said that either means the
market is not capable of supporting the team or the team "is
not doing enough to generate support." Thomas: "We say the
team is doing enough to gather that support because you have
the champions." Thomas said that he would like to see
either a new arena or a renovation to the State Armory,
where the Pride plays. Simpson: "Minor league basketball is
a tough sell. The team's nucleus is ever changing. ... But
when you put a championship product on the floor, your
hometown should support it" (HARTFORD COURANT, 10/18).
