ABA 2000 began its inaugural season on December 26, and the following presents local media reaction and attendance figures from a selection of league markets.
OPENING WEEK: The Tampa Bay Thunder Dawgs-Chicago Skyliners game on Tuesday, December 26, drew about 1,500 fans to Allstate Arena (IL DAILY HERALD, 12/27). However, the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES had the announced crowd at 2,172, though the "scattered fans made it difficult to tell" the exact number (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/27). In IL, Jeff Vorva wrote, "There were a few glitches on opening night, as the game started 18 minutes late and rosters weren't given to the media until the second quarter. The play was ragged at times." Skyliners President Greg Davis: "We had just two weeks of promotion, and down the road we'll get bigger crowds. We'll do more promoting. We'll have more entertainment during the game" (DAILY SOUTHTOWN, 12/27). Also on Tuesday, the Indiana Legends-Detroit Dogs game drew an announced crowd of 5,871 to Cobo Arena (DETROIT NEWS, 12/27). An estimated crowd of 2,700 "braved the cold" to watch the K.C. Knights-Memphis Houn'Dawgs at the DeSoto Civic Center (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/27). The same two teams drew an "impressive" 7,031 fans to Kemper Arena the following night (K.C. STAR, 12/28), while the three-game series finale on Thursday, December 28, drew 1,192 fans to the Desoto Civic Center (COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 12/29). In L.A., Diane Pucin wrote that there "were many kids in the crowd" of 5,347 for the San Diego WildFire-L.A. Stars game at the Great Western Forum on December 26 (L.A. TIMES, 12/27). Two nights later, the Legends-Stars drew 4,767 to the Forum (L.A. TIMES, 12/29). The WildFire-Knights drew 3,143 to Kemper Arena last Thursday (K.C. STAR, 12/29).
MORE NUMBERS: An announced crowd of 1,668 saw last Friday's Legends-WildFire game at the San Diego Sports Arena, and in San Diego, Mark Zeigler wrote that "was more than expected considering that the home opener went head-to-head with the Culligan Holiday Bowl." Zeigler wrote fans "saw a game that was entertaining" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/30). But the following night, only 400 fans attended the Stars-WildFire at the Sports Arena (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/31). Saturday's Skyliners-Knights game at Kemper Arena drew an announced crowd of 3,032 (K.C. STAR, 12/31). Sunday's Dogs-Houn'Dawgs game in Memphis drew 1,331 to the DeSoto Civic Center (COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 1/1). Also on Sunday, only approximately 200 showed up for the Skyliners-ThunderDawgs at Tampa's Bayfront Center (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 1/1). Finally, "during the dramatic finish" of Monday's Legends-Knights game at Kemper Arena, a crowd of 2,741 "sounded like 10,000 as fans rose to their feet, stomped on chairs and helped ignite the Knights to their fifth straight victory to open the season" (K.C. STAR, 1/2).
