AT&T semi-empty?

[ElNono]

I thought it was pretty empty there, although the camera angles from the TV weren't all that great. Anybody that went to the game can confirm/deny?

[Reck]

They dont need to confirm it. It was pretty empty.

Most fans know what's going on with this team. They see what's happening and they dont make the effort to go see their team.

Personally after the Chicago game I lost faith in that crowd.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Pretty sad when a one team town can't support their team that's one of the greatest winning teams in all of professional sports


Franchise prob won't exist after all three big three retire

[JsnSA]

I think an 8:30pm start on Sunday night had a lot to do with it. On the bright side....the $60 tickets I bought through a groupon were on the 7th row down by the baseline. I'm guessing that was because they had a lot of unsold tickets for the game already. I was shocked at how close we were. Too bad the Spurs played so poorly.

[Russ]

I thought it was pretty empty there, although the camera angles from the TV weren't all that great. Anybody that went to the game can confirm/deny?

Everyone was at the Bill Maher show.

[angelbelow]

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

[The ADMIRAL 50]

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

Pistons don't surprise me, but the Pacers? With that team? That's disappointing.

[angelbelow]

Pistons don't surprise me, but the Pacers? With that team? That's disappointing.

Yeah, that's too bad for them. They have a nice team and they're playing well too.

[The ADMIRAL 50]

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

So at 18,201 we are 13th, but it says we are on average at 98% capacity (hard to believe but obviously lots of factors, not actual butts in the seats). The Thunder are just 2 ahead of us at 18,203, and after doing the math even if we were at 100% capacity we would only be able to climb ahead of them, into twelfth place. Soooo, sounds like we are doing pretty good tbh. I have only been to one game this year (the season opener vs Memphis) as I live in Austin these days, but I'll be the first to admit the Spurs crowd isnt always as raucous and rowdy as it could be. I've been to my fair share of big, big games though (THE GOOD: Game 7 '05 Finals, THE BAD: Manu fouls Dirk, and THE UGLY: Fisher) and I would argue when it matters most we can get as crazy as anybody. On a consistent basis though I would say we are no longer a top 5 NBA crowd as I feel we were in the prime years of our dynasty.


fwiw, percentage-wise 98% puts us in 11th.

[The ADMIRAL 50]

Yeah, that's too bad for them. They have a nice team and they're playing well too.

Yea exactly, they really have been great this year. Basketball crazy state too, supposedly, but I guess the Indiana basketball tradition has always been more identified with the amateur rather than professional ranks.

[objective]

SA tv ratings are down 5th most in the league as well.

But as for live attendance, people usually talk about complacency after the titles, and that's fair, but I think the biggest reason is the AT&T Center and it's location.

It's coming up on 10 years old and that new arena smell is long gone. Going there for games isn't worth it for people any more. It's in a giant dump, an industrial wasteland on one side and an unsightly, poor neighborhood on the other (putting it nicely). The arena didn't revitalize a thing over there.

Casual ticket buyers aren't in a rush to just go to that location, and hardcore fans can have a great experience watching in HD.

[rascal]

St. Louis Spurs

[SpurNation]

Could be the fact of too many games in a short period of time. Could be other reasons as mentioned. But only an inconsiderate snob would not attend because of it's location and those are the ones (when they do attend) just sit there without making hardly any noise.

[ElNono]

This somewhat ties with the rebuilding discussions we were having a while ago... If we can't even put fans in the seats with the big 3 and on a weekend, does it even make sense to delay rebuilding?

[Keepin' it real]

+1 for the Bill Maher show, and we even made it back home in time for the second half.

[timvp]

The attendance is down from last year but up from 2009 and 2010. Although, yeah, I do worry what's going to happen in the upcoming years when winning becomes more difficult.


SA tv ratings are down 5th most in the league as well.The local ratings are still the best in the league though, right?


But as for live attendance, people usually talk about complacency after the titles, and that's fair, but I think the biggest reason is the AT&T Center and it's location.

It's coming up on 10 years old and that new arena smell is long gone.According to that link up there, the Spurs are drawing more this year than they did in 2003. That is pretty shocking considering that in 2003:

1. The SBC Center was new.

2. It was David Robinson's last season.

3. It was Tim Duncan in his prime.

4. The Spurs were much more legitimate contenders.

5. That was arguably the most exciting Spurs team.


I remember Spurs fans complaining about not being able to fit in the seats at the SBC Center or whatever it was but that's still pretty ridiculous.









Considering the first round exit last season, the lockout and the past ticket sales, I'm sure the ownership is thrilled with this season's attendance ... assuming those are legit numbers, of course.

[Kori Ellis]

I don't care how many people they say are going to games. The reported attendance is obviously way off.

This is the first year since I've lived here (2002) that I've ever seen tickets available on StubHub for a dollar. And there are dollar tickets (or sometimes 50 cent tickets) for sale for almost every game. timvp and timvp jr. sat in the lower level for a game before the rodeo road trip for $40...and got free parking in the lot right by the door. Crazy.

There are a couple factors:

Spoiled Fans. The Spurs haven't won a title since 2007. New age Spurs fans got used to championships with the 03/05/07 titles coming so close together. So now, if the team flames out in the first round or even the WCF, they lose interest for the following year.

Manu-Manu-Manu-Manu...Manu-Manu. A lot of fans go to games to see Manu. Since Manu has been hurt so much, those fans have bailed. Now that Manu is back *knock on wood* those fans will likely stop selling their season tickets for a dollar.

[timvp]

^I forgot the Manu factor regarding the drop in attendance and especially the drop in TV ratings.

Good catch :married:

[Cane]

Lockout shortened NBA basketball has been a terrible product to watch. Not to mention the Nuggets don't have any stars worth buying a ticket to see

Crowd's been fine in the few games I've been and seen though tbh.

Spurs fans have been spoiled but the crowd and attendance have been pretty damn good. Although it is aggravating to see all the season ticket holders give their tickets to Bulls and Laker fans when they come into town

And tbh the real problem are HD home theaters and opportunity costs. I don't mind watching the Spurs on my ten foot 1080p projector screen although I do love going to the games too.

[Cane]

Pistons don't surprise me, but the Pacers? With that team? That's disappointing.

Yea it is surprising but I also think they've had mostly uninteresting pretenders come to their stadium, fwiw

[Trill Clinton]

I think an 8:30pm start on Sunday night had a lot to do with it.

This.

[JRHernandez88]

I've been to about 7 games this year all In the upper bowl and none of them were against star teams. Every game I've been to looked pretty packed and the fans were really into the game for the most part. I've seen whole sections mocking opposing fans and stuff was pretty cool. Where we're they during that chicago game who knows... There's also Gona be those fans too that don't really make any noise but for the most part the crowd got Pretty loud. Go to the games and be as loud as you can and do your part!

[Bruno]

Spurs will have to survive to a rough period once Time retires. There are some risks that Spurs move out of San Antonio.

The biggest risk is that the ownership decides to cash in by selling the team. New owners might be less sold on staying in SA. Another risk is a possible future Euro expansion. While it won't be in a close future, NBA is projecting to create 5 franchises in Europe. Instead of expanding the NBA to 35 teams, some small market NBA teams can move up to Europe.

However, I would say these risks are little. The new redistribution system and the new CBA will help a lot small market teams.

[mrsmaalox]

I ordinarily go to lots of games, but this compressed season has been very difficult. As a regular family with school aged kids and their regular activities, there is just no way to use all of our partial season tickets. I would also say that paying for parking and babysitters 3x/week (or even 3x/month) has kept a lot of the people who buy entire and partial seasons away. But even so, I haven't witnessed much vacancy when I've been there this season.

[Buddy Holly]

Spurs will have to survive to a rough period once Time retires. There are some risks that Spurs move out of San Antonio.

The biggest risk is that the ownership decides to cash in by selling the team. New owners might be less sold on staying in SA. Another risk is a possible future Euro expansion. While it won't be in a close future, NBA is projecting to create 5 franchises in Europe. Instead of expanding the NBA to 35 teams, some small market NBA teams can move up to Europe.

However, I would say these risks are little. The new redistribution system and the new CBA will help a lot small market teams.

Bruno, Spurs have a pretty much unbreakable lease for 20 more years. Calm down.

[Buddy Holly]

Holy shit, ST posterss again come up in the clutch when it comes to incrediblely overreacted hyperbole.

[Buddy Holly]

one team town cant support the spurs but all these motherfuckers somehow think the NFL will actually come to San Antonio. this city is absolute bullshit
and nothing more than an extension of mexico. the paychecks of the locals reflect that.

cant wait til the spurs suck ass again then up and leave and san antonio is completely cuckolded by all pro sports.

And you're an extension of a bowel movement.

[ElNono]

If the Spurs can't make enough money, all bets are off.

There's no such thing as an unbreakable contract.

[DesignatedT]

Lol the Spurs aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

[Buddy Holly]

If the Spurs can't make enough money, all bets are off.

There's no such thing as an unbreakable contract.

Guy, enough with the hyperbole. The AT&T center was filled up pretty well last night and the game was at 8:30 on a Sunday night game against the Nuggets but for whatever reason you decided you needed to creat this ridiculous thread.

Also, aside from Seattle, which sports sports team in recent history relocated during a lease? Hell, the Saints couldn't even get out of their lease after Katrina and the Hornets look like they're going nowhere of the new lease goes through.

Bottom line, the spurs aren't relocating because you andante whoever else are unhappy with attendance.

[Buddy Holly]

Btw, since no one bothered to post the actual attendance in this hyperbole fueled thread, last night's paid attendance was 18,581.

Yes, I understand the turnstile attendance is what people are bitching about.

[timvp]

The Spurs will be in San Antonio a while. Even if worst comes to worst, they basically have a $75 million blank check from the county due any day now, IIRC. So they won't be going anywhere when they have that type of money coming in.



But if San Antonio reverts to being last in the league in attendance like they were prior to the drafting of David Robinson, it's possible that they eventually move. If they revert to last in attendance plus have to eventually deal with the NFL in town, it'd become likely that they'd move at some point in the future.

[Buddy Holly]

But if San Antonio reverts to being last in the league in attendance like they were prior to the drafting of David Robinson, it's possible that they eventually move. If they revert to last in attendance plus have to eventually deal with the NFL in town, it'd become likely that they'd move at some point in the future.

Basically the same worst case scenarios that could cause relocation to any and every pro team in every city.

[ElNono]

Guy, enough with the hyperbole. The AT&T center was filled up pretty well last night and the game was at 8:30 on a Sunday night game against the Nuggets but for whatever reason you decided you needed to creat this ridiculous thread.

Also, aside from Seattle, which sports sports team in recent history relocated during a lease? Hell, the Saints couldn't even get out of their lease after Katrina and the Hornets look like they're going nowhere of the new lease goes through.

Bottom line, the spurs aren't relocating because you andante whoever else are unhappy with attendance.

I didn't say they're going anywhere. I simply said there's no such thing as an unbreakable lease should a company be in financial dire straits.

As far as my OP, I simply asked a question and requested verification.

The AT&T didn't look that packed to me from my TV set, this the question.

[rasho8]

Although it is aggravating to see all the season ticket holders give their tickets to Bulls and Laker fans when they come into town

You would have to be a pretty shitty friend to not offer your good friends the opportunity to see their favorite teams once a year.

I choose to pay the money for season tickets, I damn sure choose who's ass I'm going to put in that seat. 90% of the time its mine, except when a team my friends want to see is in town.

Being a good friend and letting people have a good night to see their team in no way detracts from the Spurs experience as a fan. If you're too fucking butthurt seeing other fans there then buy all the tickets in the arena and only give them out to Spurs fans. Otherwise shut up about what we do with the tickets we purchase.

edit: PS No one goes to Lakers or Mavs but me, I don't let anyone cheer for those two crap teams from my seat.

[Cane]

You would have to be a pretty shitty friend to not offer your good friends the opportunity to see their favorite teams once a year.

I choose to pay the money for season tickets, I damn sure choose who's ass I'm going to put in that seat. 90% of the time its mine, except when a team my friends want to see is in town.

Being a good friend and letting people have a good night to see their team in no way detracts from the Spurs experience as a fan. If you're too fucking butthurt seeing other fans there then buy all the tickets in the arena and only give them out to Spurs fans. Otherwise shut up about what we do with the tickets we purchase.

edit: PS No one goes to Lakers or Mavs but me, I don't let anyone cheer for those two crap teams from my seat.

Oh yea don't get me wrong its from the selfish homer perspective that has to put up with the away team fans at the game. It also looks :depressed on TV fwiw

[noles1983]

+1 for the Bill Maher show, and we even made it back home in time for the second half.

same here, and watching that second half i was glad I was being entertained by Bill during the first half.

[Spur|n|Austin]

I live in Austin but make as many attempts as possible to go to the games. We're going Wednesday against the Knicks and again for Bowen's jersey retirement ceremony and game. I don't think the location of the arena is really that big of an issue, or even Manu being out; IMO I think the condensed and fast paced season has been hard for some fans to keep with. Spurs fans will be there when it truly counts during the playoffs; it would just be nicer to see them supporting our guys at home as much as possible. As others have said, Spurs fans have become spoiled and it's really a shame. I'll be relocating to SA for work in the next few months and we have already looked into season tickets for the future.

[ploto]

When you have kid(s) who have activities, it really does get hard to get to the Arena night after night unless you have some extra special motivation getting you there. :)

Plus, I do think the location does matter. If you could drive once to the area and find a nice place to eat and spend the evening at the game, then it would be a more attractive option. Some of us are not fans of arena food.

As for this season, I have had difficulty getting interested in the NBA overall because a lot of the games have simply been crappy in the entire league.

[rascal]

And you're an extension of a bowel movement.

San Antonio is a poor city as compared to other big cities.

[rascal]

The big question is can the city support a losing team?

Spur fans have gotten spoiled with success.

St. Louis Spurs

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Spurs will have to survive to a rough period once Time retires. There are some risks that Spurs move out of San Antonio.

The biggest risk is that the ownership decides to cash in by selling the team. New owners might be less sold on staying in SA. Another risk is a possible future Euro expansion. While it won't be in a close future, NBA is projecting to create 5 franchises in Europe. Instead of expanding the NBA to 35 teams, some small market NBA teams can move up to Europe.

However, I would say these risks are little. The new redistribution system and the new CBA will help a lot small market teams.

The Spurs initial contract at the arena was for 25 years. That was extended by another 5 after the latest bond funding. They're not going ANYWHERE for 20 years. Doesn't matter who owns them.

[DesignatedT]

The big question is can the city support a losing team?

Spur fans have gotten spoiled with success.

St. Louis Spurs

It might take awhile but with a whole new team will come a whole new fan base.

[spurs1990]

Remember that game in '06 when everyone was donning Mike Finley jerseys after the incident againt Dallas.

That shows how supportive San Antonites can be towards their team.

[SequSpur]

I think this is a good topic.


Buddy Holly is a dipshit as always.

The fucking ATT center is only 75% full, I don't give a shit what the paid attendance.

The games are fucking boring.

No one can dunk.

The Spurs are fucking boring.

Matt Bonner continues to get more playing time which will lead to a first round exit.

Pop is a dipshit.

I am tired of little kids dancing at fucking halftime.

The beer is too expensive.

I have to park and walk 2 fucking miles every time I go to the game...

It's a 25 minute drive from my house.

It's in a shitty neighborhood, unfortunately.

The Heat, Lakers, Bulls and whoever else will contend.

Spurs are fool's gold....again.

Where the fuck is tpark?

[dbreiden83080]

Pretty sad when a one team town can't support their team that's one of the greatest winning teams in all of professional sports


Franchise prob won't exist after all three big three retire

The Cavs survived drawing high school level crowds throughout the 90's..

[LongtimeSpursFan]

When you have kid(s) who have activities, it really does get hard to get to the Arena night after night unless you have some extra special motivation getting you there. :)

Plus, I do think the location does matter. If you could drive once to the area and find a nice place to eat and spend the evening at the game, then it would be a more attractive option. Some of us are not fans of arena food.

As for this season, I have had difficulty getting interested in the NBA overall because a lot of the games have simply been crappy in the entire league.

Yes the location matters. I hate that 30 minute drive to the arena and then another 30 minutes to get out. Alamodome and Hemisfair sites allowed me to go to drive to game at 6pm, have dinner downtown, go to game, and then celebrate the Spurs victory on the Riverwalk. This made it more of an event. So many good memories of hanging out with buddies and enjoying Spurs games together. The ATT center just doesnt have the same feel despite the Spurs efforts to get crowd to stay longer.
Damn arena should have been built where the Victoria Courts location and could have shared the parking with the Alamodome.

[Buddy Holly]

San Antonio is a poor city as compared to other big cities.

It actually isn't. Just the same old false misinformation that people rather believe than actually research. I'm not going to get into it but the up to date information is out there.

[Buddy Holly]

I think this is a good topic.


Buddy Holly is a dipshit as always.

The fucking ATT center is only 75% full, I don't give a shit what the paid attendance.

The games are fucking boring.

No one can dunk.

The Spurs are fucking boring.

Matt Bonner continues to get more playing time which will lead to a first round exit.

Pop is a dipshit.

I am tired of little kids dancing at fucking halftime.

The beer is too expensive.

I have to park and walk 2 fucking miles every time I go to the game...

It's a 25 minute drive from my house.

It's in a shitty neighborhood, unfortunately.

The Heat, Lakers, Bulls and whoever else will contend.

Spurs are fool's gold....again.

Where the fuck is tpark?


So basically, Sequ is the same miserable midget he's always been. Noted. How time changes yet things stay the same.

And so you don't strain yourself trying to come up with a clever retort. NSYNC!

[Hoops Czar]

Sometimes its hard to take the team seriously especially when it was pointed out in another thread that fans going to the game should think ahead and plan accordingly. Its never a given whether or not Pop is going to play his incredibles or his insolubles. When Pop starts to take things more seriously, I think the fans will come around. No fan in their right mind wants to see the Spurs E team take the court and chuck up three's at an alarming rate all while giving way to its feathery interior.

For those who are counting, the Spurs are 2-2 since the big sit and I'm not sure if I should even count the NBA's worst Bobcats or the Nuggets who were without 5 rotation players (4 starters) but someone would surely be offended if I didn't.

[jag]

Manu-Manu-Manu-Manu...Manu-Manu. A lot of fans go to games to see Manu. Since Manu has been hurt so much, those fans have bailed. Now that Manu is back *knock on wood* those fans will likely stop selling their season tickets for a dollar.

Bunch of bandwagoning Mexicans

[TJastal]

You would have to be a pretty shitty friend to not offer your good friends the opportunity to see their favorite teams once a year.

I choose to pay the money for season tickets, I damn sure choose who's ass I'm going to put in that seat. 90% of the time its mine, except when a team my friends want to see is in town.

Being a good friend and letting people have a good night to see their team in no way detracts from the Spurs experience as a fan. If you're too fucking butthurt seeing other fans there then buy all the tickets in the arena and only give them out to Spurs fans. Otherwise shut up about what we do with the tickets we purchase.

edit: PS No one goes to Lakers or Mavs but me, I don't let anyone cheer for those two crap teams from my seat.

I just wonder if Cane has to pay for three seats when he brings his girlfriend to games.

[Dex]

*It's in a shitty neighborhood, unfortunately.


This is one decision that I still don't understand. I know they were having a hard time finding the plot to build to AT&T Center way back when, but who the hell decided to put it in the middle of the effing warehouse district? Their claims that it would "revitalize the area" have obviously gone by the wayside a decade later.

In the meantime, you've got the lone sports arena (that is used regularly, anyways) next to a bunch of ugly warehouses and chop shops, with only one good road in or out that has to be completely re-routed and still turns into a gridlock. And since none of these businesses are going to give up their main place of commerce, it's next to impossible to put restaurants or bars in the vicinity for cross traffic, except that one dive bar that is up the way by I-10

I know there are bigger things to worry about, but I hate how when they show aerial shots of the AT&T Center, it looks like it's out in the middle of the desert or something. All you can see are a bunch of ugly orange lights and a consistent line of cars. At least the Alamodome was in the shadow of downtown San Antonio.

[Russ]

This is one decision that I still don't understand. I know they were having a hard time finding the plot to build to AT&T Center way back when, but who the hell decided to put it in the middle of the effing warehouse district? Their claims that it would "revitalize the area" have obviously gone by the wayside a decade later.

AT&T is a major fail, as they say.

The one thing SA had was a downtown that visitors actually liked. And they moved the Spurs away.

So the AT&T center shows that SA is neither attractive nor affluent but it does have bad neighborhoods just like the big boys. Welcome to AT&T -- the worst of all worlds.

And to answer your question, it was political string-pulling (surprise) by a county judge that led to this optimal result.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Bunch of bandwagoning Mexicans

You're an idiot.

[will_spurs]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-11054140

"The AT&T Center was almost sold out"

Selling out is nice. Having people who pay for tickets actually attend games is better.