Kori Ellis
12-03-2004, 04:30 AM
Suns say crowds will start to grow
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1203sunsattendance1203.html
Tim Tyers
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 3, 2004 12:00 AM
The Suns hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers and premier gate attraction LeBron James on Wednesday night, and there were 3,627 empty seats in America West Arena.
A big walk-up crowd is expected for tonight's meeting with Minnesota and superstar Kevin Garnett, but Suns officials reported that about 3,000 tickets remained as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
So what gives?
The Suns are the hottest team in the NBA, with a league-best 13-2 record and a nine-game winning streak. Just 13 seasons ago, America West Arena opened, every game sold out and the team had a waiting list of people begging for season tickets.
In seven home dates this season, the Suns have drawn 119,420 fans, compared with 114,539 after the same number of dates last season, when they started 7-8 en route to a 29-53 season.
That is 4,881 more fans this season, leaving the impression that the fast start is being met either with apathy or a wait-and-see attitude.
Rick Welts, Suns president and chief operating officer, will not quote the adage about statistics lying, but he will tell you the numbers are misleading.
"We're nothing but upbeat about the way people are responding so far," he said. "I really do think at this stage of the season, your first indicator is TV ratings. People have to be interested in watching before they buy tickets.
"We're up on every important measure we can be - group sales, single-game sales - and our no-show percentage is down. It's at 16 percent, which is good industrywide, compared to 19.5 percent last year. We think it's nothing but good news."
Television ratings for seven games on FSN Arizona are at 4.5, vs. 2.5 last year (80 percent increase). On over-the-air UPN 45, they are at 4.9 vs. 3.8 (29 percent increase), for eight telecasts.
Coach Mike D'Antoni said he believes fans are still in a wait-and-see mode, adding that the Suns' up-tempo style is a novelty that is catching on with fans.
Guard Joe Johnson agreed.
"As the season goes along, the fans will start coming out more once they see how good we are, and how exciting the game is that we play," Johnson said. "There is a big holiday coming up and people are shopping, so it's understandable."
Phoenician Henry Moreno, 21, stopped at the arena box office Thursday to purchase tickets for tonight's game.
He spoke for many fans when he said: "They didn't do very good last season, so I didn't bother coming."
The Suns already have sold as many season tickets as last season, about 11,000, and Welts said that number should go up.
"Maintaining your season ticket base in the world of sports right now is a very good thing," he said. "It's a declining world in our industry for season tickets sales, and that was a strong summer coming off last year's performance. If the team continues to play this way, we'll take a significant step forward next year."
Cedric Smiley, 46, of Phoenix will be among the fans watching.
"I love the team," he said. "I think they're great. They're real, for a change. I wish I was a season ticket holder. I just can't afford it. I don't think the frenzy has set in yet."
The Suns have had three sellouts - the first three home games vs. Atlanta, Sacramento and the Los Angeles Lakers - compared with six for all of last season.
NBA attendance is up 1.7 percent leaguewide, Welts said, and the Suns' is up 4.3 percent. The figures, however, include three "2-for-1" ticket promotions in November against Chicago, New Orleans - teams that had one win between them - and Milwaukee, which was on a four-game losing streak.
November, Welts said, is every team's worst month, with attendance increasing after the holidays.
Although the NBA has yet to issue an official operational report, the brawl involving players and fans in Detroit has not had a measurable effect on league attendance, said Jerry Colangelo, Suns chairman and chief executive officer, who also is a member of the NBA Board of Governors.
Wednesday's crowd at America West Arena was upbeat and vocal, but players did notice the empty seats.
"It gives us something to work for," point guard Steve Nash said. "Hopefully, at some point, we can really have a relationship with our fans and create a situation where they are really familiar with our team, like in Sacramento or Utah, when they have good teams.
"We're still building that. It's important for us to keep winning, playing hard and building up trust."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1203sunsattendance1203.html
Tim Tyers
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 3, 2004 12:00 AM
The Suns hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers and premier gate attraction LeBron James on Wednesday night, and there were 3,627 empty seats in America West Arena.
A big walk-up crowd is expected for tonight's meeting with Minnesota and superstar Kevin Garnett, but Suns officials reported that about 3,000 tickets remained as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
So what gives?
The Suns are the hottest team in the NBA, with a league-best 13-2 record and a nine-game winning streak. Just 13 seasons ago, America West Arena opened, every game sold out and the team had a waiting list of people begging for season tickets.
In seven home dates this season, the Suns have drawn 119,420 fans, compared with 114,539 after the same number of dates last season, when they started 7-8 en route to a 29-53 season.
That is 4,881 more fans this season, leaving the impression that the fast start is being met either with apathy or a wait-and-see attitude.
Rick Welts, Suns president and chief operating officer, will not quote the adage about statistics lying, but he will tell you the numbers are misleading.
"We're nothing but upbeat about the way people are responding so far," he said. "I really do think at this stage of the season, your first indicator is TV ratings. People have to be interested in watching before they buy tickets.
"We're up on every important measure we can be - group sales, single-game sales - and our no-show percentage is down. It's at 16 percent, which is good industrywide, compared to 19.5 percent last year. We think it's nothing but good news."
Television ratings for seven games on FSN Arizona are at 4.5, vs. 2.5 last year (80 percent increase). On over-the-air UPN 45, they are at 4.9 vs. 3.8 (29 percent increase), for eight telecasts.
Coach Mike D'Antoni said he believes fans are still in a wait-and-see mode, adding that the Suns' up-tempo style is a novelty that is catching on with fans.
Guard Joe Johnson agreed.
"As the season goes along, the fans will start coming out more once they see how good we are, and how exciting the game is that we play," Johnson said. "There is a big holiday coming up and people are shopping, so it's understandable."
Phoenician Henry Moreno, 21, stopped at the arena box office Thursday to purchase tickets for tonight's game.
He spoke for many fans when he said: "They didn't do very good last season, so I didn't bother coming."
The Suns already have sold as many season tickets as last season, about 11,000, and Welts said that number should go up.
"Maintaining your season ticket base in the world of sports right now is a very good thing," he said. "It's a declining world in our industry for season tickets sales, and that was a strong summer coming off last year's performance. If the team continues to play this way, we'll take a significant step forward next year."
Cedric Smiley, 46, of Phoenix will be among the fans watching.
"I love the team," he said. "I think they're great. They're real, for a change. I wish I was a season ticket holder. I just can't afford it. I don't think the frenzy has set in yet."
The Suns have had three sellouts - the first three home games vs. Atlanta, Sacramento and the Los Angeles Lakers - compared with six for all of last season.
NBA attendance is up 1.7 percent leaguewide, Welts said, and the Suns' is up 4.3 percent. The figures, however, include three "2-for-1" ticket promotions in November against Chicago, New Orleans - teams that had one win between them - and Milwaukee, which was on a four-game losing streak.
November, Welts said, is every team's worst month, with attendance increasing after the holidays.
Although the NBA has yet to issue an official operational report, the brawl involving players and fans in Detroit has not had a measurable effect on league attendance, said Jerry Colangelo, Suns chairman and chief executive officer, who also is a member of the NBA Board of Governors.
Wednesday's crowd at America West Arena was upbeat and vocal, but players did notice the empty seats.
"It gives us something to work for," point guard Steve Nash said. "Hopefully, at some point, we can really have a relationship with our fans and create a situation where they are really familiar with our team, like in Sacramento or Utah, when they have good teams.
"We're still building that. It's important for us to keep winning, playing hard and building up trust."