MajorMike
11-21-2007, 11:03 AM
Empty nest: Through the Hornets' first four home games in their full-time return to New Orleans, the team had two record lows in attendance. On Nov. 2 against Portland, the announced crowd at New Orleans Arena was 9,817. Last Wednesday against Philadelphia, it was 8,302.
The Hornets rank last in the NBA in average home attendance at 12,151. And those figures are tickets sold, not turnstile count. The excuses from fans are running rampant — Halloween, high school football, heavy traffic, mid-week rumdum opponent.
Never mind the Hornets' league-low average ticket price of $24.58.
Despite a franchise-best 9-2 start, crowds might not improve anytime soon. The Hornets play host to Orlando tonight, then bottom feeders Indiana and Minnesota on Wednesday and next Monday.
The Hornets averaged over 18,000 per game the last 2 years at their temporary home in Oklahoma City. Last season, they were the 3rd highest non-playoff team in attendance (behind the New York Knicks and resurgent Los Angeles Clippers) even while playing most of the season without stars Chris Paul III, Peja Stojakavic, Bobby Jackson, and local favorite Desmond Mason.
The Hornets rank last in the NBA in average home attendance at 12,151. And those figures are tickets sold, not turnstile count. The excuses from fans are running rampant — Halloween, high school football, heavy traffic, mid-week rumdum opponent.
Never mind the Hornets' league-low average ticket price of $24.58.
Despite a franchise-best 9-2 start, crowds might not improve anytime soon. The Hornets play host to Orlando tonight, then bottom feeders Indiana and Minnesota on Wednesday and next Monday.
The Hornets averaged over 18,000 per game the last 2 years at their temporary home in Oklahoma City. Last season, they were the 3rd highest non-playoff team in attendance (behind the New York Knicks and resurgent Los Angeles Clippers) even while playing most of the season without stars Chris Paul III, Peja Stojakavic, Bobby Jackson, and local favorite Desmond Mason.