Kings Attendance (merged)
- Thread starter acisking
- Start date
Okay, I'll bite. What did Grant have to say?
If people give up on the team now, it's over. We knew this was going to happen. Attendance was going to drop like a rock because they sucked. What we didn't know or couldn't anticipate was the economy. And it's still early in the turnaround of a young team.
Yes, it's important to get fans back into Arco. But it's not going to happen overnight. For one thing, I think a lot of fans are more than a little leery of reinvesting themselves into the whole "Kings fan" experience until they have a bit more faith that it's not going to just all fall apart again.
There isn't an easy answer to this dilemma. If there were, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
If you can get to a game, do so. If you cannot, at least show your support by visiting the team store online and buying something... Send an email of encouragement to the Kings. Voice your approval and wish them well.
Everything helps.
If people give up on the team now, it's over. We knew this was going to happen. Attendance was going to drop like a rock because they sucked. What we didn't know or couldn't anticipate was the economy. And it's still early in the turnaround of a young team.
Yes, it's important to get fans back into Arco. But it's not going to happen overnight. For one thing, I think a lot of fans are more than a little leery of reinvesting themselves into the whole "Kings fan" experience until they have a bit more faith that it's not going to just all fall apart again.
There isn't an easy answer to this dilemma. If there were, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
If you can get to a game, do so. If you cannot, at least show your support by visiting the team store online and buying something... Send an email of encouragement to the Kings. Voice your approval and wish them well.
Everything helps.
Grant spent his entire show on the fans. He really didn't say much. He was asking what's the reason why Kings fans aren't coming to games? He took a lot of calls and it was pretty much an open forum. He really didn't say too much other than the Kings are playing way above expectations and it's sad more people aren't at Arco
I listened to Sportsline on and off today and phone calls gave many reasons for continuing decline in Kings attendance. Grant said around a hundred emails he got were all over the board as to why. Without question a major part of the drop off is the bad economy (or should I say horrible economy) since overall attendance at NBA games is down. Several reasons cited have been expressed repeatedly but others less often heard.
Listing a few expressed during show and talked up at other times:
A string of bad moves by the Maloof's from dumping Adelman (followed by 4 head coaches in 3 years); ownership botching new arena deal (deserved or not) w/ leaving possibility; failure to acquire or sign any big stars since Webber, et al; overall entertainment cost/value when adding additional fees for parking, refreshments, tix service chg, etc.; Maloof's infamous hamburger bragging commercial highlighting glitzy Vegas playboy image; fan fatigue that's now content to casually watch from afar, waiting, hoping for more sustained results; double whammy of fan depression after blown opportunity (self-inflicted or conspiratorial) to win NBA championship or at least a WC title combined with personal pocket book issues now further dragging down enthusiasm. There were some other moans and groans expressed and in the emails but can't remember them all!
Listing a few expressed during show and talked up at other times:
A string of bad moves by the Maloof's from dumping Adelman (followed by 4 head coaches in 3 years); ownership botching new arena deal (deserved or not) w/ leaving possibility; failure to acquire or sign any big stars since Webber, et al; overall entertainment cost/value when adding additional fees for parking, refreshments, tix service chg, etc.; Maloof's infamous hamburger bragging commercial highlighting glitzy Vegas playboy image; fan fatigue that's now content to casually watch from afar, waiting, hoping for more sustained results; double whammy of fan depression after blown opportunity (self-inflicted or conspiratorial) to win NBA championship or at least a WC title combined with personal pocket book issues now further dragging down enthusiasm. There were some other moans and groans expressed and in the emails but can't remember them all!
Last edited:
I'm really trying to get into the kings again. It's really bothering me that I don't care about basketball ingeneral because I use to be a fanatic who purchased the NBA package and would watch every team, not just the kings. I won't go to a kings game even though I live 1.5 miles away from the arena but I'll fly to Seattle to see my niners play. Go figure.
I'm fearful that, in an attempt to raise attendance, the maloofs push for a major trade for a star and we end up giving up either a core player or too much talent to get that star... If its the right deal fine, I just hope we don't rush it and screw ourselves over for the future. The Maloofs just need to get on TV a halftime and give it to the fans straight! "WE NEED MORE PEOPLE HERE!"
Detailed article regarding fan attendance in The Bee:
http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/2369579.html
Big reasons for low attendance included are:
Economy - Already on its way to dead horse-ville
Mediocre Opponents - I touched on that one earlier, and this argument holds some weight. The Lakers and Cavaliers games either are or are nearly sold out.
The Maloofs themselves - This is the area where they touch upon the fan's concerns over the Kings potentially leaving. Thus, fans don't want to get emotionally involved. Horse****. People who think this way are so few and far in between that I have never even met one of them (I can't even remember anyone on the board thinking this way). Most people I know simply aren't willing to spend money on a team that is not a playoff contender.
The Monarchs Factor - Monarchs fans are unwilling to attend Kings games out of protest. I can't even begin to guage the validity of this claim. Maybe a few of our Monarchs fans can shed some light here.
Edit: I was Monarchs fan, and I want to go to Kings games, so maybe this is not entirely realistic.
This is an Illusion - Even if it were, you should still take notice. Scratch that, this is no illusion, this is reality. The Kings are .800 at home and are the surprise story of the league. Hop on this wildly entertaining train before it leaves the station folks.
Player Anonimity - Most Kings fans are up on who the players are. Casual fans who actually watch a game become intrigued and seek to learn who the players are. If you need a bigger star than the rising Tyreke Evans to be intrigued by, then you are a very fickle sort of basketball fan. That being said, we may land that player via trade in the middle of the season anyway.
Altogether a decent stab at reasons for low attendance.
http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/2369579.html
Big reasons for low attendance included are:
Economy - Already on its way to dead horse-ville
Mediocre Opponents - I touched on that one earlier, and this argument holds some weight. The Lakers and Cavaliers games either are or are nearly sold out.
The Maloofs themselves - This is the area where they touch upon the fan's concerns over the Kings potentially leaving. Thus, fans don't want to get emotionally involved. Horse****. People who think this way are so few and far in between that I have never even met one of them (I can't even remember anyone on the board thinking this way). Most people I know simply aren't willing to spend money on a team that is not a playoff contender.
The Monarchs Factor - Monarchs fans are unwilling to attend Kings games out of protest. I can't even begin to guage the validity of this claim. Maybe a few of our Monarchs fans can shed some light here.
Edit: I was Monarchs fan, and I want to go to Kings games, so maybe this is not entirely realistic.
This is an Illusion - Even if it were, you should still take notice. Scratch that, this is no illusion, this is reality. The Kings are .800 at home and are the surprise story of the league. Hop on this wildly entertaining train before it leaves the station folks.
Player Anonimity - Most Kings fans are up on who the players are. Casual fans who actually watch a game become intrigued and seek to learn who the players are. If you need a bigger star than the rising Tyreke Evans to be intrigued by, then you are a very fickle sort of basketball fan. That being said, we may land that player via trade in the middle of the season anyway.
Altogether a decent stab at reasons for low attendance.
Last edited:
I'm sorry, but I have to call you up on this. The people who said a 1st round exit is bad for the (previous) team were right. It's pointless; unless you have a young team. The Maloofs thought the same as you, that making the POs is an automatic success. Not true. We had an old team and GP and the owners were only concerned about making a quick buck, constantly trying to fix the team with band-aid FA signings and bad trades. That very mindset is what got us into such a mess in the first place.
The very reason we are in such a promising situation right now is because GP realised that the team had to lose to get better. If we had been cheaply vying for a PO spot last year we wouldn't have Evans right now. That was exactly what our point was; you need to lose big to get that star player. Now that we have a young and talented team, the playoffs would be a success. It gives the players experience and builds up excitement. Being knocked out of the POs with an old team does nothing but delay the inevitable. We would have been in our current position alot earlier if Petrie and Maloofs had realised this at the same time as some of the posters on here.
[/rant]
Attendance
I think you folks have probably hit an all the various reasons. But I think that one major factor is just the news lag. A lot of people who used to come to the games still didn't follow the team as closely as we do. I'll bet if you asked around Sac some people have never heard of Tyreke Evans... yet.
Remember back in '99 it wasn't until they'd played a lot of games (in a short season to begin with) that most people in Sac became aware that something was happening with this team.
To me, it almost feels like '99 again - stars in the making and a great coach.
On top of the ecomony, disapointments of the past, and all that, I think in a month or two we'll start to see more excitement and more people aware of what's happening here and attendance will go up again.
I think you folks have probably hit an all the various reasons. But I think that one major factor is just the news lag. A lot of people who used to come to the games still didn't follow the team as closely as we do. I'll bet if you asked around Sac some people have never heard of Tyreke Evans... yet.
Remember back in '99 it wasn't until they'd played a lot of games (in a short season to begin with) that most people in Sac became aware that something was happening with this team.
To me, it almost feels like '99 again - stars in the making and a great coach.
On top of the ecomony, disapointments of the past, and all that, I think in a month or two we'll start to see more excitement and more people aware of what's happening here and attendance will go up again.
Thanks for the welcome, I was actually on the board a long time ago, but we moved and I forgot my logon and stuff...
I just remember in '99 a lot of people I knew in Sac weren't aware of what the Kings were doing until late that season. We'd all been so used to the Kings being a joke, and people going to games only to see the opponent. Nobody believed the Kings were worth seeing until they really started to make noise.
I also have a bit of a Pollyanna view that pops up now and then. It can be annoying and I try to control it.
I just remember in '99 a lot of people I knew in Sac weren't aware of what the Kings were doing until late that season. We'd all been so used to the Kings being a joke, and people going to games only to see the opponent. Nobody believed the Kings were worth seeing until they really started to make noise.
I also have a bit of a Pollyanna view that pops up now and then. It can be annoying and I try to control it.
Thanks for the welcome, I was actually on the board a long time ago, but we moved and I forgot my logon and stuff...
I just remember in '99 a lot of people I knew in Sac weren't aware of what the Kings were doing until late that season. We'd all been so used to the Kings being a joke, and people going to games only to see the opponent. Nobody believed the Kings were worth seeing until they really started to make noise.
I also have a bit of a Pollyanna view that pops up now and then. It can be annoying and I try to control it.
I just remember in '99 a lot of people I knew in Sac weren't aware of what the Kings were doing until late that season. We'd all been so used to the Kings being a joke, and people going to games only to see the opponent. Nobody believed the Kings were worth seeing until they really started to make noise.
I also have a bit of a Pollyanna view that pops up now and then. It can be annoying and I try to control it.
I was just talking with my pregnant wife the other night as we were watching the Kings/Pacers game the other night about planning a family outing soon to a Kings game...we went to a few last year as well as the year before, but right now its tough because we're broke as a joke(we'll be fine though)trying to save up for the baby when it comes in a few months. My wife is a student working full time, and I'm working full time, and we already have a 4 year old monster running around our apartment...part of the reason we can't make it out is a time thing...my wife and I both work long days until 6pm and either are dead tired(her especially being pregnant and all), or she has school work to finish...or both. I know we're not the only ones in this situation, so there's nothing special or different about us in the world today...but we definitely WANT to go to some games, but right now just isnt the time due to financial and time circumstances. Hopefully NEXT season we will be more stable and able to attend at least a few games.
I was reading something about ticket prices to the Dallas Cowboys new stadium. I can't believe ordinary people can afford even the cheapest tickets. I was even more shocked when the article said parking was $50. The truth is, Sacramento parking is very cheap compared to most major cities. San Francisco is a horrible place to try and park at all and paying for parking there is really expensive.
Kings tickets got so expensive, because we had such a high player payroll for some time. (3rd highest in the league in 02/03) The Maloofs have not increased ticket prices in three seasons and actually cut them this year, including in the lower bowl.
They also doubled the number of $10 tickets available. It used to be I could only afford a few games at the $10 price. I had a great time, even standing the whole game. And they are not all on the baseline and even on the baseline the view is better in the $10 seats than some of the lower seats where the backboard actually blocks your view if the other basket.
At this point, the payroll is closer to average and MSE has cut a lot of operational costs. All done with the purpose of trying to keep tickets affordable. And yet look at how many people here grumbled about the pre-season games not being broadcast. Add to that the cost of trying to maintain a dysfunctional, crummy arena.
San Antonio says its able to keep regular tickets more affordable, because of the newer arena that has more luxury box tickets to sell. One of the problems with Arco, besides the fact that Sacramento has an almost zero corporate base here to help the revenue stream.
As to the Maloofs, they just can't win anymore. Almost anybody outside our area sees the Maloofs as good or even great owners. I know a lot of people here hate them (Although they are not billionaires. No Maloof is on Forbes list last time I looked.) They were really out there in front and leading the movement for a new arena deal, which they have been trying to get for 10 years now.
What did they get for being so visible? They drew such vitriol and hatred from citizens, some politicos and the media, I was hardly surprised they withdrew from limelight where they were being stoned to death. That's why the Maloofs asked the league for help with an arena deal. They wanted to stop having the debate be about them as lightening rods for criticism and focus on the real problems.
So they slide into the background to deflect the Maloof venom and now they're criticised for not being out in the public eye. Sheesh. So I think they've compromised. They are definitley at more games , but are still trying to lie somewhat low, while arena negotiations are ongoing. And Joe, at least, still looked pretty frail from his health problems, when I saw him near the beginning of the season.
I'm sure its a complex combination of factors that is causing low attendence. Some of it is logical and some is mainly emotional. If attendence doesn't go up during the season and no arena deal is in sight, Sacramento's not going to get a chance to come back to supporting the team here. As I said in another thread. The Kings won't be "leaving" Sacramento. A team can't "choose" to leave a city that's already left them.
Edit: I totally understand not be able to go to a game for financial and time restraints. As a single parent for years, I couldn't justify even a $10 ticket. The most I could splurge on was a Kings T-shirt or two. And even that felt a little selfishly indulgent.
I can't believe ordinary people can afford even the cheapest tickets. I was even more shocked when the article said parking was $50. The truth is, Sacramento parking is very cheap compared to most major cities. San Francisco is a horrible place to try and park at all and paying for parking there is really expensive. Kings tickets got so expensive, because we had such a high player payroll for some time. (3rd highest in the league in 02/03) The Maloofs have not increased ticket prices in three seasons and actually cut them this year, including in the lower bowl.
They also doubled the number of $10 tickets available. It used to be I could only afford a few games at the $10 price. I had a great time, even standing the whole game. And they are not all on the baseline and even on the baseline the view is better in the $10 seats than some of the lower seats where the backboard actually blocks your view if the other basket.
At this point, the payroll is closer to average and MSE has cut a lot of operational costs. All done with the purpose of trying to keep tickets affordable. And yet look at how many people here grumbled about the pre-season games not being broadcast. Add to that the cost of trying to maintain a dysfunctional, crummy arena.
San Antonio says its able to keep regular tickets more affordable, because of the newer arena that has more luxury box tickets to sell. One of the problems with Arco, besides the fact that Sacramento has an almost zero corporate base here to help the revenue stream.
As to the Maloofs, they just can't win anymore. Almost anybody outside our area sees the Maloofs as good or even great owners. I know a lot of people here hate them (Although they are not billionaires. No Maloof is on Forbes list last time I looked.) They were really out there in front and leading the movement for a new arena deal, which they have been trying to get for 10 years now.
What did they get for being so visible? They drew such vitriol and hatred from citizens, some politicos and the media, I was hardly surprised they withdrew from limelight where they were being stoned to death. That's why the Maloofs asked the league for help with an arena deal. They wanted to stop having the debate be about them as lightening rods for criticism and focus on the real problems.
So they slide into the background to deflect the Maloof venom and now they're criticised for not being out in the public eye. Sheesh. So I think they've compromised. They are definitley at more games , but are still trying to lie somewhat low, while arena negotiations are ongoing. And Joe, at least, still looked pretty frail from his health problems, when I saw him near the beginning of the season.
I'm sure its a complex combination of factors that is causing low attendence. Some of it is logical and some is mainly emotional. If attendence doesn't go up during the season and no arena deal is in sight, Sacramento's not going to get a chance to come back to supporting the team here. As I said in another thread. The Kings won't be "leaving" Sacramento. A team can't "choose" to leave a city that's already left them.
Edit: I totally understand not be able to go to a game for financial and time restraints. As a single parent for years, I couldn't justify even a $10 ticket. The most I could splurge on was a Kings T-shirt or two. And even that felt a little selfishly indulgent.
Last edited:
I've already attended a game this season (when the Kings played Houston), and plan to attend more. I must share that it was a very fun game to watch in person, but I have to admit that I was a little nervous when I bought the ticket as it wasn't cheap (close to the court). I think that as the team continues to play well, more people will be willing to pay the cash. Unfortunately, last year was so terrible, that I believe there is still a lingering fear for some, that the game they choose to attend may not be worth their money or their time. Obviously as the season goes on with the Kings playing the way that they are playing, I believe those fears will continue to melt away, resulting in more seats being filled.
I do have to admit that it makes me sad to see those empty seats. I don't want to lose this team. I LOVE THE KINGS!!!!
I do have to admit that it makes me sad to see those empty seats. I don't want to lose this team. I LOVE THE KINGS!!!!
Last edited: