I was sitting at home because when I looked on flash seats/vivid seats the tickets for upper bowls were $200 plus... good for you if you bought them but I would feel stupid wasting that much money on those seats. I went to about 35-38 Home games 2 years ago with flash seats bidding for about $600 for 2 people. Some of us aren’t balling to drop money on full price season tickets. Enabling bidding on flash seats would be a start
Not sure if it can be fixed at all because of the way TC was designed. I've said this before. The exclusive part of the club seating should have not been the 6 sections that are closest to the floor and most prominent on TV. For example at Staples they have a "club" section but its the 200 section of the arena. The 100 section is all lower bowl, 200 section is the middle then 3 levels of Suites and then 300 for the upper bowl. The middle sections of the court of the 200 section are the "Premium" (PR) and they have more comfy chairs, exclusive entrances, bathroom and food options. Staff will come and take food orders for you as well. It still creates at business atmosphere for companies that want to talk shop while having a good time at the game. At the same time it doesnt result in something thats noticeable. I've been to several Clippers and lakers games and not all the PR sections are filled buts not a huge deal because its noticeable at all (even before the dim the light thing) especially on TV. There is no middle section at TC. Its just lower bowl, suites and upper bowl. There is no other place to have that aspect of a sporting event. One time a decade ago I was asked to sit down by people at a playoff game when our seats were upgraded down to the lower bowl because I was standing up and clapping and to me it looked like they were more interested in talking about something else than watching the game. I highly doubt a middle section could somehow be constructed/created in a single offseason it may take a year and I doubt the Rockets would move into like the UH arena or somewhere else for a season to play their games right now.
This topic comes up on a fairly regular basis, and usually devolves in to what this thread has...half the people acknowledging the problem, the other half dismissing those that even say it's a problem. Regardless of your feelings...from apathy to embarrassment...can we at least agree that it doesn't add up (dare I even say, it's not a good look?) to have THIS team playing in front of THIS kind of crowd come tipoff? We'll save the topic of the lifeless crowd for another day too...ya know, the crowd that brings the deafening silence that has to be drowned out by the soundtrack bits on literally EVERY single offensive and defensive possession?
People/businesses that can afford the tickets buy those tickets and either dont care to show most of the time, or they dont care enough to pass their tickets on to someone else. Its that simple. If there's one way to improve the in-game attendance it would be through facilitating a ticket exchange that can occur for those seats in the lower bowl that rarely get filled from the ticket owners to people who want to go to the game.
Pretty much all your response is what I said in the first two lines. Yes, I understand the making money part. No need to rehash it to me. BTW, I don't agree that if our ticket prices are lower, we wouldn't be able to sign stars like Chris Paul.
If lower bowl patrons show up on time, they have a chance to win a trip to stay at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas Les never did anything for lower bowl people. Except have people shoot $5 t-shirts at them.
You didn't answer my first question. I'll ask it again: So, what solution have you proposed to the Rockets considering the seats have been sold?
Good observation brother It's like if you bought a $99 burger and you just decided not to eat it but the dude outside the window staring at your burger wants to eat it. It's your burger. eaten or not.
Good luck convincing an owner to pay Harden and Paul 300-400 million dollars over the next 4-5 years AND cut ticket prices enough to fill the lower bowl with “normal” fans. Especially with possible luxury tax payments. It just isn’t realistic.
I don’t think Traffic is a real reason because I’ve seen plenty of games on tv of Saturday or Sunday night games and the lower bowl is just as empty.
The reason local ratings are down is because this year 40 of our 82 games are on National TV which means the local broadcasts get stuck with a lot more of the crappy games and thus makes it look like ratings are dipping 20% when in reality they are probably a bit higher. Basically, I don't think the ratings are down 20% in reality
It's not traffic, it's not ticket prices, and it's not the seats aren't selling - they are 99% sold. The question is - where the heck are these people? They have a lower bowl ticket to the NBA best team and don't go? No way someone isn't going to want that ticket. If it's corporate someone will scoop it up. If it's individual - someone will sell it. So it's likely that these people are either late-comers or just somewhere else in the Arena.
people in this city like to go out and socialize with friends in restaurants and bars rather than watch a night game. not only is it a football town, but NFL games are on Sundays which is a very convenient time to go out and attend games unlike weeknights.
How does Danny Antonio does it? sorry man, Texas is an oil state. That would definitely put a dent in the pockets to the powers that be.
Exactly! Just because you can spend hundreds on food, drinks, parking, and entertainment for a couple hours doesn't make you a better fan. For some people that just isn't an option.
All the Real Rockets Fans are in China that's why! Just look at the ads and jerseys! When Yao came to Houston everything went down hill.. We have no identity no History like the Lakers and Celtics.. This Organization gave up catering to Houstonians and started chasing the billions of fans in China!
Are those real fans buying 99% of the tickets in Toyota Center? Maybe that's why some of the 99% of the sold seats are empty. Chinese citizens are buying them and it' too long a drive.
