Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
The longer the hardwood stays in hiding, the more teams risk a critical breaking of habit. Teams know that many people renew their season tickets each year because, well, it’s just what they do. Fans might give a stray thought to pulling back when they see the bill, but after a while, the games become part of their routine. After a while, it’s harder to imagine their winter without the games. NBA folks are concerned about making it all to easy for fans to get used to missing the games.
[…] What happens when these people fill that time with something else? What happens when they realize all the money they’re saving?
What happens if some or many of them realize that — gasp
— they don’t miss the arena experience as much as they thought they would?
Herald: Empty seats are a legitimate risk
What happens?
Maybe right now, they'll stay away. But they won't stay away for long. History says fans will always come back. I'll share something I wrote on Crossover Chronicles on the same subject:
The fact is, you don't just stop loving basketball. I mean, how many women have sworn off men for treating them like crap or even cheating? How many of those women actually stopped dating men forever after that?
I'll ask some of my own questions:
What happens if the Celtics put together a roster that is a consensus championship contender? What happens if the Celtics are a number 1 or 2 seed in March? What happens if the Celtics are in the NBA Finals?
Will you stay away then? Will you just cross your arms, make a sour face, and say "whatever"?
Yes, we're all pissed off that we're not getting ready for tomorrow night's season opener against Cleveland. We're incensed that we don't know who will fill the other half of the roster. And while some of you will turn in your season tickets for life, most of you will come back. And those of you who don't… well… your seats will be filled by someone else.
Fans come back. They always do. What's sad is we didn't have to be talking about fans coming back. They never had to go at all. But this is the road they've chosen… so these are the consequences.
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