Living in Chicago, the NBA will never again be as appealing as it was during the Jordan years. I got to see them in person a few times, and on TV almost every game. The NBA isn't as interesting anymore, and the quality of play has dropped. Maybe LeBron can make some impact.
This year, they'll be helped on TV playoff ratings because of no Stanley Cup playoffs. The NHL regular season is boring, but playoff hockey is pretty good.
Here are the current NBA attendance figures. Portland used to sell out, but the town is tired of having a bunch of lazy players that get arrested and no longer make the playoffs. Only 4 teams are always selling out at home - Detroit, Miami, Dallas, and Sacramento. Last season, only Dallas and Sacramento sold out at home, and the Lakers played an entire sold-out road schedule.
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Friday, March 18
NBA Attendance
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2004-05 Attendance</TD><TD colSpan=4>
Home</TD><TD colSpan=4>
Road</TD><TD colSpan=4>
Overall</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#c1c1c1><TD align=middle>
RNK</TD><TD align=left>
TEAM</TD><TD>
GMS</TD><TD>
TOTAL</TD><TD>
AVG</TD><TD>
PCT</TD><TD>
GMS</TD><TD>
TOTAL</TD><TD>
AVG</TD><TD>
PCT</TD><TD>
GMS</TD><TD>
TOTAL</TD><TD>
AVG</TD><TD>
PCT</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
1</TD><TD align=left>
Detroit</TD><TD>
30</TD><TD>
662,283</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
22,076</TD><TD>
100.0</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
575511</TD><TD>
17439</TD><TD>
90.1</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
1237794</TD><TD>
19647</TD><TD>
95.1</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
2</TD><TD align=left>
Dallas</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
660,418</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
20,012</TD><TD>
104.2</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
524071</TD><TD>
16905</TD><TD>
88.5</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1184489</TD><TD>
18507</TD><TD>
96.6</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
3</TD><TD align=left>
Miami</TD><TD>
34</TD><TD>
673,931</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
19,821</TD><TD>
101.1</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
621704</TD><TD>
18839</TD><TD>
95.1</TD><TD>
67</TD><TD>
1295635</TD><TD>
19337</TD><TD>
98.1</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
4</TD><TD align=left>
Chicago</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
605,548</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
19,533</TD><TD>
85.4</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
532143</TD><TD>
17165</TD><TD>
88.1</TD><TD>
62</TD><TD>
1137691</TD><TD>
18349</TD><TD>
86.6</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
5</TD><TD align=left>
New York</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
642,896</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
19,481</TD><TD>
98.6</TD><TD>
29</TD><TD>
503873</TD><TD>
17374</TD><TD>
88.5</TD><TD>
62</TD><TD>
1146769</TD><TD>
18496</TD><TD>
93.9</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
6</TD><TD align=left>
Utah</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
588,654</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
18,988</TD><TD>
93.1</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
554570</TD><TD>
16805</TD><TD>
87.4</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1143224</TD><TD>
17862</TD><TD>
90.2</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
7</TD><TD align=left>
LA Lakers</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
620,713</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
18,809</TD><TD>
98.7</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
584691</TD><TD>
18861</TD><TD>
97.0</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1205404</TD><TD>
18834</TD><TD>
97.9</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
8</TD><TD align=left>
Cleveland</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
601,085</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
18,783</TD><TD>
91.6</TD><TD>
30</TD><TD>
538681</TD><TD>
17956</TD><TD>
91.3</TD><TD>
62</TD><TD>
1139766</TD><TD>
18383</TD><TD>
91.5</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
9</TD><TD align=left>
San Antonio</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
601,593</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
18,230</TD><TD>
98.5</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
527269</TD><TD>
17008</TD><TD>
88.5</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1128862</TD><TD>
17638</TD><TD>
93.6</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
10</TD><TD align=left>
Phoenix</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
542,652</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
17,504</TD><TD>
92.0</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
563985</TD><TD>
17624</TD><TD>
91.7</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
1106637</TD><TD>
17565</TD><TD>
91.9</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
11</TD><TD align=left>
Philadelphia</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
540,763</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
17,443</TD><TD>
83.1</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
583324</TD><TD>
17676</TD><TD>
90.2</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1124087</TD><TD>
17563</TD><TD>
86.6</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
12</TD><TD align=left>
Sacramento</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
571,461</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
17,317</TD><TD>
100.0</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
570071</TD><TD>
17274</TD><TD>
90.1</TD><TD>
66</TD><TD>
1141532</TD><TD>
17295</TD><TD>
94.8</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
13</TD><TD align=left>
Minnesota</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
570,417</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
17,285</TD><TD>
93.6</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
590509</TD><TD>
17894</TD><TD>
92.4</TD><TD>
66</TD><TD>
1160926</TD><TD>
17589</TD><TD>
93.0</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
14</TD><TD align=left>
Denver</TD><TD>
30</TD><TD>
518,235</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
17,274</TD><TD>
90.4</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
574956</TD><TD>
17422</TD><TD>
90.3</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
1093191</TD><TD>
17352</TD><TD>
90.4</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
15</TD><TD align=left>
Washington</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
545,157</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
17,036</TD><TD>
85.2</TD><TD>
30</TD><TD>
500501</TD><TD>
16683</TD><TD>
84.8</TD><TD>
62</TD><TD>
1045658</TD><TD>
16865</TD><TD>
85.0</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
16</TD><TD align=left>
Toronto</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
543,997</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
16,999</TD><TD>
85.9</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
525250</TD><TD>
16414</TD><TD>
84.7</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1069247</TD><TD>
16706</TD><TD>
85.3</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
17</TD><TD align=left>
Indiana</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
516,628</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
16,665</TD><TD>
90.1</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
530524</TD><TD>
16578</TD><TD>
84.7</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
1047152</TD><TD>
16621</TD><TD>
87.3</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
18</TD><TD align=left>
LA Clippers</TD><TD>
34</TD><TD>
565,415</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
16,629</TD><TD>
87.3</TD><TD>
30</TD><TD>
504551</TD><TD>
16818</TD><TD>
87.9</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1069966</TD><TD>
16718</TD><TD>
87.6</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
19</TD><TD align=left>
Memphis</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
514,744</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
16,604</TD><TD>
90.2</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
540237</TD><TD>
16370</TD><TD>
85.0</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1054981</TD><TD>
16484</TD><TD>
87.5</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
20</TD><TD align=left>
Portland</TD><TD>
30</TD><TD>
492,910</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
16,430</TD><TD>
79.8</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
544376</TD><TD>
16496</TD><TD>
85.3</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
1037286</TD><TD>
16464</TD><TD>
82.6</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
21</TD><TD align=left>
Seattle</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
524,026</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
16,375</TD><TD>
96.3</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
515276</TD><TD>
16621</TD><TD>
85.0</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
1039302</TD><TD>
16496</TD><TD>
90.3</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
22</TD><TD align=left>
Golden State</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
498,562</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
16,082</TD><TD>
83.8</TD><TD>
34</TD><TD>
566428</TD><TD>
16659</TD><TD>
86.6</TD><TD>
65</TD><TD>
1064990</TD><TD>
16384</TD><TD>
85.3</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
23</TD><TD align=left>
Milwaukee</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
502,426</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
15,700</TD><TD>
83.9</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
511638</TD><TD>
16504</TD><TD>
83.7</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
1014064</TD><TD>
16096</TD><TD>
83.8</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
24</TD><TD align=left>
Houston</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
502,322</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
15,697</TD><TD>
85.8</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
587501</TD><TD>
18359</TD><TD>
94.7</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1089823</TD><TD>
17028</TD><TD>
90.4</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
25</TD><TD align=left>
Boston</TD><TD>
35</TD><TD>
545,751</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
15,592</TD><TD>
79.6</TD><TD>
30</TD><TD>
511625</TD><TD>
17054</TD><TD>
86.1</TD><TD>
65</TD><TD>
1057376</TD><TD>
16267</TD><TD>
82.6</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
26</TD><TD align=left>
New Jersey</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
457,029</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
14,742</TD><TD>
73.5</TD><TD>
34</TD><TD>
557146</TD><TD>
16386</TD><TD>
83.8</TD><TD>
65</TD><TD>
1014175</TD><TD>
15602</TD><TD>
78.8</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
27</TD><TD align=left>
Orlando</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
452,846</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
14,607</TD><TD>
84.7</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
577375</TD><TD>
17496</TD><TD>
88.8</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
1030221</TD><TD>
16097</TD><TD>
87.0</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
28</TD><TD align=left>
Charlotte</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
452,356</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
14,592</TD><TD>
62.6</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
510322</TD><TD>
16462</TD><TD>
84.7</TD><TD>
62</TD><TD>
962678</TD><TD>
15527</TD><TD>
72.6</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#efefe7><TD align=middle>
29</TD><TD align=left>
Atlanta</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
434,408</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
14,013</TD><TD>
70.1</TD><TD>
33</TD><TD>
553429</TD><TD>
16770</TD><TD>
85.7</TD><TD>
64</TD><TD>
987837</TD><TD>
15434</TD><TD>
78.0</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD align=middle>
30</TD><TD align=left>
New Orleans</TD><TD>
32</TD><TD>
439,712</TD><TD bgColor=#c1c1c1>
13,741</TD><TD>
79.9</TD><TD>
31</TD><TD>
507401</TD><TD>
16367</TD><TD>
84.4</TD><TD>
63</TD><TD>
947113</TD><TD>
15033</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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