If the city of Anaheim truly wants to attract an NBA team to the Honda Center, Orange County fans are going to have to step up. Last night’s showing didn’t help the cause.
Arena officials announced 12,215 showed up to watch the Lakers play the Utah Jazz, the first of two preseason exhibitions the Lakers will play in Anaheim. The actual number of bodies in seats appeared much lower.
Large sections of seats were empty and the lower bowl wasn’t full.
“I’m pretty confident that, maybe not next year, but within the next five years, Anaheim will have its own NBA team,” said Greg Smith, executive director of sports, entertainment and conventions for the city, said earlier this week.
The city’s optimism is well-intended, but probably misplaced. Officials have been “optimistic” about their chances to lure an NBA team to Anaheim ever since the Arrowhead-Pond/Honda Center opened and still there isn’t a “home” team to cheer.
Are you kidding me, in this economy Laker tickets are a luxury. If your gonna spend the money, I would much rather see a real game than pre-season. More exciting to see a Laker game in LA. Im suprised 12k showed up.
I agree with Mike. It’s obvious that nobody wanted to fork over $50 - $100 for a pre-season game to sit in the lower level sections, especially for a meaningless game in which Kobe and the starters don’t play all that much.
I was at the game sitting in full court view section 400s, where it was pretty full. Even those tickets were about $30, not including the insane Ticketmaster fees.
I didn’t even know they were playing at the Pond until Monday and i got a case of the flu…otherwise I would have gone no doubt. But like the others said, with ticket prices as high as they are, only so many people will be willing to kick down for a preseason game. That is no surprise to me.
Also, Anaheim is not going to get a team. That would make 3 teams in the LA broadcast market, not going to happen. Also no way Sterling moves the Clippers here, when he is making crazy loot off of the luxury box sales that the Lakers attract.
Why don’t the Clippers move down there? I’ve always thought it was dumb that both the Clips and the Lakers use the same building.