(Along with Everyone Else) NBA Pre-Season Suffers Due to Economy

This year’s turn out for NBA exhibition games has been lackluster, despite the Lakers involvement.Last weekend for example, the Lakers were only able to fill half an arena even though they are the NBA’s star-studded team and the floundering economy is the likely culprit. Although the Lakers were able to secure an impressive 99% renewal for season-ticket holders (in spite of skyrocketing ticket prices), this month their exhibition games have been played to less-than-packed arenas in venues outside their hometown.

When the Lakers played Utah in Anaheim with arena was filled to two-thirds capacity and the game in Fresno against the Clippers was even less well-attended. As for Vegas, the arena (which is able to host over 18,500) hosted a crowd of 11,090.  Pre-season games used to be a less-expensive way for die-hard Lakers fans to see Kobe and Shaq in various cities, but with the financial downturn the team is seeing the effects. Even the presence of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum wasn’t enough to lure fans to this year’s exhibition games. The real season begins Oct. 28 against Portland and that is when the real test will come.

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