Best/Worst fanbases?

[z Revis]

Surprised a couple people said Indiana as one of the best. I guess it depends on how you define a fanbase, but judging from attendance it's hard to make an argument for them. 2nd straight year as a top seeded team and still sell out very few games. I've said it before, but I don't understand how that state can still call themselves a basketball state and not sell out games for the Pacers... and then come fall go ape **** over Colts tickets even when they suck(2011).

[ubernoob]

Quote: Originally Posted by bghost

oh you know, just milking cows and churning cheese.

It's funny that there's nothing to do in Milwaukee - but hey if that's his perception I'm not gonna change it.

The thing about people moving TO Orlando is the fact that they will already have a team to support. You see this in all the States that have a large retirement contingent, as well. If I move to Orlando today, I'm not going to support them over a team I've been supporting for 20/30/40/50+ years.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Isn't there a chart available that tracks which teams had the biggest surge among fans and which ones had the biggest drop over certain time periods? Thought I remember seeing something like that but can't remember exactly

I will say that I do see more "player" fans than actual "team" fans in the NBA than in any other major sport though. Now those kinds of fans are more annoying any particular "team" fan.

[dunnyduns]

Quote: Originally Posted by z Revis

Surprised a couple people said Indiana as one of the best. I guess it depends on how you define a fanbase, but judging from attendance it's hard to make an argument for them. 2nd straight year as a top seeded team and still sell out very few games. I've said it before, but I don't understand how that state can still call themselves a basketball state and not sell out games for the Pacers... and then come fall go ape **** over Colts tickets even when they suck(2011).

Indiana/Indianapolis fans are VERY fair weather fans. The reason the Colts do so well is because of Manning and winning. That 2011 Colts season as the season progressed it was very easy to get tickets to a game and I'm willing to bet if the fans/season ticket holders knew before the season that Manning would miss the season and the Colts would go 2-14 attendance would have really suffered.

The same could be said for the Pacers when they had Reggie, he drew fans and the team was winning. So, the Pacers became a hot ticket in town. Before Reggie the Pacers were in this same position as now really. Even the successful ABA Pacers when they moved to NBA after the 1st season had to hold a Save The Pacers telethon to keep the team from moving then.

Then during Miller's last years the Pacers brought in some questionable characters in Tinsley, Artest, Jackson, and a few others which soured the fans. Then of course the Brawl happened. Now, the Pacers are still seen as a team of thugs by a majority of the people in my experience here. That and also for some of these so called "basketball purist" in the state, the NBA is just a bad brand of basketball to them. Even though the Pacers style of basketball is really atypical of the standard NBA style of play.

So, yeah the Pacers should be nowhere near being one of the best fanbases. They really deserve a place at the bottom and they are missing out on watching a quality team with players worth rooting for. Maybe after a couple more seasons of winning basketball and if Paul George really becomes a legit star the fair weather fans will come back. I just hope it's not too late and the team has to move before then because of lack of support.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Quote:

Then during Miller's last years the Pacers brought in some questionable characters in Tinsley, Artest, Jackson, and a few others which soured the fans. Then of course the Brawl happened. Now, the Pacers are still seen as a team of thugs by a majority of the people in my experience here. That and also for some of these so called "basketball purist" in the state, the NBA is just a bad brand of basketball to them. Even though the Pacers style of basketball is really atypical of the standard NBA style of play.

Why is this?

Is it because of certain things they are or aren't doing on or off the court?

[King_B_Mack]

Quote: Originally Posted by ProfessaPackMan

Why is this? Is it because of certain things they are or aren't doing on or off the court?

Might be best not to dive too far into that one. It almost certainly will be winding back around to TOS territory.

[DukeC]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

Might be best not to dive too far into that one. It almost certainly will be winding back around to TOS territory.

That's why I didn't say too much .

[z Revis]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

Might be best not to dive too far into that one. It almost certainly will be winding back around to TOS territory.

I'm curious what you mean by this. Is there something you know that I don't?

Other than Granger mouthing off or Vogel saying some edgy things every now and then, the team has been classy on the court, good in the community(from what I've read.. don't live in Indy anymore so don't quote me), and haven't had any issues off the court either. If people are still holding onto Artest punching dudes and Tinsley/Jackson getting arrested and all that garbage that's been in past for half a decade now then so be it. They're obviously not moving on.