2021-2022 MAVS NEWS: 4th in West | WCF loss [ARCHIVED]

[mavsluvr]

The only reason I started this topic is because pre-pandemic the Mavs were known for having sold out crowds almost every home game. It was never a question about filling seats (though during the tanking years it did get a little more empty which is understandable). 

The only reason why we're even talking about this is because pre-pandemic the Mavs almost always had a sold out crowd every home game.  I've become accustomed to seeing a packed AAC when I watched the Mavs. That home opener wasn't even close to being packed. It was jarring. I can't remember a home opener that wasn't packed. And we currently have  one of the most exciting players in the league to watch. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgQCwLvfIvA&ab_channel=PandaHank41

Fast forward to 1 minute in and look at all the empty seats halfway in the first. At 5:07 we can see a better view of at least half the stadium, and while blurry again there are so many empty seats. 

Any way you slice it the attendance on Tuesday was a letdown compared to past seasons and demonstrably so. There are definitely a lot of valid explanations to this like Dallas becoming priced out from being able to watch the Mavs on cable, or we have largely the same roster as 3 years ago so it perhaps fan engagement is down, but I find it interesting that not even 1 home game in and Cubes is walking back the vaccination/negative test mandate for home games.

All I can do is give you the facts that are available. The official attendance was listed at 19,337. That is the number of people who enter the arena, not tickets sold. However, in regard to tickets, the game is also listed as sold out. For an eye check, Followill described the house as packed. 

Whatever Cubes' "walkback" might look like, it hasn't taken effect at this point, and I have not seen eliminating the mask requirement mentioned. (I could have missed it.) He does say that he is experimenting with providing socially distanced seating for people who are medically unable to get vaccinated. 

In my experience, people tend to file in late for most Mavs games, and the arena often looks relatively empty in the first quarter. During the entire game, people are always leaving their seats for various reasons, so at any one time, it looks like there aren't as many attendees as there actually are. I have found the attendance count is more reliable than judging by a few TV shots. 

Anyway, SH, I enjoy your input as a poster, and don't want to offend you, or get into the silliness of arguing over a verifiable fact. I appreciate that your intentions are always good, and I believe that mine are, as well.  Perhaps I am getting a little frustrated with having so many basketball conversations devolve into political discussions about masks, vaccines, tests, and so forth. I prefer to discuss basketball, but I know there are many people who are very into talking about the other stuff, and their views are equally entitled to be accommodated as mine. So, to the extent my attitude isn't what it should be, my bad.