Can Colalengo Fix Philadelphia 76ers Plunging Attendance?

NBA Attendance for Philadelphia 76ers games plunged. Can Colangelo Nudge It To Reverse Course?

The NBA Attendance of the Philadelphia 76ers has been a thorn in the side of the very business minded NBA for some time now. It started as a low rumble, like the sound of a distant thunderstorm, and gradually grew in volume until it became widely know that the NBA league executives were dissatisfied with the results.

The finger pointed down, and it pointed to former president and general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, Sam Hinkie. Josh Wilson wrote a nice column about the conflict at the beginning of the 2015-2016 season, and how the inability of the Philadelphia 76ers to draw spectators was the beginning of the end of Hinkie:

"“Earlier this season, it was reported that owners around the league were complaining about the Sixers and how they were hurting ticket sales, urging NBA commissioner Adam Silver to make the Sixers do something. This led to the hire of Jerry Colangelo to the front office, a move that was urged by Silver. Despite that, the numbers don’t exactly back up the owners’ claims that the Sixers hurt their ticket sales. “"

But how long had this been going on?

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Let’s take a look at some ESPN Attendance Statistics. In the 2012-2013 season, the average attendance of the Philadelphia 76ers games stood at 17,020, good for 21st in the NBA by filling 86.1% of seat capacity. Not great, but fair enough for a none-playoff team.

By the 2013-2014 season, the average attendance had dropped to 15,655, only filling 79.1% of the stadium seats, and 29th in the league. That landed the Sixers at 29th in the league.

By the 2014-2015 season, the average attendance had dropped to 15,802, good for only 79.9% of the stadium seats, but worst in the 30 team NBA League.

Finally, in the 2015-2016 season, the average attendance had plummeted to 16,186 , good for only 81.7% of seating capacity and burrowing further into last place in the NBA.

the 2013 Philadelphia 76ers ended the season at 34-48. Soon after, the 76ers ended their association with head coach Doug Collins when he resigned, and with general manager Tony DiLeo. Then the migration south happened…

The simplest answer, and the focus of the NBA executives, is that the Sixers losing ways brought the attendance to its perilous downslide. But there are likely more logical answers. Since arriving at the Philadelphia 76ers, Sam Hinkie undertook a tremendous austerity program – slashing payroll costs, drafting stashed or injured players, and signing undrafted talent to the roster.

Part of the NBA mystique is the marketing element of prospects who are immediately drafted and don the jersey of their NBA team. But the approach elected by the Philadelphia 76ers did not take advantage of that heated market. If they drafted a star in 2013 or 2014, he was either injured (Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid) and would not play that season, or he was stashed internationally (Dario Saric). It was not until the Philadelphia 76ers had drafted Jahlil Okafor in the 2015 draft that a rookie lottery pick would wear the Sixers jersey in the same year.

But the team struggled to fill the other fifteen (Joel Embiid regressed and would not play for two seasons). No true starting point guard, a badly injured and young roster, and only 14 players who could suit up at most countered all the goodwill felt by fans towards the rookie center.

But so much has changed for this year. Joel Embiid should step onto a basketball court. The Philadelphia 76ers will make the first selection of the 2016 NBA draft. Dario Saric should travel to the USA. And the team will dress fifteen players for each of their 82 games. With so much star power focusing on these Philadelphia 76ers, surely both the home crowd in Philadelphia and in other NBA cities will want to see what all the fuss is about, won’t they?

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Whether win or lose, I’m wagering that attendance goes up. Perhaps I misworded the major question of this article, now that I’ve thought about it? Perhaps the true question should not be can Colangelo improve the plunging attendance, but rather can Bryan Colangelo avoid derailing improving attendance for the Philadelphia 76ers?