The Sixer Sense
Fansided

This Year is Different, and It’s Mostly Due to Fans

By Josh Wilson

Dec 26, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel celebrates with fans in the crowd following the game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The 76ers defeated the Suns 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel celebrates with fans in the crowd following the game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The 76ers defeated the Suns 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers are winning a lot of games at home, and the crowd has been a huge part of the team’s success this season.

Over the last several years, the Philadelphia 76ers have not been a big team as far as ticket sales go. In fact, they were often near the bottom of the league in total tickets sold, and fans could typically snag decent nosebleed seats for $5 on most games that weren’t against teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, or Golden State Warriors during the earlier stages of the rebuild.

Those ticket prices are still pretty low for Philly on most nights, but they look to be on the rise soon. Why? Because the environment is completely changing inside the Wells Fargo Center. More than ever, the fans matter, and more than ever, this team is a commodity that is fun to watch, and worth paying money — good money — to watch.

The Sixers are currently 12th in average home ticket sales, a general increase in trend based on the last few seasons. The team has won 33 percent of their home games while they’ve won just 27 percent of their road games.

It’s a concept that makes sense — the more fans that come and cheer, the better the team does. Teams feed off of that energy, and it seemed like in past years, one of the big things that was missing for the Sixers was not talent, but fans. That is being proven more and more by how well the team has been doing this year with an increase in attendance, and an increase in the fan energy.

It was shown off in full effect on Wednesday night in a huge win against the New York Knicks. The Sixers were regularly down in that game by double digits (were down by 10 points with just 2:29 remaining in the game), prompting New York Knicks beat writer Frank Isola to Tweet out that the Sixers were “awful.”

The Sixers came back and won in a huge way, on a buzzer-beater spin move and jump-shot from T.J. McConnell, a shot that seemed to prove (yet again) his existence as a real and skilled NBA player.

This was a game that the Sixers would have lost 9 times out of 10 last year. Heck, earlier this season they were giving up any game that was even remotely within reach in any fourth quarter. So what changed?

Like I said, the fans are showing up, and they impact more than they know. McConnell laid it out for the fans after the game in an interview with CSN’s Molly Sullivan.

“This is a team victory, and we couldn’t do it without each and every one of you,” McConnell said pointing to the crowd. “The fans have been phenomenal throughout the year and we can’t thank you guys enough.”

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As Sullivan moved on to interview rookie sensation Joel Embiid, he thanked the fans for continuing to support the team.

“I love y’all, I hope you keep trusting the process, and we’re going to keep getting better and winning games,” Embiid said.

Embiid has pushed the idea that the Sixers are not only winning more games for the sake off being a cohesive, solid team right now, but that the team is pursuing a possible playoff run.

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His thanking of the fans is certainly for their support in the arena, but also as they’ve supported the team as they’ve had to sit through a rebuilding process patiently.

That waiting is paying off for Philadelphia. They’re winning games, and the fans are a huge part of that.