THE Charlotte Hornets The franchise is undergoing numerous changes in management and coaching staff, and the new regime faces a unique challenge: attendance. Despite being located in one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, with a growing population of more than 2.7 million, the Hornets have faced the lowest average home attendance in the NBA during the 2023-24 season, according to StatistaThis mismatch between market potential and fan engagement presents both a problem and an opportunity for the franchise and its new leadership.
A simple explanation for the lack of attendance is the team’s lack of success in recent years. Over the past five years, the Hornets have had the 5th worst winning percentage in the NBA with a percentage of 0.384.
But not long ago, during the 2021-2022 NBA season, the Hornets ranked 15th The Hornets lead the NBA in attendance with a 43-39 record. This proves that the Hornets have the potential to be in the top 15 in attendance. It’s not the lack of market or fan interest, it’s the lack of success and winning culture that has negatively impacted the attendance at Hornets games over the past few seasons.
This may seem obvious, but winning really is the be-all and end-all. The Hornets have a young and exciting team, and with the changes in management and coaching, fans are increasingly optimistic that good times are on the horizon. The team is comprised of very talented young players who, as they develop, will produce entertaining basketball that will draw fans in. However, until that translates into wins on the court and playoffs in Charlotte, I think attendance will remain in the bottom half of the NBA.
Looking at teams in the league that play in similar or smaller markets but are still in the top 15 in attendance, what they have in common is a culture of sustained success. Teams like Cleveland, Portland, and Utah have maintained competitive basketball cultures over the years and have been rewarded with consistently positive attendance numbers. Almost every team sees their attendance drop when the team is not performing well on the court, and that is normal. However, it is the teams that have built a culture of success that keep fans coming back to games, even when their win numbers are down. That should be the goal of the new regime to improve attendance, build a culture of winning, and there will be no problem getting Hornets fans to come to games.
Local Hornets fans who have attended enough games at Spectrum Center over the years know that the city has the ability to come out and support the Hornets when times are good and create a true home-court advantage. However, if the product on the court doesn’t start to improve consistently, attendance won’t improve and we’re going to continue to get mainstream media criticism like this:
