The Nets … last in the NBA in the number of season tickets sold

With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, you’d think tickets would be snapped up to watch the Nets at Barclays Center. But on the contrary, subscriptions for the 2022-23 season have had great difficulty selling. How do you explain that for one of the most anticipated NBA teams of the year?

It’s Josh Kosman and Brian Lewis from New York Post who released the info, citing as a source a League owner and an insider who were able to take a look at the figures: with only 5,500 subscriptions sold for the coming season (out of 17,732 places in total), the Nets are simply last in the NBA in this category. Yes, the Nets, with KD, Kyrie and Ben Simmons, in the beautiful Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This one had to be seen coming, especially when you have several franchises that have activated full reconstruction mode to try to get in the race for the French phenomenon Victor Wembanyama. A surprising observation at first glance, but which is quite easily explained when you look more closely.

Reason number 1: the explosion in prices. According to figures from New York Post, a subscriber placed at the edge of the field, for example, saw the price of his place go from 3,500 dollars to 5,400 dollars (per game) this season. Of course it stings a bit. All places obviously do not experience such an increase but it illustrates the Nets’ pricing policy for this year.

“I’d rather give money to Ukraine than fill the Nets’ coffers. »

– A subscriber who refused the renewal (via the New York Post)

Reason number 2: the uncertainty surrounding the team, of course. While the Nets are one of the most talented teams in the NBA, they are also among the most unpredictable. After the mess of last year, the humiliation in the first round of the Playoffs (4-0 defeat against Boston) and above all the great turbulence of the off-season with in particular the transfer request from Kevin Durant, it is not easy to believe in the Brooklyn’s ability to meet its big ambitions. If it is, the Nets will explode in midair and end up with Kessler Edwards as a franchise player. This has something to cool potential subscribers, especially with the price increase next door.

So of course, low number of subscribers does not necessarily mean low attendance. Because on match nights on the BK side, tickets will undoubtedly continue to sell as long as there are KD, Kyrie and Co. on site. The Nets remain one of the most hyped teams in the NBA and there will inevitably be people at the counters of the Barclays Center. But we’re more of a one-night stand than a long-term relationship if you know what we mean. According to a source from New York Postthe Brooklyn franchise also relies quite a bit on these single tickets to fill its coffers, which would have lost between… 50 and 100 million dollars last season.

Between the huge luxury tax that the Nets have to pay (payroll of 190 million dollars, more than 100 million in tax) and the big shortfall of last year linked to the premature elimination in the Playoffs (only two games played at the Barclays Center), the Brooklyn franchise has drastically increased the price of tickets. Faced with the uncertain future of the team, many subscribers preferred to drop out. And we understand why.

Text source: New York Post