NBA Cities

by RealTangiblesGuy on Mar 27, 2008 12:42 AM MDT

I just sort of had a question that might evolve into a discussion. In your opinion, which cities are true "NBA" cities? I mean to ask, which are the cities where NBA basketball is the predominant sport followed by most people? I have lived in four NBA cities (soon to be five as I have lived in OK) but was too young to remember Chicago (during Jordan era!) and Dallas. I can tell you for sure that Atlanta is definitely not a Hawks city or any other kind of pro-sports city. People here just don't care. I also live in Boston, where people care a lot about the C's, but I don't think you can call it a true basketball city because people care so much more for the Red Sox/Patriots than the Celtics. I mean, they love their sports, but the Celtics are like the adopted child. Maybe it's because the team had been bad for so long, I don't know. Also, for those of you that live there/have lived there, is Phoenix an NBA city? What other cities are NBA cities?

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Seattle for sure

Ok - I just threw that in there b/c of the crappy owner moving to OKC. OKC!

My list is mostly cities where basketball is the only game in town:

Sactown, Utah and Portland all have great fan bases and in each the NBA rules. I supose you have to include SA also.

The Lakers rule LA but the Dodger are big too of course and that place is so big there's room for both plus the Orange County teams like the Angles and Ducks and the AAA Clippers.

Indy for sure is on the list even though they are down a bit right now.

I am not sure about Philly but I would guess there too.

And in Phoenix the Suns are certainly the premier team. They have been here the longest and have had the most success even though the D-back won it all in 2001.

The Cardinals are a joke and I am not even sure the Coyotes are still playing hockey here. Reports are they do - but I don't know anyone that goes or even talks about them.

Phx - where grrrrr happens

by Seth Pollack on Mar 27, 2008 7:46 AM MDT reply actions

On the one hand...

basketball is without question the primary sport in Phoenix, always has been, probably always will be.

On the other hand, it's not exactly what I'd consider a rabid sports city. So I'd say we're a quasi-NBA city.

by NativeArizonan on Mar 27, 2008 5:49 PM MDT reply actions

Phoenix fans

I have observed that the Phoenix fan base is a cross between the San Diego (too much other fun to be had, why should I care attitude) and LA (the elite fans that come to games to be seen - in other words, the Scottsdale crowd) fan scene. It's a strange combination. In the pre-AWA years of the franchise, it was much different. They have never recaptured the feeling at the Madhouse on McDowell. Barkley brought the team to national focus, that's when the fan base became more upper crust. My brother has been to games recently, and tells me of people in the lower bowl barely paying attention whilst fiddling with their Blackberries and primping their hair and filing their nails (men AND women).

'07-'08 Suns: It's clobberin' time!

by Hawk42 on Mar 28, 2008 6:54 AM MDT up reply actions

on fans up close

I was in the front row, in the center a year back at a suns game and I saw exactly what your talking about. 100's of rich young to middle aged people who were barely watching. Phoenix is famous for bandwagoning in my view, as I'm sure many cities are, where only once we get to the finals do many become overnight fans. It's not a big deal to me, thank God for the site, but it's kind of strange...I go to Phoenix, I'll go off to Marjelee's sport's bar to eat and watch a home game and the place will be half full. But a month later, I go and do the same thing and the bar is packed because we're playing the spurs.

Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Mar 28, 2008 11:57 PM MDT up reply actions

The sociological perspective

**Note: this is in no way scientific...it's mostly conjecture by what I remember of census data and sociology classes.

Phoenix is not typical of most "NBA" towns: It is not as established of a "big city" as most other centers of NBA franchises. Its (comparatively recent) growth rate (usually immigration from other more, established metropolises), means that 'home grown' Suns fans and those who have chosen to adopt the team are at odds with a proportionally larger number of individuals who identify with, say, Los Angeles, as their 'hometown' and are therefore Fakers fans.

This situation is a bit unique, for it does not hold the same for areas whose urban populations may be more homogeneous/less-migratory (Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Denver, and to a degree much of the 'midwest'), or due to close proximities of the east coast (Philly Fans in NYC or Baltimore can quite easily attend games in the home town).

We've seen an example of this the recent shake-up of New Orleans: Due to Hurricane Katrina, and the "home" games spent in OKC, there appears to be a viable yet homogeneous population prepared for an NBA franchise. Though perhaps the novelty of 'renting' a team may have sparked more fandom than true 'ownership' (remember, we Americans are quite fickle), the population base (and lack of major sporting entertainment outside college football) suggests the Sonics will do fine, and be a 'homer' team.

In converse will be Las Vegas...a more extreme version of the dynamic in Phoenix. In the event the NBA awards Vegas a franchise, attendance will be quite high, and while there will be many who choose to adopt them as 'their favorite team', undoubtedly (due to the migratory population of the city, folk from SoCal and Phoenix) many home games would be overwhelmingly attended by both Suns and Fakers fans....probably to the point that Vegas 'home' games against said teams would be dominated by fans of the opposition.

Thus, while the fan base seems to be changing...it's just shifting.

flim springfield

by DrStrom on Mar 30, 2008 5:51 AM MDT up reply actions

Phx immigrants

What Dr Storm says is certainly true of Phx fans of all sports and has been for years. Just go to a Cubs, Yankees or BoSox game and see all the "home town" fans. And those damn Dodgers fans w/ their STUPID friggin beach balls!

But I think the Suns they are the first team to break through this. Because they have been here 40 years now you are now having enough fans of my age range - mid 30's to mid 40's - that grew up with this team and you even have second generation fans in starting to show up in their teens and early 20's. I see a lot of college age die hard Suns fans at the games. 10 or even 5 years ago that wasn't the case.

So, while Phx doesn't have the history of a NY or Chicago the Suns I think are finally over that hump. You listen to local sport talk radio and you have a lot fans that have been here supporting this team for at least 20 years.

You drive around town and you see business with Suns related signs and banners and you talk to people here its all about the Suns. People know their Suns history.

Phx is now the 5th largest US city and 14th largest TV market and we grow about 3%-4% every year.

So when you talk about NBA towns, Phx is there.

Phx - where riding Diaw happens

by Seth Pollack on Mar 30, 2008 10:23 AM MDT up reply actions

Phoenix

is not a Basketball city .. we are more of a Oprah and jerry Srpinger town ....

by emirem on Mar 27, 2008 7:25 PM MDT reply actions

can't argue there

I guess I was just thinking as compared to...but only included the other sports and not you know - Oprah or for that matter Jack and Willy or whatever those Country radio knuckle heads are called.

Phx - where grrrrr happens

by Seth Pollack on Mar 27, 2008 8:14 PM MDT up reply actions

Ouch

That's scary. I would be offended if I lived in Phoenix, but I live in JR and Jerry Jones country now. I think Oprah and Jerry Springer definitely have had their influence on the Cardinals. :)

'07-'08 Suns: It's clobberin' time!

by Hawk42 on Mar 28, 2008 6:57 AM MDT up reply actions

The Bay Area

is not a bad place for sports, as they certainly have more passionate fans than SoCal, and PHX. And certainly right now the Warriors are king over there, mainly since they're the only basketball team there, and they're good right now. Whereas Frisco and Oakland each have their own baseball and football teams, but they currently blow.

As for other basketball towns, Houston is more of a Rockets town than an Astros or Texans town. But then again, Houston is just a shade above Atlanta and Miami as far as fairweather fans go.

by Aluminum Foyle on Mar 27, 2008 8:35 PM MDT reply actions

G.S. fans

were crazy awesome during last years playoffs, simply incredible. Must be fun to play there as an nba player

Nothing in this Verse can stop us!

by jasonsuns1 on Mar 29, 2008 12:00 AM MDT up reply actions

the bay area

i don't really know if i'd consider the bay area an nba town. before last year, i knew maybe 4 warriors fans. now everyone i see wears that annoying we believe shirt. none of my friends here (i grew up in phoenix but live in the bay area) watched bball growing up because the warriors sucked and the niners were so good

by najmsh on Mar 29, 2008 3:44 PM MDT up reply actions

Phoenix is a good NBA city

To sustain prolonged interest in a team you need to have at least a winning team per generation, say, one every 15-20 years. That's a key to develop lasting interest, I think.
Of course cities without any real alternatives in pro sports tends to be better sport towns, like Salt Lake City, Sacramento or San Antonio.
I think Phoenix is a good NBA city, maybe the fans are not that crazy about their team (I guess they have a life....) but the city has supported the team well for 40 years.

by Son of Steve Nash on Apr 1, 2008 6:39 AM MDT reply actions