Poor ticket sales for Hornets preseason game

**betts** · 10-08-2007, 07:38 AM

Ticket sales slow in OKC
Posted by John Reid, Times Picayune October 07, 2007 4:25PM
Hornets officials said Sunday that 5,000 tickets have been sold for Tuesday's preseason opener against the Houston Rockets at the 19,163-seat Ford Center in Oklahoma City.

It will be the Hornets only visit to the Sooner State this season after it was their temporary home for the past two years.

The city embraced the Hornets with a number of sellouts. In 35 games last season at the Ford Center, the Hornets averaged 17,951. For the six games last season at the New Orleans Arena, the Hornets averaged 17,129.

Oklahoma City could become the future home of the Seattle SuperSonics. Sonics owner Clay Bennett, who is from Oklahoma City, has set an Oct. 31 deadline for Seattle to come up with plans to build a new arena.

If no plans come forward, Bennett plans to file a relocation application with the league, though a legal battle appears likely if he breaks his lease before the 2010 expiration date.

**metro** · 10-08-2007, 08:42 AM

Wow. Sadly, I'm not surprised as I've seen absolutely no promotions for this game. Especially if you compare it to the last two years preseason games. Heck, you all know I'm usually in the know, often before the media, and I wouldn't have known about this game if it wasn't for OKCTalk. I even know the PR manager at the Ford Center and she didn't even mention this game. I got my tickets last week and I encourage everyone who can purchase them to do so. We need a good support to look good to the NBA. I don't think it will matter to Clay as he know our own team would do fine, but we still need to prove to others in the NBA who don't know that.

**Oh GAWD the Smell!** · 10-08-2007, 08:55 AM

I had no idea about it either.

**CCOKC** · 10-08-2007, 11:45 AM

I got my tickets at least a month ago but I knew about it because I was a season ticket holder the last two years and received an e-mail inviting me to get tickets. If not for that I probably would not have heard of it either.

**Easy180** · 10-08-2007, 12:09 PM

Tuesday night exhibition game...Not surprised with the lack of ticket sales

It won't matter anyway...OKC no longer needs to prove itself to the league

**CCOKC** · 10-08-2007, 12:14 PM

Exactly, pre-season games are not usually well attended as a rule. I just wanted to watch my boys one last time as a fan of the team. Hopefully, next year I will be rooting against them when they come to town.