Barclays Center (Getty Images)
In the Spotlight that ran with my, I mentioned that among the 10 arenas where both NHL and NBA teams played, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and Denver’s Pepsi Center had the lowest combined average attendance figures.
Here is the complete rundown.
(Figures through Thanksgiving)
Notes: The ranking is significantly affected by arena size and all teams in the first seven arenas below sell out — or come very close to it — every night. Also, because of configurations, NBA capacity is higher than NHL capacity in each arena. Finally, there are no value judgments being made here. It is no market’s “duty” to support professional sports franchises. I despise it when folks wearing press credentials who haven’t paid to get into a game in 25 years grouse about a market’s attendance as if there’s something “wrong” with the decisions about spending entertainment dollars. But here are the numbers.
Average attendance
1, United Center, Chicago 21,695
NBA Bulls 21,800*
NHL Blackhawks 21,638*
2, Air Canada Centre, Toronto 19,495
NBA Raptors 19,868*
NHL Maple Leafs 19,309*
3, American Airlines Center, Dallas 18,768
NBA Mavericks 20,036*
NHL Stars 18,076
4, Staples Center, Los Angeles 18,718
NBA Clippers 19,163*
NBA Lakers 18,997
NHL Kings 18,230*
5, Madison Square Garden, New York/Manhattan 18,638
NBA Knicks 19,812*
NHL Rangers 18,006*
6, Verizon Center, Washington 18,331
NBA Wizards 17,952
NHL Capitals 18,506*
7, TD Garden, Boston 17,653
NBA Celtics 17,759
NHL Bruins 17,565*
8, Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia 16,170
NBA 76ers 14,240
NHL Flyers 17,398
9, Pepsi Center, Denver 14,788
NBA Nuggets 13,180
NHL Avalanche 16,207
10, Barclays Center, New York/Brooklyn 13,171
NBA Nets 15,029
NHL Islanders 12,455
* Denotes average is 100 percent or more (standing room only) of building capacity for that sport.
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or
