Charlotte Bobcats Arena

[bork]

Well not compared to when the old arena opened. They had constant sellouts for years. And they also sold all of the season tickets well before the Hornets played their first game there. The Bobcats are still trying to figure out how to get Charlotteans to buy season tickets now as there are plenty for sale.

The telling tale with the new arena will be in a few months once the newness has worn off. I find it interesting that they didn't even sell out the first home game until the last day, (and I suspect there were some mercy buying by the corporations to make it look better) which when you think about it, is not a good thing.

That's an unfair comparison - the Hornets were the first professional team to be anywhere near here - with people used to the Hornets, the Panthers, etc - I think the "new factor" has worn off and Charlotte knows it can support these teams without having to prove something as the first time.

[Mobuchu]

The checkers opening game the other night sold more tickets then any regular season game last year. And thats with closing off much of the sections. Maybe hockey will catch on here and the uptown crowd might buy a random ticket before going out to the bars. Would be great if we got enough support to open more seating sections.

Things are certainly looking good for the arena

^

[redjeep77]

I would much rather buy a checkers ticket than a bobcats.....and i am a huge basketball fan (college). i have lost all faith in the NBA. It needs to get back to it roots before i even attempt to support them (ie less money, more emphasis on team rather than individual).

[ChiefJoJo]

What do the cheap seats go for? (Bobcats games)

Oh, and what's the deal with the TV news story last week about the arena's bad access? I think it was WBTV or something like that.

[atlrvr]

I haven't heard a story about bad access since it opened....I think traffic is flowing much better than anyone predicted.

[dubone]

Stories of bad access are blatantly false. I drove right up near the arena an hour before the opening game without any deadlock. Arena traffic is barely a blip on the radar considering the capacity of the downtown system.

The cheapest seats are $10. I bought some of those seats for way more than that on opening day, because we were in a crunch and didn't plan ahead. But even those seats weren't so bad.

[Sabaidee]

The only bad access I've heard isn't even traffic related, it's about handicapped access, those in wheelchairs complained about getting from the main entrance on Trade to the other side of the arena on 5th Street. One would have to go around the arena via Trade and Caldwell to get 5th Street. As the main entrance around Trade and the LRT line has a flight of steps leading to the 5th Street side. The solution to the problem will be more than a year away as the LRT's CTC/Arena Station will provide elevators for those who wants to get to 5th Street side.

[ChiefJoJo]

^OK that must have been it. It was a big TV promo for the evening news.

[skylinedrive]

Chief the cheapest tickets to the Bobcat's games are $10. The cheapest tickets to the Checkers are $5 (put in the code promotion "CCC" on the website)

I suggest you buy the cheap tickets and then head for Rock the Rooftop where you can sit at the bar and watch the whole game. Thats what I did for the Home Opener and had a great time.

[tiblerbrit]

Apparently there are over 17,000 people at the game tonight. I know they are playing the almighty Spurs, but its also a Wednesday. Not too shabby.

[dubone]

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte.../14/story2.html

There is an interesting article in the CBJ about the economic impact of the new arena, based on the first few weeks of operation. All in all, I think the arena has been a positive for nightlife in Charlotte. It has given uptown an energy on event nights that it has lacked, even with the prior success that uptown nightlife has had.

[poplife88]

Just saw on the CCCP website that Aerosmith and Lenny Kravitz will play at the arena on Thursday, January 12, 2006. They are doing a great job of recruiting some pretty big-name acts. I know Thursdays are traditionally college night outs at the bars and clubs uptown so it should make for a pretty entertaining scene. Plus kudos to the guys booking these acts; it can only enhance the visibility and stature of our fair city.

[dubone]

Suprisingly, though, no hiphop acts. When are Bob Johnson's BET connections going to come through?

I was really disappointed that at the first Bobcats game, both Nelly and Ashanti were there, and they never once played a song by either of them. They played some country and some hard rock. How perfect would 'It's getting hot in herre [sic]' have been at some points in the game (it was often literally true in the rafters where I was sitting).

[InSoManyWays]

Suprisingly, though, no hiphop acts. When are Bob Johnson's BET connections going to come through?

I would go out on a limb and say that those are Bob Johnson's connections at work, he has a far reach in the entertainment industry as a whole and knows not just entertainers in Hip hop but in other genres as well. But I'm sure we'll be seeing a hip hop tour come through in the early quarter of 2006. The technology of the scoreboard in the new building is amazing, I was really impressed when I went to the Dallas game.

[redjeep77]

This may be a lame question.....but what's the difference between rap and hip hop?

[krazeeboi]

That's a really technical question. "Rap" usually refers to the musical style itself--the MCing part. "Hip hop" is inclusive of the culture, which goes beyond just MCing--breakdancing, deejaying, graffitti artwork, etc.

For the most part, the way both terms are used informally, there's no difference.

[graydog]

Just saw on the CCCP website that Aerosmith and Lenny Kravitz will play at the arena on Thursday, January 12, 2006. They are doing a great job of recruiting some pretty big-name acts. I know Thursdays are traditionally college night outs at the bars and clubs uptown so it should make for a pretty entertaining scene. Plus kudos to the guys booking these acts; it can only enhance the visibility and stature of our fair city.

So am I going? Well my dogs are named Tyler and Perry....

[dubone]

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte.../21/story5.html

The Bobcats are revising their pitch for naming rights now that the arena is open. It seems like it is becoming more common to not get a deal before the arena opens.

The leading local company speculation is around Lowe's, Wachovia, and Bank of America, obviously.

I'm not sure there is any real news, but it seems that there is a renewed push for naming rights now that the building has been open, and relatively successful.

[poplife88]

17,000 attendance average after 5 games. 85,000 potential new frequenters of uptown haunts total. Not bad considering we haven't had the Shaqs, Kobes, and Iversons in town yet. And it will only get better as we get to the full salary cap next year and get some big name free agents.

[dubone]

I hadn't realized the average attendance had been so high.

Also, traffic is practically non-existence. The only way you'd even know there was a game driving around town is that people wave orange flags at you, and the parking lots have more cars in them.

With LRT opening in 2007, the traffic impacts from arena events will be even lower.

[Mobuchu]

So true D. The only traffic after the games is foot traffic. With many staying uptown after the games and the parking being spread out with different walk times, its not like everyone is leaving at the same time. Also makes you realizes what a grid can really handle.

Those attendance figures are great, not exactly sell outs every night, but for a 2nd year team with a bad record im impressed. Many of my fears surrounding the arena have gone away. Cant wait for the two restaurants and DD to open up.

[carolina_fan]

17,000 attendance average after 5 games.

Where do you find the arena attendance number? Is it just for NBA games, or all events?

[dubone]

I just bought tickets for my second Bobcats game at the Arena. This time I planned ahead to got much better seats for much less. My relatives had such a good time going last time that when they are in town for thanksgiving, they want to go again.

I kind of think that as more and more people have positive entertainment experiences at the arena, that the fan base will continue to expand. While no doubt there will still be quite a number that are still opposed to and boycotting the arena, I think that goodwill will increase over the next few years.

Hopefully, though, the NBA has learned a lesson that it is more dangerous to simply ask for a new arena and expect revenues to pick up instantly. Charlotte's NBA history is very messy, and the NBA would likely be doing much better here if they had contributed more to the building.

Luckily, Charlotte is now contractually immune to the changing whims of the NBA through 2030.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

I hadn't realized the average attendance had been so high.

Also, traffic is practically non-existence. The only way you'd even know there was a game driving around town is that people wave orange flags at you, and the parking lots have more cars in them.

With LRT opening in 2007, the traffic impacts from arena events will be even lower.

The traffic flow is amazing, it works so much better than the vast sea of concrete that was the Charlotte Coliseum parking lot. I like how the one of the big navigational signs in the arena says "Light Rail Line" or something like that. Once Epicenter is open, that area will be even more amazing. I can't wait.

[SmellyCat]

Another good sign is that attendance seems strong in the face of obvious PR challenges the entire NBA is facing these days with the "thug" reputations of its players. People in Charlotte seem very skeptical these days throwing down good money to watch a bunch of overpaid jerks like Ron Artest play (or fight).

I think its important that the Bobcats maintain what I would call solid citizens - players that keep their nose clean and have a generally positive image - for the 2nd go-round to work here. Okafor, Sean May and Eric Felton are definitely positives.