The NBA’s Seattle Supersonics have finished the with league’s the lowest average attendance for the 13th straight season. The attendance numbers come as no surprise as the team concludes another disappointing season in one of the worst sports cities in America. Not a single person attended a game the entire season. The seemingly nonexistent fanbase is a result of two major factors, the quality of the on-court product, and Seattle’s lack of passion for sports and exercise.
The team failed to win a single game and posted league lows in every major statistical category. Analytics tell us that the team performed worse than the infamous 2011-2012 Charlotte Bobcats and did so in impressive fashion. A deeper dive shows that not a single player scored a single point in any game the entire year. A performance so embarrassing that the team has been kept off the league’s official standings.
Despite their poor play, can the team really be blamed for their poor performance when they have received zero support from their so called “fans”? Seattle is notorious for its hatred of sports and exercise. Experts theorize that the excessive precipitation the area receives has keeps Seattleites indoors and away from the open spaces required for playing games. Those who do attempt to recreate are left disgruntled and with waterlogged balls. This leaves a disconnect between the professional athletes and the uninformed, overweight population that is supposed to cheer them on. The city’s disdain for coordinated movement extends to Seattle’s other professional sports teams with the Seahawks having the worst attendance in the NFL, and the Mariners potentially relocating.
Unfortunately, the Supersonic’s outlook for next year is just as bleak. No draft picks, and not a single player is guaranteed to be on their roster. The team has struggled to maintain an identity since the 2007-08 season, the last time they had a coach. Many executives around the league feel that the team is behind the times. At present, they are the only team without a stadium, practice facility, or equipment. Most team’s practice using a regulation NBA basketball, but the Sonics do not own any kind of round object. The style of play in the NBA has changed greatly over the last few years and the Supersonics are operating like it is still the 1940s. Without making some serious changes, the franchise may be in jeopardy.