"Homecourt" advantage

RunSunRun · Post #1 » by **RunSunRun** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:26 am

I noticed that others are noticing it as well in today's game thread, but do we have the absolute worst crowd for home games in the NBA or am I going crazy?

Don't get me wrong. I know we live in a general fairweather, bandwagon-jumping state with all of the transplants. However, even though our crowd has generally been so-so over the years, it seems to really be terrible this year.

In the first quarter with the game fairly close the fans just sat there. No clapping, no standing, no cheering, nothing. I know the PA system was working cause I could somewhat hear the "defense" music chants over the terrible announcers, so what gives? I truly believe that many refs are influenced to make calls in the home teams favor if the crowd is into the game and harassing them to make favorable calls. Its downright pathetic that our fans just give the refs a mild boo-ing when a call goes against us and than don't show any energy or excitement to give our team even a little bit of energy.

I have seen more exciting crowds at ASU men's basketball games this season.

Jdiddy701 · Post #2 » by **Jdiddy701** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:11 am

Our crowd is WEAK, except Mr. ORNG. He's the only person in the building ever with energy!! We need to start selling Monsters at the game.

NiGhtWiSh · Post #3 » by **NiGhtWiSh** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:30 am

All the Suns need to make crowd act, is winning. Defending. Dunking. Abusing rivals. No feed - no cheer. It's not Europe...

Calvin Klein · Post #4 » by **Calvin Klein** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:39 am

NiGhtWiSh wrote: It's not Europe...

Unfortunately. Crowds in general in the US are crap. Phoenix in particular. But there are decent crowds in the NBA like Portland or Golden State.

RunDogGun · Post #5 » by **RunDogGun** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:55 am

Well if we were ever treated like the home team, maybe our fans would get into it more. When you are continually treated like either a visiting team, or a team playing in another building, it makes it difficult to get behind the team. But I do agree that the fans that go to the game are fine with sitting on their hands and content with just being seen at the game. In fact if you do go and cheer and yell and scream, most fans look at you like you are classless. There should be a heck of more chants of,"These refs SUCK!", or "Bullsh*t!!!!". But I guess the fans are just used to getting the shaft that they don't know any better. They need to make it a hostle environment for the refs and the visiting team. Some death threats would work nicely.

BurningHeart · Post #6 » by **BurningHeart** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:05 am

Our crowd is awful. I wish I could get hired as a glorified cheerleader in the crowd type, like the Mr. Orng thing. Wish there was a way I could get that idea to the team. Create some jobs, and create a better damn atmosphere.

When I FINALLY made my way to America West for Game 4 against LA in the WCF....I was told to sit down by people behind me when standing up in the first quarter. You ****' kidding me? It's the playoffs against our biggest rival in the WCF, playing for our damn LIVES. You should be glad that I spent hundreds of bucks to drive in from enemy territory just to cheer the damn team on!

BTW....am I the only one who **** hates the whole O-R-N-G thing? So ridiculous.

bigfoot · Post #7 » by **bigfoot** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:20 pm

Corporate sponsorship has killed the home court advantage. For the most part seats are not owned by hardcore Suns fans who come to cheer on the teams. The corporations give tickets out to their to customers and employees who may not really care about basketball or worse are fans for the other team. I think the real fans sit in the nose bleed section.

whambamslam · Post #8 » by **whambamslam** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:48 pm

bigfoot wrote:Corporate sponsorship has killed the home court advantage. For the most part seats are not owned by hardcore Suns fans who come to cheer on the teams. The corporations give tickets out to their to customers and employees who may not really care about basketball or worse are fans for the other team. I think the real fans sit in the nose bleed section.

This is somewhat true, but could still be better. I had nose bleed section season tickets for 2 seasons. Much different atmospher up in the nosebleeds than down in the lower. We were always cheering and standing way before the lower level.

PHXfan85 · Post #9 » by **PHXfan85** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:35 pm

Yea, it's no secret that the lower-level is full of socialites and suits. Hell, the only time I've been in the lower level is when I got tix from my work (just realized that). It wouldn't be such a problem if these people were actually of importance, because then they might not be so self-conscious about cheering.

Might also help is the Suns were winning too...

BurningHeart · Post #10 » by **BurningHeart** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:38 pm

No excuse. How come "real fans" are in other teams' lower-level crowds?

Sun Scorched · Post #11 » by **Sun Scorched** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:14 pm

We're definately bottom 5 in the league.

RaisingArizona · Post #12 » by **RaisingArizona** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:43 pm

The typical fan can't go to many games because of the economy. Only the big wigs are going and they're just there for the entertainment- they're not really suns fans.

impulsenine · Post #13 » by **impulsenine** » Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:43 am

You guys pretty much covered it. It's embarrassing every time.

The crowd's only paying attention if we're up between 5-12 points (and dunking), otherwise it's like they pass out Nyquil.

DRK · Post #14 » by **DRK** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:07 pm

Man some "fans" taking going to a game for granted. I would KILL to be able to go to a Suns game, and when I go, I'm going to make the most of it by cheering and shouting as much as I can.

Our team needs some support!

Calvin Klein · Post #15 » by **Calvin Klein** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:07 pm

haha aboslutely. It makes me completely mad when I see old ladies, trophy wives texting, old dudes showing up and children falling asleep in the lower level/front seats.

I would be going absolutely crazy.

JasonDaPsycho · Post #16 » by **JasonDaPsycho** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 5:46 pm

I've posted numerous rants about the crowd on the Facebook Suns page only to draw shots from "always positive" Suns fans.
Glad to see I'm not alone. I would love to show up in a game and show em how to get it done. Shame I'm living in Cali now.
Not sure if you guys remember but that Celtics chant IN OUR HOME GAME is absolutely disgusting. Kobe 4 MVP chant is simply unacceptable.
Always thought United Center was quiet, but at least they don't chant for opposing teams.

RunSunRun · Post #17 » by **RunSunRun** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:55 pm

Glad I'm not alone in this either. It is really a shame that our crowd is so lifeless, especially in close games where the Suns could really feed off the crowd's energy, but get nothing. I've had similar experiences at Suns games where I was asked to sit down and to stop cheering so people could watch the game, it really soured me on the whole idea of attending Suns games in person, so I switched to being a Cardinals season ticket holder instead. Don't get me wrong, I want us to have a great crowd, an intimidating home where other squads know they will get heckled and refs will be taunted mercilessly if they try to screw over the Suns.

I really like the Squad 6 idea that Bogut has going for the Bucks, even when the team is struggling, you can still hear those guys going.

I'm sure the Suns could do something similar if they made the effort.