If you notice empty seats at Oakland’s Oracle Arena during Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, there’s a simple reason. The Game did not sell out.
Minutes before the game, Darren Rovell of ESPN reported that roughly 400 seats went unsold.
JUST IN: Game 1 of the NBA Finals is NOT a sellout. Warriors still have hundreds of seats left to sell. Almost 300 upper level seats, 100 lower level seats still available on primary market 15 minutes before tip.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) June 1, 2018
No doubt, there are different reasons for this. Certainly, the tickets are not cheap. That could also be a factor. Additionally, a 6 p.m. local time start isn’t exactly ideal for a live crowd.
Still, this is quite surprising. It’s certainly not the look that the NBA, Golden State Warriors, or even Cleveland Cavaliers were looking for. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues through the series.