By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek
October 26, 2012
The 2012-13 NBA season tips off Tuesday night as the league hopes to build on one of its most successful years to date. Amid doomsday scenarios and a lockout-shortened season, the NBA last season posted banner numbers across the board. On TV, ABC averaged 5.4 million viewers for its 15 telecasts, the net’s best regular-season average since ESPN acquired rights in 2002. The league-owned NBA TV posted its own record ratings, a 33% increase over last year’s numbers. In the stands, 18 of the league’s 30 teams saw attendance increase or remain steady year-over-year, while nine teams averaged crowds of 100% of capacity, up from six in 2011.
Ticket sales this year are off to a hot start as well. The league has sold more than 50,000 new full-season tickets, and total full-season sales are expected to top the 250,000 mark, according to SportsBusiness Journal. In addition to ticket sales, other hot storylines this season include the Nets’ new arena in Brooklyn, whether jerseys will end up featuring corporate logos, and speculation over what team could end up in Seattle’s new arena.