We live in a sports-watching metropolitan area. We also live in an extended economic slump, the sports equivalent of an 18-game losing streak, so most of us carefully watch our leisure-activity spending.
Partly as a result, some local teams have been swinging and shooting in front of slightly shrunken crowds this year.
The Braves are back home for a Memorial Day weekend series, with fond memories of performing before larger turnouts in seasons past. Even though the economic downtown was in full force a year ago, the average attendance of 26,893 is 4.9 percent lower over the same number of dates.
The Hawks’ final regular-season average of 15,648 fans represented a 5.4 percent decline from the previous season.
The Thrashers, who still belong to Atlanta for a few more days, retreated by less than 1 percent to 13,489, 28th in the NHL.
Sports fanatic Curt McGirt, a state employee residing in Atlanta, has cut his stadium- and arena-going since taking a job at 70 percent of his previous salary.
“Gas prices and rising health-insurance prices mean that I attend far fewer games in person,” said McGirt, 31. “Why pay for tickets and concessions when I can have friends over to watch the game?”
Richard Suave, a dispatcher from Lithonia, says he once spent $2,000 on full or partial ticket packages to Falcons, Hawks and Thrashers games. The 27-year-old retained his Falcons’ pair, but moved from the lower level to the more cost-friendly upper deck end-zone section. Philips Arena patronage for both tenants has been reduced.
“I simply could not afford packages for the Hawks and Thrashers anymore,” he said. “I only go when I find deals on StubHub for less than $15.
“I have at least three friends who had to give up their Falcons season tickets because of financial reasons.”
The Falcons do not disclose season-ticket sales and renewal figures. Team president Rich McKay expressed confidence that all home games will sell out this season — if there is a season, one that is jeopardized by a lockout — even though “the economy remains a factor for everyone, particularly in terms of how discretionary dollars are spent.”
Unemployment in Georgia is 9.9 percent, seventh highest in the nation, according to federally compiled figures through April. An Economic Stress Index, derived from an Associated Press formula that measures unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates, placed Georgia as the fourth most struggling state in 2010, though its score has since improved.
Business owner Steve Lewis of Atlanta moved out of the Georgia Dome club level for cheaper seats and relies on friends who get freebie tickets from their employers for Braves games.
“There is no question that the economy has affected buying full-price seats,” said Lewis, 59.
Georgia State student Jason Weintraub trimmed his amount of eyewitnessed Falcons games from four in 2009 to one last season. Like others interviewed for this story, Weintraub is reluctant to view games from faraway seats, but cannot afford to sit close-up.
“As a true sports fan, I want to see the game and not focus on my bleeding nose,” said Weintraub, 21.
The Hawks attributed their attendance dip to fewer buyers in Philips Arena’s distant locations, an indication that middle- and working-class fans stayed away more so than the deeper-pocketed.
“Upstairs, we saw some erosion,” said Tracy White, senior vice president of sales and marketing with the Atlanta Spirit ownership group. “We didn’t feel an impact [from the economy] as much last season as we did this one.”
The Braves, based on their research, believe hard times is a hurdle primarily to visitors from outside metro Atlanta who need to shell out for a full tank or two of gas and possibly a hotel room to attend.
“Those are the fans who maybe have a little tougher time coming to the game,” said Derek Schiller, executive vice president of sales and marketing.
Both franchises maintain that factors other than the economy have dragged down the turnstile count.
In the Hawks’ case, according to White, too many marquee games were clustered, forcing fans to pick and choose, and the schedule was overloaded around the year-end holidays, when fans are distracted by other activities.
The Braves’ Schiller blames inclement weather, an abundance of weekday games and not enough attractive opponents.
“It’s a bit too early to draw many generalities,” Schiller said of the economy’s role. In fact, he noted that ticket sales for the balance of this season project at least a 10 percent increase over last year’s final count.
Some sports customers have breathed deeply and stayed the course.
James Herndon and his wife renewed Falcons season tickets and have kept apace with the Braves (10 games, plus playoffs, per season) and the Hawks (five games).
“The only major impact is that we got worse seats for the Hawks games we did decide to attend,” said Herndon, 30, debate coach at Emory.
Avid follower Justin Horhn, a public-health advisor from Lithonia, remains a Falcons season ticket holder and continues to hit about a dozen Braves games per year. He whittled his Hawks’ presence from five games to one this season, but only because of flagging faith in the team’s progress.
“The bottom line is that I always support my teams,” said Horhn, 25. “But in order for me to buy a ticket, spend for gas and parking and [devote] the time, I have to believe the team has a legit shot at competing.”
Franchises here and elsewhere are confronting a fresh challenge to lure fans. Increasingly affordable and vivid hi-definition television, along with convenient Internet access, entices them to take in games from the comforts of home. TV ratings are rising for some sports while attendance is holding steady.
At least four major league baseball teams have responded by offering free Wi-Fi in ballparks. The Braves hope to introduce the service after the all-star break.
The Hawks launched a special in-house app this season, and the Falcons provided its own last year to selected fans. McKay said the team is toying with advancements to roll out in the fall.
Team officials are aware of competition from the technologically enhanced viewing adventure available to fans from their La-Z-Boys.
“Certainly, the HD television is appealing and compelling,” the Spirit’s White said. “At the end of the day, though, there is nothing like coming to a live sports event.”
For some fans, it is a much closer call.
“[If] I can’t sit close to the action, I would much rather watch at home, where I can watch from any room — all my TVs are HD — see the replays and have cheap drinks,” said Braves/Hawks backer Tim Brayboy, an account manager from Gwinnett County who describes himself as “in my 40s.”
Said Herndon, “I will continue to go to Falcons games, but my wife did point out that we could buy a theater system and upgrade our TV for the price of skipping a single season of tickets. The temptation is great. What keeps me going back is the excitement in the stadium.”
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