Sad State of Affairs at the New Jersey Nets Home Games

Sad.

That’s the only word you can use to describe the New Jersey —I want to be in Brooklyn already— Nets this year.

They are a sad franchise, with a sad star and a sad record.

What’s saddest of all though is the fan support, or lack there of.

Did you know you can buy a Nets ticket for a few pennies on the secondary ticket market right now? That’s sad.

Did you know the Nets have the second worst home attendance average (13,680) in the NBA, trailing only the Pistons and cash-strapped city of Detroit? That’s sad.

Did you know for the Nets home game against the Orlando Magic and one-time apparent franchise savior Dwight Howard, the Nets are offering free tickets vouchers to a future game for the first 2,500 fans who walk through the doors? That’s sad.

(Well, I guess the last offer isn’t sad if you’re a Nets fan who wants to see Howard play at least once this year and are in the mood for a free tic for a future game. And for all you Nets fans out there, the Magic game is on Feb 22.)

What’s next? The first 100 fans that actually pay for a ticket get to coach the team for a day? Might not be such a bad idea. I guarantee people would show for that giveaway.

If you’ve watched a Nets home game recently, you know how depressing the product on the court has been. They play bad defense, can’t get a stop when they have to and commit silly turnovers down the stretch that costs them game after game.

What’s worse for those watching at home is that when the TV cameras try to find something more entertaining to zoom in on in the stands, they have nothing. The stadium is empty. The stars aren’t courtside. Heck, even partial owner Jay-Z isn’t coming around anymore and primary owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, hasn’t shown his face in a year.

And that feel-good closeup shot of some 8-year-old kid screaming because they’re happy to get their face on TV, that shot is done to hide the thousands of empty seats behind them.

Sad.

The Nets are clearly trying to do anything they can to get people in the stands, and I think some of their offers are enticing for someone like me who can use public transport to get to the game. But until they put something resembling a winning basketball team on the court, the Prudential Center is going to continue to be empty.

No one wants to pay to see a sub-mediocre basketball team play uninspired and unentertaining basketball, whether the price is one penny or $100.

It’s just too…sad.