Empty Seats Plague NBA All-Star Saturday Despite Sellout Claims

NBA All-Star Saturday's festivities kicked off in the early afternoon, a departure from tradition necessitated by a new TV deal and a desire to avoid clashing with Winter Olympics primetime coverage. The unusual timing, which saw events conclude while the sun was still out, contributed to sparse attendance early on, particularly for the 3-point contest. Despite official statements declaring sellouts for both Saturday and Sunday events, the Intuit Dome, with a reduced capacity of 15,067, appeared noticeably half-empty. Fans struggled to find affordable tickets on the resale market, with prices reportedly exceeding $900 for seats that were officially valued between $400-$500. This high cost and limited availability, exacerbated by owners needing to purchase additional tickets through resale platforms for guests, underscore growing concerns about the accessibility of major sporting events. The league reportedly controls a significant portion of the available seats, further shrinking the public's access to face-value tickets.