You say that like COVID is over. It's not even close.

WA is currently restricted to 50% capacity. Other states have had, and possibly still have, their own capacity restrictions.

Not only are there still capacity restrictions there are vaccine mandates at many of the venues. Now I know people say that 90 percent of people are vaccinated but in my line of work in the fitness industry I find a higher proportion of them are not. Vaccine mandates may be disproportionately affecting sporting events. I have no concrete and hard proof of that but it would be an interesting study to make. Either way I think the crowds across all sports are down and the NBL isn't suffering any moreso than anyone else in that regard. When all restrictions go I think we'll be back to where we were before. What is of more immediate interest to me would be TV ratings, and we've not heard about them since round three.

anecdotally at least it does seem people in the "fitness and wellness" area are over represented in the unvaccinated numbers.

It doesnt seem like an NBL problem as much as an events across the board problem. Mandates, changing schedules, caution, people not being in central areas as much would all be contributing to lower attendance.

Personally I havent been able to attend as many of the games of leagues I have membership for (WNBL and AFLW) over this summer due to last minute schedule changes etc.

It was the best attendance since the pandemic began in Sydney last home game. Overall though, definitely no where near recovered to pre-covid numbers anywhere.

Will let u know post covid. When the best game of the year last night is played without a crowd & NZ is using Tassy as a home court we can't tell yet. I was at Taipans game sunday & was only half full but we are shit this year so hard to gauge.

Jackies sold out all the time. But many no crowd games in Hobart for the Breakers.

Cant measure it this year with covid and the overlap of the football codes.

Barring a more serious strain of covid, we should see things normalise next season as we continue this journey of 'living with it'.

When will next season start? Normal October time I hope.

The Sixers have introduced restrictions by sucking as a basketball organisation

The average is only 4,536 per AusStadiums.

Perth have only had 5 home games this season. They still have 9 consecutive home games to finish the season. We saw last season that West Coast games don't affect Wildcats games.

Surely the Perth Army will bump up that average.

Last seasons average with covid was only 4,012.

RAC Arena is limited to 50% capacity due to COVID.

Why is everyone insisting on pretending COVID is over?

I don't know how they're defining 50% atm, but 6,800 per game would still push the league average in the upward direction

They have more members than available seats, and tickets were released to the general public. So a lot of people are choosing not to go.

But my point was mostly about how ridiculous it is to suggest COVID is over, and has been over for some time.

"RAC Arena is limited to 50% capacity due to COVID.
Why is everyone insisting on pretending COVID is over?"


Because they're not in WA?

COVID isn't over anywhere. Victoria had 8,000 cases yesterday, 13 people are in the ICU. NSW had 20,000 cases and had 13 people on ventilators.

You are correct Kobe but we are living with it. Like everything WA is 2 years behind.

You're dying of it.

It may not be over but people are choosing to move on.

People's perceptions of risk and the remaining COVID restrictions are what continue to affect NBL crowds.

e.g., AEC requires full vaccination for entry; people with COVID or close contacts thereof have to isolate and can't go to games; etc. Based on current new case rates and vaccination rates, that'd mean 10%-15% of the Adelaide population wouldn't have been able to get into Adelaide's home game last night. So I'd expect those restrictions alone, with current case rates, to be knocking AEC home crowds down by 900-1,400 people. That's before you consider how many people would rather not go to crowded places or won't go until they can attend without a mask.

On a related note, a local sporting club I'm involved with has kids who have yet to come to a single training session for the year. This club has been training 3 times a week since school started - 7 weeks! These kids have been excluded as close contacts for all of that time, due to multiple COVID positives at their schools or within their families. So the close contact isolation rules have had a huge impact on families with school kids in particular. That must be hurting 36ers' home crowds.

Until restrictions have gone altogether, don't expect crowds to recover to 2019 levels.

And headlines like these must make NBL owners worry:

"'Unaffordable' petrol, $7 coffees and ruined holiday plans: Welcome to the world of record fuel prices" (https://www.abc.net.au/news/)

Kobe you need understand most people aren't dying of covid they are dying with Covid. If someone arrives in Hospital from a car accident, tests positive with Covid, and dies is added to the numbers. Covid had nothing to do with their death.

Not discounting that people are dying because of covid, but the numbers aren't a true reflection. Most also have comorbidities. World numbers are around 7% of people actually dying solely of covid.

Go hide in your bubble.

Kobe you need understand most people aren't dying of covid they are dying with Covid. If someone arrives in Hospital from a car accident, tests positive with Covid, and dies is added to the numbers.

Most also have comorbidities.

You have alot to learn

"Alot" isn't even a word.