Fans Will Take Time to Warm to New Pistons

Last Updated: October 31. 2009 5:57PM
Terry Foster
Fans will take time warming to these Pistons

Auburn Hills

On the night before Halloween, there were plenty of ghost, goblins and witches throughout The Palace. There also were pink ribbons and carnations to commemorate Breast Cancer Survivor Night.

There were more empty seats however.

The Palace used to sell out on opening night even if the opponent was from a faraway land more known for its football than basketball.

It's a testament to the great marketing by the folks upstairs in the promotion department and a testament to the product the Pistons have produced on the floor. From the Bad Boys to the Going to Work gang, the Pistons have been must-see drama.

No more. The economy has gone sour and it's a bigger challenge for the lunch-bucket crowd to make it to games. It was noticeable on a Friday night during which the Pistons had the audacity to announce a sellout of 22,076.

If that was a sellout, then my name is Jessica Simpson and Janet Jackson has a mad crush on me. The Pistons didn't sell out because of marketing. They sold out the place because of fuzzy mathematics.

Losing 91-83 to the Oklahoma City Thunder doesn't help the future bottom line. When Kevin Durant hit a 3-point bucket to put the Thunder up 87-78 with 1:38 remaining, The Palace emptied out even more.

By the way, that bucket trumped the number of Pistons fourth-quarter assists by one. You simply can't win many games by going one-on-five like the Pistons tried. You wonder if those Piston fans who passed on the final couple minutes will give a team that does not pass the ball a second chance?

"We did not trust the offense tonight," coach John Kuester said. "Don't kid yourself."

What was left behind was a team that will lack consistency for much of the season.

The Pistons still are trying to figure one another out, and until they do that, there will be nights like this: They played before plenty of empty seats and quite a few dark suites.

A tough sell
This no longer is the hottest ticket in town. But to be fair to the Pistons, the same thing is happening to the Lions, Tigers and Red Wings.

You can't totally blame the economy for this woeful crowd. Many fans have been turned off by this franchise that was pockmarked by players like Rasheed Wallace, who no longer cared, and Allen Iverson, whose antics made it difficult for fans to care.

In time, fans will get to know the new Pistons. Ben Gordon endeared himself to fans by taking three stitches over his left eye, and Charlie Villanueva plays a wild and wacky offensive game that will leave you clapping and laughing at the same time.

All the suits that made this a model franchise are in meetings all day trying to lure fans. They've slashed prices, created low-price weekend plans and economy plans, and have made sure the Pistons game day experience is more than just basketball.

You can see live NBA for the price of a combo meal at a fast-food joint.

But the truth is: They can slash prices all they want, the key is the product on the floor.

Fans are skeptical
Right now, fans are in a getting-to-know-you stage. They hear the Pistons talk about working hard and caring, but they don't embrace it. They hear Richard Hamilton and Gordon talk about their love for one another, but they don't quite believe it.

Ben Wallace has found a fountain of youth, but how long will it last?

The "if it ain't rough, it ain't right" mantra by former Pistons guard Chauncey Billups didn't sit well with fans who didn't like that the team turned its game on and off whenever it felt like it.

The new-look Pistons aren't good enough to play like that. They lacked focus down the stretch Friday, and the younger Thunder were more poised. Meanwhile, the Pistons missed free throws and made defensive lapses.

Pistons fans better get used to it. This is a team in transition.

The question is, will it be entertaining enough for enough fans to show up to make it a real sellout?