Sports
Birmingham Squadron provide slam dunk experience for fans ahead of NBA preseason game – WVTM13 Birmingham
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The NBA is back in town, and the New Orleans Pelicans hit the hardwood on Thursday night to take flight against the Houston Rockets.
Alabama is widely known as football territory, so some might see the difficulty it takes to draw basketball fans for an NBA preseason game. The Birmingham Squadron staff, a Pelicans affiliate, said they’re making a nest and are here to stay, though.
Squadron general manager Leslie Claybrook said Thursday night’s game is going to be loud, inviting and definitely something basketball fans don’t want to miss. She believes the Magic City is a great market to attract basketball fans. Last year’s NBA preseason game brought out 16,000 people after Birmingham went seven years without hosting a preseason game.
The Squadron are switching things up this year and offering fans a different experience. They hope more fans will return to their nest by offering a variety of seating options like club level, courtside and even table-style seating. Each fan who entered the doors got a specially designed T-shirt, and the game even featured some local talent, like the Pleasant Grove High School band and the Magic City Disco.
“The city of Birmingham does rank in the top five of non-NBA cities as far as NBA ratings go,” Claybrook said, “and in the top 10 of the NBA for television ratings as well. There is a community here that is passionate about the sport. At the end of the day, I do think you’ll see more of a return rate on people who bought tickets this year than previous years.”
Attracting fans to the Uptown area is a team effort for businesses and the Squadron, though. Big events like the preseason game mean big crowds and some question if businesses in the area are prepared.
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Some businesses said they didn’t know there was a preseason game on Thursday. That means they’ll close just as fans are making their way to the area. Others said most of their traffic comes during regular business hours, meaning they’re usually closed by the time the nightlife kicks off, too.
Santos Coffee usually closes at 5 p.m., but on Fridays and Saturdays, they open back up from 6 to 10 p.m. to serve alcoholic beverages. Staffing plays a big role in staying open to serve customers before tip-offs for games and the curtain rising for concerts.
“Normally, like on a day like today, we’ve been slow,” Santos Coffee employee Rin Glover said. “But when there’s events, we’re really lucky to have a really great environment. We have multiple locations to say, ‘Hey, we’re pretty busy right now, so I’ll come help.’ We’re always able to get extra help here, so we’re able to handle the big crowds all day.”
Attendance numbers for Thursday’s game aren’t available yet, but Squadron staff hope to have them soon.
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