NBA All-Star Saturday: Attendance and Ticketing Issues

Early Start and Low Attendance

NBA All-Star Saturday events in Inglewood, California, began at 2 p.m. local time. This early afternoon schedule was implemented to prevent conflicts with primetime coverage of the Winter Olympics, as part of NBC's new television deal.

Initial attendance for the 3-point contest, the day's first event, was low. While the stands gradually filled for the slam dunk contest, the observed emptiness raised questions about public interest in All-Star Weekend.

The observed emptiness raised questions about public interest in All-Star Weekend.

Capacity, Sellouts, and Empty Seats

For Saturday's events, the Intuit Dome's capacity was reduced to 15,067, down from its typical 18,300.

The NBA reported a sellout, and tickets were unavailable on Ticketmaster, yet the arena appeared half empty.

There were also reports of requests for "seat fillers" prior to the festivities.

The Resale Market and Limited Public Access

On Sunday, fans outside the arena sought tickets, but encountered high resale prices, frequently exceeding $900.

Team owners reportedly utilize secondary markets like Ticketmaster resale and StubHub to secure additional tickets beyond their typical allocation of approximately four per owner. This practice contributes to high demand for resale tickets.

Approximately half of the event seats are reserved for various NBA and team-affiliated entities. This significantly limits the number of tickets available for public purchase. Official face-value tickets were primarily accessible through the NBA Experiences portal, which offers premium packages. Currently, a $500 deposit is required to access purchase options for an NBA Experiences package for the 2027 All-Star Game.