The NBA sets regular season attendance records in numerous categories

The 2023-24 NBA regular season concluded on Sunday, capping a record year for the league.

The NBA finished the season with a total viewership of 22,536,341, breaking last season's record of 22,234,502. The league also set records in average attendance (18,322, up from 18,077 in the 2022-23 season), games sold out (872, up from the previous record of 791 in the 2022-23 season) and percentage of games sold out (71% , compared to 63%). in 2022-23). Additionally, arenas were filled to a record 98% capacity this season.

Ten teams sold out all home games: the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings.

“The record-breaking attendance in 2023-24 is a testament to the excitement surrounding the league and the level of talent on the court,” said Jonathan Tillman, NBA executive vice president of team marketing and business operations.

“The live NBA experience has never been better and we look forward to building on this momentum in the upcoming Playoffs and Finals.”

Since the introduction of the play-in tournament, attendance has increased later in the season. Average attendance for March games was 18,477, an increase of 1.5% from last season, marking the highest average March attendance in NBA history.

This season was a big step in the right direction for international audiences, as games in Mexico City (Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic) and Paris (Brooklyn Nets vs. Cavaliers) were sold out. Fans from over 150 countries attended regular season games in the 2023-24 season.

The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder posted some of the biggest gains of the record year, with the largest year-over-year increase in average attendance and the third-largest increase in sellouts. Right behind them were the No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves with the largest increase in sellouts and the second-largest increase in average attendance.

With all the excitement around Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs were among the top teams in terms of average attendance and year-over-year sellout increases.