What NBA team has the smallest fan base?

Answer 1

While there is no way to know for sure which NBA team has the smallest fan base, one good measure to judge that is to take in account how full the team's arena is when playing at home. Using that method, here are some possible options:

• Charlotte Bobcats. They are the newest team added to the NBA (back in the 2004-2005 season) and have struggled mightily since their formation. They have often been the laughingstock of the league and have only made the playoffs once in their 9 year history. The team has always been in the bottom of the league in attendance (in regards to how full the arena is).
• Atlanta Hawks. Despite having a legitimate playoff team for multiple years (starting in the mid-2000s), the Hawks have failed to draw many large crowds or sellouts. Even in the playoffs, where tickets go quickly, the attendance was noticeably sparse. If an exciting playoff team cannot even draw sellouts, that speaks volumes for their fans.
• Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, despite having one of the league's elite teams over the past few seasons, have struggled to sell out games. As with the Hawks, the crowds were even short in some playoff games. While they are picking up steam this season (ranked around 10th in the league in percent full), this is still shocking for arguably the best team in the NBA. It really tells just how poor a fan base they have.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder would be a logical choice considering their recent move from Seattle, their fans in Oklahoma City have been very abundant and supportive, selling out nearly every home game thus far. They have also been a big draw on the road, with fans from all over the country now sprouting up.