The Los Angeles Kings still need a point to make the playoffs and at least a few rounds’ worth of wins to live up to many expectations, yet if nothing else, they’re bringing in fans this season. A Kings press release reveals that the team set some all-time attendance records for the franchise.
(Now, it stands to mention that the silver-and-black Wayne Gretzky days were shortchanged quite a bit by playing at the Great Western Forum rather than the Staples Center, but still.)
This year’s team broke records set last season, including average attendance (18,113 to 18,083). Factoring back into the “Gretzky would have done it” argument, this year’s sellout improvement (36 to 35) is the best since the Kings sold out 40 games in 1991-92.
The Kings also put together a nice 25-game sellout streak from Dec. 3 to April 2, the best mark since they filled up the seats 27 straight times in 1992-93. (Dec. 22, 92 to Oct. 9, 93 to be exact).
In other words, Los Angeles is very-much interested in the best Kings bunch since those Gretzky days. Sure, it’s unlikely that they’ll overshadow their fellow tenants from the NBA - especially now that Chris Paul makes the Clippers less laughable - but all the business around the Staples Center must be delighted by huge crowds seemingly every night.
Now the Kings just need to make sure that happens for at least two more weeks - the typical length of a playoff series.
