The Memphis Grizzlies finished the 2021-22 regular season with the fourth-best road attendance in the entire NBA, according to the NBA Attendance Report.
The Grizzlies finished with an average road attendance of 17,740, which is quite a bit more than their home attendance average of 15,775.
Only the Chicago Bulls (18,198), Los Angeles Lakers (18,179) and Golden State Warriors (18,111) finished with a better road attendance average.
This number helps us see how popular the Memphis Grizzlies were during the regular season. Fans can see any NBA team at least once in their home arenas. This attendance data shows fans in other NBA cities were clamoring to see Ja Morant and the Grizzlies.
Memphis Grizzlies were one of the most exciting teams to watch in 2021-22
The Grizzlies, thanks largely in part to Ja Morant, achieved countless highlight plays throughout the season, always finding their way to the trending topics section on Twitter or on Sportscenter’s nightly Top-10 best plays in sports.
Despite the fantastic season, fan attendance at FedEx Forum, Memphis’ home base, ranked No. 22 overall in the league (out of 30) for average home attendance.
It’s actually not too bad when you think about it since the Grizzlies play in the smallest television market of any NBA team.
It’s hard to compare apples-to-apples with attendance numbers, but in the 2019-20 season— Ja Morant’s rookie season— the Grizzlies averaged 15,857 fans at home. You may remember that the NBA season was cut short that year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Grizzlies played 37 home games that season and finished No. 26 in home attendance.
While the Grizzlies experienced a decrease in their home attendance average from 15,857 in 2019-20 to 15,775 in the 2021-22 regular season, there are a number of factors for that, which aren’t immediately clear.
Memphis is a small market with one of the highest poverty rates in the country (24.6%), according to a 2021 report from the University of Memphis.
Going to games is mainly only available to fans with disposable income that can afford to come. The coronavirus pandemic, as we all know, hit the country from a variety of pain points: physical health, mental healthy, economically, and more.
Fans shouldn’t worry that a lower attendance is evidence that owner Robert Pera will move the team to another city. The Grizzlies, along with the City of Memphis and Shelby County, have recently agreed to an amended lease at the FedEx Forum that will keep the team in town through 2029.