This was not unexpected, but the figures no doubt are stunning. While the 76ers' youth and inconsistency have been exposed during a slow start, the bigger struggle has been to get people into the building.
For the first time since the 1995-96 season - the year before Allen Iverson came to town - the Sixers do not have star power to sell tickets.
And without a superstar on a team predicted to finish at or near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Sixers entered the season with little buzz.
They drew an opening-night crowd of 19,706 against New Jersey, near capacity at the 20,318-seat Wachovia Center.
After that, the attendance slide has been precipitous.
A Wednesday evening game on Nov. 7 against the Charlotte Bobcats drew 9,317 fans, the lowest attendance since the Wachovia Center opened in 1996.
That was followed by a Friday (Nov. 9) crowd of 10,886 against Toronto and last Sunday's 10,014 against New Orleans. On Friday, the team drew 11,483 for a 92-88 win over Portland.
Last season, the Sixers were 29th in the 30-team NBA in attendance, averaging 14,844 per game. It was their lowest figure since 1995-96, when they averaged 11,935.
Low attendance, if it lingers, could have an effect in the bigger picture of the Sixers, such as the team's value. Forbes Magazine, in its January report, estimated the Sixers' worth at $375 million, three times the price that Comcast paid for the team in 1996.
The team was for sale last year but was taken off the market.
"A one- or two-year lag in attendance won't dramatically impact the value of the franchise," said Kurt Badenhausen, associate editor of Forbes Magazine. "If the 76ers will average 14,000 people a game going forward, that will dramatically affect anybody."
The Sixers can only hope to get close to 14,000, a goal that seems as difficult as reaching the postseason.
Despite the disappointing beginning at the box office, coach Maurice Cheeks, the point guard on the team's 1983 championship team, remains upbeat.
"Philadelphia is the kind of town that likes to see its teams go out and work hard," Cheeks said. "Word will get out, and people will come see us play."
Though Philadelphia fans appreciate effort, it takes more for them to part with their sports dollar. They want wins.
As for marketing efforts, the Sixers aren't inclined to begin giveaways, such as two tickets for the price of one.
"We're in the business to sell tickets, not to give them away," said Lara Price, the Sixers' senior vice president of business operations.
