NBA playoff culture is dying and fans blame billionaires sitting courtside

Fans rush to be a part of their team's efforts in the NBA Playoffs, hoping they can watch the team reach the NBA Finals and win a title.

NBA playoff culture is dying and fans blame billionaires sitting courtside

Some courtside fans are ignoring NBA playoffs traditions

The 2025 NBA Playoffs have started and sixteen teams are vying to become the next NBA champion. It is a tall task considering a team has to go through at least sixteen games before they can lift the Larry O’Brien trophy. Therefore, to get there, teams need their fans to support them all the way.

In the regular season, there might be several instances where arenas might not be full. But when the NBA playoffs arrive, that is usually never the case, as fans pay over the odds to buy tickets. That full house is motivation for teams who jostle to win home-court advantage.

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Sixteen to twenty thousand people chanting in unison drives athletes. Franchises know that and do some things to improve the atmosphere. For instance, stadium announcers schedule different chants or cheers to use in specific situations during the game.

Arena producers use the Jumbotron to hype fans up. They try to rile fans up at crucial moments so that their players get the motivation they need to deliver their best. Teams also use t-shirts to show that home fans are united with one message.

Team staff lay out those t-shirts over the seats ahead of the games. Then the announcer reminds fans to wear the t-shirts in case they forget. Wearing NBA playoff t-shirts is a tradition that basketball fans have been adhering to. Except, certain fans do not comply with those traditions.

Entitled fans sitting courtside

During the Golden State Warriors’ play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Stephen Curry hit a big shot to help extend their lead. Since he was near the fans, he turned towards them, roared and flexed his arms after his big shot.

On-court photographers captured him beside those fans. In that photo, it is evident that courtside fans were not wearing the NBA playoff hype t-shirts. Those are millionaires and billionaires who spend thousands on those seats.

They have time and again shunned those t-shirts as they prefer to show off their attire and look. After all, they probably spent a lot of time and money to look good. But it is also not a good look since the rest of the fans inside Chase Center are all kitted out in the yellow t-shirts.

Basketball fans wonder why they are shunning a chance to show their unity in strength. They feel those fans are showing off their entitled side, preferring to show off their own achievements rather than come together to help their team win.

If Caitlin Clark can, so can Warriors millionaire fans

After the 2025 NBA Playoffs opened, one of the first games featured the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Since the former holds home-court advantage, the first two games will be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

During the first game, cameras picked up Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark sitting in the VIP suites. However, she and her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, were wearing the yellow Pacers playoff hype t-shirts.

Fans watching this thought that if the most popular women’s athlete in the world can wear those t-shirts, why can’t the Silicon Valley millionaires? They believe she is doing her part to support the Pacers organization just as all the fans inside the arena were.

This again reinforced the logic that one has to be a true fan to wear those t-shirts. Which means, those entitled Warriors courtside ticket holders might not be true fans of the franchise. They are just there to have a good time and not support the team.

The NBA and franchises need to step in to ensure the tradition continues

Every team has a list of VIP guests for whom they allow some leeway. But there are enough examples of VIP guests who wear the team on their sleeves. One look at Spike Lee or Tracy Morgan, and one would know how to look and behave like a true fan.

Even Los Angeles Lakers superfan Jack Nicholson used to appear with some sort of purple and gold merchandise on him. The Golden State Warriors and other franchises that face such a problem might have to speak to those VIP guests.

They have to ensure that the ticket holders understand the importance of supporting the team the right way. Those sitting courtside are the first line of supporters. Therefore, if they are not donning the team’s playoff colors, then the tradition is not being followed. Players need their fans to be united in spirit.