By Barry Janoff

October 10, 2024: With the 2024-25 NBA season just around the corner, key storylines include the defending champion Boston Celtics, LeBron James playing alongside his son Bronny on the Los Angeles Lakers, the second Emirates NBA Cup tournament this season and the rise of teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves.

But among the most in-demand teams, the New York Knicks are the star performer.

The Knicks are No. 1 in ticket sales – with a 48% increase in season ticket sales compared to last season – and are participating in six of the 10 best-selling games of the season so far, with Madison Square Garden hosting five of those games.

Overall, the Knicks are outperforming the No. 2 Celtics by 36% and the No. 3 Lakers by 81%, according to the just-released report NBA season preview from the online ticket platform StubHub.

The Knicks at Celtics (Oct. 22) is the best-selling game on StubHub (as of Oct. 7), followed by the Indiana Pacers at Knicks (Oct. 25), the Lakers at Knicks (Feb. 1), and the San Antonio Spurs at Knicks (December 25).

When it comes to ticket sales, however, the Celtics are no idiots.

The Celtics’ season sales at TD Garden have nearly doubled (91%) compared to last season’s opener, and they are outpacing the Lakers’ sales by 29%.

The 79th NBA regular season is scheduled to begin on October 22nd and end on April 13th, 2025.

The first five days of the 2024-25 NBA regular season – October 22-26 – will feature 11 nationally televised games as part of the 2024 Kia ​​NBA Tip-Off, including two doubleheaders each on TNT (Oct. 22 ) and ESPN (October 22). . 23) and a triple header on NBA TV (October 26).

StubHub said it had seen a 32% increase in revenue across the league compared to the start of last season, with ticket buyers on StubHub and its international marketplace viagogo coming from 127 countries – 40% more countries than last year.

“The focus on basketball this summer at the Olympics, particularly on Team USA, will undoubtedly impact sales this season,” StubHub spokesman Adam Budelli said of the company.

“International demand for the NBA on StubHub is growing rapidly. This is a trend we are seeing across all sports leagues, as many international travelers purchase tickets to a sporting event while in the United States.”

The Lakers will take part in four of the ten highest-grossing games of the season, hosting two of them at Crypto.com Arena.

According to StubHub, Lakers ticket buyers come from 53 countries – the second most in the league – with 32% of all tickets sold for Lakers games coming from buyers outside the U.S. and Canada.

That trails only the Brooklyn Nets (44%).

The Timberwolves, The Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia Sixers posted the largest revenue growth last season.

Ticket sales for the Timberwolves increased nearly fourfold (275%) compared to last season, more than any other team on StubHub.

Ticket sales for the Hawks increased nearly threefold compared to last season; The 76ers’ ticket sales increased almost two and a half times.

Demand for the NBA’s second annual competition this season is also increasing.

This year’s in-season tournament, the Emirates NBA Cup, sold 17% more tickets over the same period than last year’s in-season tournament.

Emirates NBA Cup 2024 matches will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays from November 12th to December 12th. 3. TNT and ESPN will jointly broadcast 14 games, NBA TV will televise three games in the first phase.

The semifinals and championship will take place in Las Vegas on December 14th and 17th, respectively.

The Knicks host the best-selling NBA Cup game – against the Nets (November 15) – and have sold 65% more tickets than the second best-selling NBA Cup game, Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors (November 15). 12) at Chase Center.

Ticket buyers for this season’s Emirates NBA Cup games come from all 50 US states.

The semifinals and championship games in Las Vegas have early ticket sales from nine countries and 19 U.S. states.

According to StubHub, sales for the NBA Global Game in Mexico City – Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards on November 2, 2024 at Arena CDMX – are more than double than last season’s game NBA season preview.

Of these, 31% of buyers travel from the USA to the game

People from Florida, Texas and Washington DC bought the most tickets for the Mexico City game on StubHub.

Canada, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Russia are also among the countries with the most buyers of the game, along with Mexico and the USA

“Mexico City has a long tradition of hosting the NBA’s international games,” said Budelli. “And this year’s game between the Miami Heat and the Washington Wizards is drawing large crowds from the host country as well as large numbers of fans from other countries, the United States.”

At the international level, the NBA Paris Games 2025 presented by Tissot is also riding the wave after the Olympic Games in Paris.

In two games – January 23-25, 2025 – the Spurs and French-born 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama will play the Pacers at Accor Arena (where the 2024 Olympics were held). This is the first time that the NBA will play two regular season games in the French capital in the same season.

“Looking ahead to the games in Paris, we expect a large turnout from French fans to see star player Victor Wembanyama play in his home country,” said Budelli.

• Most in-demand NBA teams in 2024-25

1.New York Knicks

2. Boston Celtics

3. Los Angeles Lakers

4. Toronto Raptors

5. Miami Heat

6. Philadelphia 76ers

7. Phoenix Suns

8. Golden State Warriors

9. LA Clippers

10.Washington Wizards

Based on cumulative ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international for the 2024-25 season as of October 7, 2024.

• The most in-demand NBA games of the 2024-25 season

1. New York Knicks at Boston Celtics on October 22nd

2. Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks on October 25th

3. Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks on February 1st

4. San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks on December 25th

5. Los Angeles Lakers vs Toronto Raptors on November 1st

6. Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks on October 28th

7. Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers on October 22nd

8. Milwaukee Bucks at New York Knicks on November 8th

9. Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics on November 6th

10. Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers on October 25th

Based on cumulative ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international for the 2024-25 season as of October 7, 2024.

• The most sought-after games of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024

1. Brooklyn Nets at New York Knicks on November 15th

2. Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors on November 12th

3. New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers on November 12th

4. Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs November 15

5. Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers on November 29th

Based on cumulative ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international for the 2024-25 season as of October 7, 2024.

• The hottest NBA teams of the 2024-25 season

1. Minnesota Timberwolves

2. Atlanta Hawks

3. Philadelphia 76ers

4. San Antonio Spurs

5. Indiana Pacers

6.Washington Wizards

7. New Orleans Pelicans

8. Boston Celtics

9. Cleveland Cavaliers

10. Charlotte Hornets

Based on international ticket sales for the 2024-25 season as of October 7, 2024, compared to sales prior to the 2023-24 season.

• NBA teams with the most international buyers

1. Brooklyn Nets: 44%

2. Los Angeles Lakers: 32%

3. New York Knicks: 32%

4. Orlando Magic: 29%

5. Golden State Warriors: 29%

Based on the percentage of tickets sold to buyers outside the U.S. and Canada on StubHub North America and viagogo international for the 2024-25 season as of October 7, 2024.

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