Despite its current and long-term popularity, the NBA was not always such a big draw for sports fans. Many of the league’s early games were played in high school gyms in front of audiences of hundreds or even dozens of people. If they were lucky, they stayed in shabby motels or buses. The NBA was starting to rise in popularity to the level that NFL, NHL, and MLB were at the time. Still, the audiences weren’t quite as large as those who attended the other main sporting events.

The NBA really took off in the 1980s owing to two players: Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Los Angeles Lakers headed by Magic and the blue-collar Boston Celtics led by Bird were well-known rivalries in the NBA, and the league had a knack for promoting them. Since Michael Jordan‘s arrival in 1984, attendance at games has skyrocketed, and the league’s popularity has grown tremendously as a result. There have only been a few decreases in attendance since then, but overall, the number of people attending NBA games is steadily on the upward.

The loudness and shouts of the audience make every sporting event more thrilling, and they also encourage the teams to perform at their best. The NBA has a long and illustrious history, ranking among the most illustrious in professional sports, but they didn’t get to where they are now without putting in a lot of effort. In over 80 years of existence, the league has experienced numerous astounding milestones that indicate both how large and how little the league has grown to become. The amount of spectators during games is something that is more prevalent in other sports, such as football or soccer.

The largest attendance game in NBA history

Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls on March 27, 1998, at Atlanta Motor Speedway was the NBA’s most-watched regular-season game ever. Prior to constructing a new arena, the Hawks played their home games in the Omni Coliseum. There were a record-breaking 62,046 spectators in attendance to watch His Airness Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls faced a battle against the Atlanta Hawks in that contest.

Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson had not resigned, therefore Michael Jordan was hesitant to return for another season. As a result, everyone in the United States wanted to see the greatest player of all time before he retired. On that occasion, Jordan made his last trip to the Georgia Dome that season.

However, official records from the Guinness Book of World Records state that the NBA All-Star Game, held at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas, USA, on February 14, 2010, had a record-breaking audience of 108,713 fans. Even though the All-Star game is neither a regular-season nor a playoff game, some believe that it should be included here since it is organized by the NBA. The East triumphed, 141–139, and Dwyane Wade was voted MVP.