Some fans keep coming for a dismal Timberwolves season
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It's a weekday night at the Target Center and nearly halfway through the Timberwolves first season after the big Kevin Garnett trade.
The trade sent one of the state's most beloved sports figures and one of the best players in the league to Boston.
In the wake of that trade, the Wolves are struggling to find the right mix of relatively inexperienced players to put on the court.
The trade has also presented a challenge for Ted Johnson, vice president of marketing for the Timberwolves.
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"They're all new faces, relatively new faces. (We need to) introduce fans to sort of who they are, what they can do on the court, who they are as people," Johnson says. "We think that is a very important piece, especially here in Minnesota. People not only want good basketball players, but they also respect good people. And we want players of good character, we think that's a cornerstone to building this team."
Last year at this point of the season, the Wolves were bringing in about 16,000 fans per game. This year, attendance is down to around 15,000.
Johnson says they lost 70 to 80 season ticket holders immediately following the news of the Garnett trade.
But some season ticket holders, like Joanne Barr, keep coming back to see the team.
"We're ever hopeful, because you never know," Barr says.
Barr and her husband Jim make a point to come to about 20 games a season. Jim Barr says the Wolves are having trouble winning because they don't have good team chemistry yet. But he points out that one of the players acquired in the Kevin Garnett trade, Al Jefferson, is so far, doing a good job filling Garnett's shoes.
"He's putting up better numbers than Kevin is this year. But again, it's as a team, as a team. And actually, when Kevin was here, there were, they had issues too," Barr says. "Maybe not as many. Again I think it's back to the raw talent and players who haven't played alot, let alone played together."
Jefferson is a large bright spot for the Timberwolves. At 6-foot-10, 230 pounds, Jefferson has averaged over 20 points and 11 rebounds per game.
But as the Wolves have found out in past seasons, it's hard to win games with just one star surrounded by an underperforming supporting cast.
The disappointing season has led some fans to conclude that the problem lies in the front office.
"Get rid of McHale," says Anthony Johnson with a laugh.
Johnson is talking about Timberwolves Vice President Kevin McHale. Johnson is at the game to cheer for his hometown team, the Golden State Warriors. He says McHale's personnel decisions are to blame for where the Wolves are now.
"You know what? You need to get rid of the office, the front desk, clean house. That's the move," he says.
A few rows down from Johnson in section 136, Adam Karjala ponders what the Timberwolves could look like with a few better players.
"If I could be watching Brandon Roy, Josh Howard and Kevin Garnett all on the floor at the same time, I think we'd have a playoff team. So think about that," he chuckles.
Somebody famous once said something like, 'In basketball as in war, you go to the court with the team you have, not the team you might want.' So the Timberwolves are working with what they have and Karjala says there's still a lot here to see.
"If you love basketball, you can still enjoy a game no matter who's out there, really," he adds.
But the marketing staff for the Wolves realize some fans need a little more incentive to come to the Target Center.
Marketing VP Ted Johnson says the team has increased the promotions, like discounts for families, college students and for fans who ride public transportation.
There's even a promotion aimed at the fans who really love the Target Center cuisine of hot dogs, mini donuts and nachos.
"One of the more interesting ones is our 'Hungry Like the Wolf' package," Johnson says, "which is an all you can eat section that we have set up. It's a great deal in that you get a ticket and all the food you can eat. That's one that's gotten a lot of attention. We've had a lot of fans come out and try it."
Try as they might, on this night, the Timberwolves cannot overcome a hungrier opponent. And nearly 11,000 fans leave the Target Center, perhaps a bit full, but unsatisfied.