NBA All-Star Saturday Struggles to Draw Fans

Early afternoon start time and high ticket prices keep crowds away from marquee event

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The NBA's All-Star Saturday festivities, including the 3-point contest and slam dunk contest, struggled to draw a crowd this year with the events taking place in the early afternoon due to conflicts with primetime Winter Olympics coverage. Despite the events being sold out, the arena remained half empty as high ticket prices on the secondary market priced out many local fans who were hoping to attend.

Why it matters

The empty stands at All-Star Saturday highlight the growing accessibility issues for major sporting events, as high ticket prices and limited public availability make it increasingly difficult for average fans to attend. This raises concerns about the long-term viability and popularity of the NBA's marquee All-Star Weekend if the events continue to price out casual fans.

The details

The NBA's All-Star Saturday events, typically held in the evening, had to be moved to a 2pm local start time this year to avoid clashing with primetime Winter Olympics coverage. However, the early afternoon timing made it difficult to draw a crowd in the Los Angeles area. Traffic was still heavy, and the stands were largely empty for the initial 3-point contest. While the arena did gradually fill up by the time of the slam dunk contest, the barren stands underscored concerns about declining interest in All-Star Weekend. The league said the events were sold out, but ticket prices on the secondary market were prohibitively expensive, with even the worst seats costing $900 or more. Most team owners only receive a handful of official tickets, forcing them to also purchase from resellers to accommodate friends, family, and corporate partners, further driving up demand and prices.

  • The NBA's All-Star Saturday events took place on February 15, 2026.
  • The 3-point contest, the first event of the day, began in the early afternoon.

The players

NBA

The National Basketball Association, the professional basketball league that hosts the annual All-Star Weekend events.

LA Clippers

The NBA team that plays its home games at the Intuit Dome, the venue that hosted the 2026 All-Star Saturday events.

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What’s next

The NBA will need to address the accessibility and affordability issues for its marquee All-Star Weekend events in order to restore fan interest and engagement.

The takeaway

The empty stands at the 2026 NBA All-Star Saturday events highlight the growing challenge of making major sporting events accessible to the average fan, as high ticket prices and limited public availability price out casual fans and threaten the long-term popularity of these marquee events.