As someone who played in front of patrons donning tuxedos and evening gowns, Dell Curry knows a thing or two about crowds.
And he’s convinced times are changing in Charlotte.
“The last game before the All-Star break, you could see the momentum building with the way the team was playing in the last month or so,” Curry said Thursday night prior to having his No. 30 jersey raised to the rafters. “It kind of resembles what the old Hive was like — people getting here early, wanting to see the jump ball and not leaving until the end.
“And it’s got to do with the players in the locker room.”
Something indeed is slowly happening in uptown.
Charlotte Hornets fans Light Up the Hive as the team prepares to open up the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at Spectrum Center on March 19. The Hornets defeated the Magic, 130-111. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com Charlotte Hornets’ attendance records
Multiple attendance records have been set by the Hornets (36-34) at Spectrum Center during the 2025–26 campaign, including a new franchise mark of 17 sellouts. The milestone was achieved during Thursday night’s win over the Orlando Magic, a huge victory given the Hornets are trying to chase down several teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Expectations are for that number to swell to 18 sellouts on Saturday night when the Hornets host the Memphis Grizzlies. Previously, the single-season record for sellouts at Spectrum Center was 16, established during 2022–23.
Charlotte also has a new record for consecutive sellouts, posting its seventh straight. That surpassed the previous streak of six set during the 2022–23 season, and Saturday night will mark eight straight sellouts.
“The fans have been with us through hell and back, so they deserve this,” Hornets forward Miles Bridges said. “I’ve been saying this whole year they’ve been our sixth man, and I’m just happy that they can get to experience this type of basketball.”
How many fans are going to games?
Through 32 home dates, the Hornets are averaging 18,400 fans per game. That represents an increase of nearly 2,000 spectators per outing, which equates to a 7% rise compared with the same point in 2024-25.
And the Hornets are very aware of the surge in support at their home digs.
“Oh, I definitely notice it,” coach Charles Lee said. “I love it. I know between our staff, our organization, our players, we appreciate it, and we hope that we can continue to give them something to be proud of.”
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Roderick Boone joined the Observer in September 2021 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and NBA. In his more than two decades of writing about the world of sports, he’s chronicled everything from high school rodeo to a major league baseball no-hitter to the Super Bowl to the Finals. The Long Island native has deep North Carolina roots and enjoys watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” endlessly.
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