“Sold It for $468,000”: Michael Jordan’s Debut Game Saw 4763 Empty Seats, Ticket Was Later Auctioned at Extravagant Price

Seeing Michael Jordan may very well be on the top of every NBA fan’s list. After all, he is akin to a living god. The god of basketball. But contrary to his current fame, Jordan’s rookie game saw almost 5000 seats go empty. It’s tough to believe that the greatest name in NBA history couldn’t even fill the stadium.

However, this is the truth. That was more than 25% of the seating capacity. Yet, the ticket from that same game sold for a whopping $468,000.

When Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls, the team was at its lowest. Its fan base had dwindled. In fact, they were not even at the same level as the city’s Ice Hockey team Blackhawks.

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Why did so many people miss MJ’s debut?

In 1984, Chicago drafted Michael Jordan as the third overall pick. Before his debut, the team had never reached a Finals series. The team struggled not just on the competitive level but also lacked a decent fan base.

The reason for this is simple. Bulls are a recent franchise compared to Chicago White Sox, Cubs, and Blackhawks. The Cubs were established 90 years before the Bulls. That’s almost a hundred-year gap between the two franchises. White Sox were founded in 1900 and the Blackhawks in 1926. In comparison, the Bulls franchise started in 1966.

Being such a new team in the city made the franchise not only compete for viewership but their poor record made things worse. But everything was about to change because of a wonderkid.

Michael Jordan changed the Bulls’ franchise

With the dawn of Jordan, Bulls gained more and more fans after every game. MJ was an immediate sensation. And though his debut saw 4763 empty seats, people were soon vying for a ticket to his game. Fans were pouring in from all over the world just to catch a glimpse of Michael Jordan.

And as history is witness, to this date, there is a no bigger name than His Airness’ when it comes to basketball. He is at the top of a mountain that is immeasurably difficult to climb.

So, even after almost 4 decades since his debut, fans just want a piece of history. That is why even a debut ticket that many refused to attend can now sell for almost half a million.

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