Phoenix Suns Offer Fans Money-Back Guarantee if They Don’t Have Fun

Faced with dwindling attendance — the Phoenix Suns are on pace to have the lowest per-game fan turnout since 1992 — the team’s crack marketing staff has come up with a gimmick that is, well … it’s interesting. They’re offering Suns fans a money-back guarantee if they don’t have fun at an upcoming game. ESPN explains: “Next Thursday, the Phoenix Suns will be the first team in NBA history to guarantee its fans that they will have fun at the game against the Mavericks, or they can get their money back. ‘After that game, I think we were all struck by the fact that so many people were leaving our building with a smile on their face,’ said Suns president Jason Rowley, who took over as team president this summer. ‘Normally, when a team loses fans are down. But not with us. And that was an eye-opening moment.’ […] The economic downturn greatly affected the city’s real estate market, which is just now starting to turn around. Then there’s the fact that the Suns haven’t made the playoffs in the last two seasons. That’s after making the postseason 18 times in the previous 22 seasons. Perhaps even more challenging is the fact that, with Steve Nash off to Los Angeles, there’s not any particular star on this team that brings out the masses. Draping Goran Dragic on billboards throughout Phoenix wouldn’t exactly work. At least not yet. ‘That’s a big part of why we’re doing this,” Rowley said. “Just because our players don’t have huge name recognition doesn’t mean we’re not fun to watch and can’t compete. Sure, people relate to star power, but we believe in the team aspect and we’re marketing this team as a team instead of a group of individuals.’ The Suns aren’t doing anything special next Thursday. They’re not offering concessions as special prices or featuring a famous artist at halftime. They’re not connecting any sort of rebate with winning, as teams have done with season ticket holders when they have missed the playoffs. Doing what the team does every home game is enough, they believe, to get someone to sample what they have to offer. And if they don’t like it, they can get their money back in its entirety. Simply fill out an online form and send it in with your ticket.”