CHICAGO _ On Nov. 17, the Bulls' sixth home game into a full rebuild, the franchise's 610-game sellout streak ended when 20,493 came to a United Center whose capacity is 20,917.
Nevertheless, the Bulls are on track to lead the NBA in attendance for a ninth straight season, currently averaging 20,679 to the second-place Cavaliers' 20,562.
The United Center's large size plays a part in this because the Bulls are at 98.9 percent capacity and still leading the Cavaliers, who are at 100 percent capacity. But the fact the Bulls continue to draw so well despite an abysmal won-lost record speaks to myriad factors _ intrigue for the young core, seeing other teams' stars, the entertaining game experience.
The Bulls rank 11th in road attendance and second to the Cavaliers in overall attendance.
The Bulls have had three extended sellout streaks, the longest of which was 610 games during the dynasty. That streak lasted from Nov. 21, 1987, at the old Chicago Stadium to Nov. 7, 2000, at the United Center. It trails only the Trail Blazers' streak of 814 games and the Celtics' run of 662 sellouts in league history.
