Archie’s Wry Hook: Economy doesn’t deter Blazers fans

For many Rip City believers, like John Mentrob, a Portland State undergraduate student, the doom and gloom of the economic recession are only surpassed by one thing: the magic that has been going down at the Rose Garden this season.

For years, Mentrob and thousands of others have poured their hearts and souls into the team that they love: the Portland Trail Blazers.

During every game this season, more than 20,000 strong, including a fair number of Portland State students, have swarmed the Rose Garden on game nights producing an electric atmosphere and a dominant home court advantage.

The loyal dedication of Rip City believers has certainly been made easier by the team’s success this season, but during this economic recession the significance of this symbol of loyalty and fanhood should not go unrecognized.

Mentrob doesn’t know any better.

For years he attended as many Blazers games as he could, spurred on during his childhood by competitive teams and do-right stars. For a few years he and three friends shared a pair of season tickets.

Now, with the recession continuing to gray the skies over Portland and across the country, sports, in this case the hometown Blazers, have ironically provided a beacon of financial prosperity.

This season the Blazers rank third in attendance despite having just the seventh largest arena in the NBA. They have sold out every game, a feat that isn’t too impressive in this one-trick sports town.

But when you consider the other factors that Portland is overcoming, financially speaking, the season that the Blazers fans have had in monetarily supporting the team is just as remarkable as the one that the actual squad put together as they claimed their first playoff berth since 2003.

With the state’s unemployment rate rising above 12 percent and nearly every industry facing substantial budget cuts, Blazers fans—remarkably—have continued to fork out an average of $47.34 to cheer on Brandon Roy and the rest of the squad.

With the very real possibility of looming job cuts and tighter income restrictions, fans like Mentrob and the three friends that he attends nearly every Blazers game with, will drop an average of $225 for tickets, food and drink for four.

That sacrifice and loyalty is more invaluable than the impressive 54-28 record that the Blazers have accumulated this season and secures the teams long-term feasibility in a climate and state that does not show a lot of promise right now.

“We feel lucky to be here. I look forward to going to the games,” Mentrob said as he recalled some of the experiences that he has had at the Rose Garden this season. “I am not sure if I could do it again, but right now it’s more than worth the price of admission.”