The first season of Thunder basketball is a wrap and it would be a mistake to label it as anything other than a success. Sure, the 23-59 record was tough to watch unfolding, but people did. In an economic situation that witnessed something like 75% of the league's franchise hemorrhage money and a half dozen teams require a bailout from the corporate office, the Thunder thrived.
Despite the atrocious record, the Thunder finished the season in the top-10 of attendance with 18,693 fans per game--including 18 (of 41) games sold out. That placed them ahead of nine playoff teams including the defending world champion Celtics. Most importantly, the team finished nine spots ahead of the former Ford Center tenant New Orleans Hornets--another playoff team. Not bad for a city that four years ago was scoffed at as even a temporary home for a major league sports franchise.