“Win back that trust” – Mavericks CEO Rick Welts stays unfazed by steep plunge in season ticket holders

Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts and GM Nico Harrison had a roundtable discussion with select media members on Tuesday. Welts, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, dug into the status of ticket sales following the shocking Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade in early February. Despite a disillusioned fan base, Welts remained bullish about arena attendance.

MacMahon reported that Welts cited a “75% and 80%” renewal rate for ticket holders as a strong sign of fan support. The CEO added:

“That doesn’t mean that there’s a segment of our fan base that doesn’t feel alienated right now, and I think that we hear them. And it’s on us to win back that trust. I’m very confident that’s exactly what we’re going to do by the way we conduct ourselves on and off the court every day going forward.”

Keeping the fans’ interest in the team will be tough if the Mavericks don’t start winning soon. The Mavs made the play-in tournament, but they are unlikely to last long in the playoffs if they advance.

Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington and Dereck Lively II are healthy, but Kyrie Irving is out with a season-ending injury. Winning fans back could happen sooner than expected if the Mavericks manage to make some noise as the No. 8 seed.

Mavericks CEO Rick Welts reportedly compared the Luka Doncic trade to the Monta Ellis-Andrew Bogut swap in 2012

In early 2012, the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors were engaged in trade talks. Milwaukee initially targeted Steph Curry, whose long history of ankle injuries prompted Bucks doctors to advise a no-go. Instead, the Bucks acquired Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown in exchange for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.

Thirteen years later, Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts reportedly drew a comparison between that trade and the Luka Doncic-for-Anthony Davis deal.

Welts expressed confidence in regaining the trust of frustrated fans. However, offering an analogy like that — comparing a franchise-altering deal to one widely regarded as lopsided — might give fans more reason to reconsider renewing their tickets.