I went to the first preseason game last night, and noticed that they have seemed to go to the "theater lighting" that you see at Laker and Nets games, where most of the crowd is in the dark, while the court is lit up.

I'll admit that it looks cool and makes the game feel kinda "special".

But, at the same time, I think it really takes the crowd out of the game. It feels like you're there to watch the show, not be a part of it. In the past, the crowd was undoubtedly part of the show, and this seems to discourage that somewhat, if only implicitly. It's just human nature to be quieter when the lights are dimmed.

I mean, I actually yawned a couple times during last night's game, which is definitely a first for me at any Blazer game, preseason or not.

The crowd also seemed generally more subdued for a first preseason game. In the past, the crowd would get into it to absurd levels, chanting "Defense!" in the opening quarter like it was a playoff game. Last night, it seemed like the crowd interaction was few and far between.

I hope this is only an experiment, but, I fear they may stick with this throughout the whole season at the very least.

Anybody else get that feeling? For those that went to the game last night, what are your thoughts on the new lighting?