Ron Artest Defends Lakers Fans and Their Swag

GQ recently named Laker fans the worst in the Association, something Phil Jackson and Ron Artest do not agree with (shocking, I know.) From ESPN: “I think they’re accustomed to success,’ Jackson said. ‘I think that’s kind of a natural reaction when you have a lot of success, people enjoy the show rather than feel they have to encourage the team with an element of fanaticism.’ The article also focused on how expensive taking in a game at Staples Center can be, citing the $21 nachos on the menu at Hyde Lounge, a nightclub located inside the arena. ‘We have a lot of fans with swag,’ said Lakers forward Ron Artest. ‘But the fans with swag, they’re paying for the seats. The seats are overpriced and they’re paying for them.’ The Lakers have the most expensive ticket in the league for the 2010-11 season with an average price of $99.25, according to Team Marketing Report. ‘We have swag,’ Artest continued. ‘There’s not a lot of fans that have swag. There’s a lot of fans that have a lot of energy, but in L.A., our season-ticket holders, they come to the game with Grey Poupon, a slice of bread and some silverware. It’s good. It’s a different type of thing. They’re eating caviar. They can get manicures, pedicures on the floor. How many arenas can you get a pedicure and watch the game?'”