The Sacramento Kings campaign, Operation Sellout, sold out the first home game, Nov. 2 against the Memphis Grizzlies.

That means the Kings, last in NBA attendance, sold 17,317 tickets for a team that sold out only three games last season.

ESPN reported that the Kings averaged 12,571 fans per game, leaving 4,746 seats empty.

Mayor Kevin Johnson, an outspoken advocate for keeping the Kings in Sacramento, is involved with the campaign.  

“I went to Gavin and Joe Maloof and asked them how I can be helpful,” Johnson said.  “They said the best thing that would help them right now would be to help them sell out the first two home games, get the fans energized, and rekindle some of the energy and enthusiasm that they used to have.”

The campaign is meant to bring back the once raucous crowds to ARCO Arena despite a team that's coming off its worst season and the franchise record low: 17 wins, 65 losses.

Many players say that fan support is key to their success.  Kevin Martin is one of three holdovers from the sellout era that ended in 2007. He had fond memories of ARCO Arena then. 

“You know, it’s easy to play with 17,000 fans in ARCO,” Martin said.  “The fans around here are still great."

This season, there are six new Kings and a new coaching staff, led by head coach Paul Westphal.  Three of the new players, Tyreke Evans, Desmond Mason and Sean May, were in the starting lineup for the first two games of the season. 

Geoff Petrie, president of basketball operations, said this is a different team.

“We have a totally different group in a lot of respects,” Petrie said.  “We have some younger players from last year that’ll probably get a chance to play. (We have) a new coaching staff, guys like Paul Westphal.  So the whole dynamic is different.”

There's one game remaining for Operation Sellout.  The goal is no empty seats for the Nov. 4 game against the Atlanta Hawks, featuring former King Mike Bibby.

The Kings will deliver, promised rookie guard Evans. 

“They can expect a lot of hustle,” he said.  “A lot of heart, a lot of passion, (the will) to win.  When I go out there I’m going to leave it on the floor.”