What's going on in San Antonio?

KembaWalker · Post #1 » by **KembaWalker** » Tue May 10, 2022 4:59 pm

The team is requesting to play more games in Austin and Mexico and it seems to be creating some weird vibes in SA? Usually letters like this are signs that a move is coming in the next couple years. Austin is a big time up and coming city and I could it see it being a much more appealing market than SA

cornchip · Post #2 » by **cornchip** » Tue May 10, 2022 8:46 pm

Seems like the owner may be trying to see how much he can fetch. He pretty much specifically states that he would never mover the team.

A pro basketball team in Austin may be too much money to pass up.

Blame Rasho · Post #3 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue May 10, 2022 8:55 pm

No city wants to lose 4 revenue generating games. It is the same for football. No one wants their team to play in Europe. San Antonio while population wise is considered a large city as per city proper, it’s overall population in metro area is small. It is sorta like Jacksonville Florida, bigger population as per some metrics than Miami but way smaller metro area.

KembaWalker · Post #4 » by **KembaWalker** » Tue May 10, 2022 8:57 pm

cornchip wrote:Seems like the owner may be trying to see how much he can fetch. He pretty much specifically states that he would never mover the team.

A pro basketball team in Austin may be too much money to pass up.

As someone who lived through George Shinn and anyone else that has had their team move this is basically a huge red flag and pretty much always the first step toward a move.

Pop is about to be done soon and probably no better time to get out or do something to reignite the franchise. They're in a weird place. Not to mention the attendance numbers were really, really bad this year

Post #5 » by **floppymoose** » Tue May 10, 2022 8:57 pm

Blame Rasho wrote:San Antonio white population wise

I kid, i know it's a typo for "while".

Blame Rasho · Post #6 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue May 10, 2022 8:59 pm

floppymoose wrote:
Blame Rasho wrote:San Antonio white population wise

I kid, i know it's a typo for "while".

Yeah I fixed it. San Antonio is a minority majority city by the way.

Saint_Killa · Post #7 » by **Saint_Killa** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:04 pm

Weird timing, was there any significant rumors/news about relocation in the past? Is there any SAS fans, that could elaborate on this?

Fencer reregistered · Post #8 » by **Fencer reregistered** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:04 pm

A couple of thoughts:

1. Austin and San Antonio are so close that it's a reasonable goal to make them into one market.

2. The Spurs make some competitive compromises because they're in a small market. Playing a couple of "home" games in other cities might be less significant in that respect than the controls they keep on spending.

3. The 1980s Celtics, one year, were 41-1 at home. Also, although I forget whether that year was included, they had some seasons where they'd play a home game in Hartford, CT. I.e., this kind of thing is nothing new.

Post #9 » by **Mavrelous** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:05 pm

Austin is becoming a tech hub, owners are watching the bay spoiling the Dubs rotten and want some.

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Chinook · Post #10 » by **Chinook** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:10 pm

The Spurs are trying to expand their popularity in Austin, south Texas and Mexico. Back when they were an elite team with a prominent Spanish-speaking player, they probably got a bunch of fandom there through osmosis. But now they have to compete with the Suns and Mavs for Mexico and Austin. Their ability to appeal to multiple large population centers is critical to them surviving in a relatively small football-dominated market.

Also, the Spurs got some investment by some VC firm. I imagine they're trying to follow that kind of marketing advice. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see them making moves that will upset fans trying to maximize profit. They aren't your daddy's Spurs anymore, and that will become more apparent relatively soon. But I also don't see them leaving central Texas for other markets. Even if places like Seattle and Vegas are still more attractive, it's only a matter of time before Austin catches them.

AbeVigodaLive · Post #11 » by **AbeVigodaLive** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:11 pm

KembaWalker wrote:
cornchip wrote:Seems like the owner may be trying to see how much he can fetch. He pretty much specifically states that he would never mover the team.

A pro basketball team in Austin may be too much money to pass up.

As someone who lived through George Shinn and anyone else that has had their team move this is basically a huge red flag and pretty much always the first step toward a move.

Pop is about to be done soon and probably no better time to get out or do something to reignite the franchise. They're in a weird place. Not to mention the attendance numbers were really, really bad this year

Yikes.

George Shinn's antics make even Norm Greene blush. As a guy in Minnesota... we've seen it, too.

- North Stars left (and after they left, the aforementioned Norm Greene was sued for sexual harassment by multiple women... shedding light on why they left.)

- Timberwolves were moved. Sorta. They were supposed to move to New Orleans only 5 years after inception... and like Charlotte, breaking attendance records. David Stern stepped in and saved the franchise in Minnesota.

- The Twins owner tried to sell the franchise to a businessman in North Carolina. That fell apart at the last minute... so 5 years later... the owner tried to contract the team along with the Montreal Expos.

So... yeah... I've seen similar antics, too.

Bornstellar · Post #12 » by **Bornstellar** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:18 pm

This is a non issue. People were in a tizzy because of them playing a couple games away from home (which we've already done in seasons passed) so the owner released a statement to tell people to chill out. Spurs are here til at least 2032

Castle Black · Post #13 » by **Castle Black** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:21 pm

Just our team owner calming down our rabid fan base after they freaked out last week when it was announced that the Spurs were going to play 2 games in Austin next year and 1 in Mexico City. Spurs are doing so in an attempt to increase revenue and expand their footprint in Central/South Texas & Mexico (a considerable portion of our fan base is in Mexico). Just small market things. That’s all. Spurs are under contract with the (soon to be renamed) AT&T Center until at least 2032.

However, I will say that Austin is growing like a wildfire right now with a sh**-ton of Californians and tech-companies moving here what seems like every day. There’s definitely a lot of money and opportunity there right now and it’s only expected to grow even more over the next decade so I can see why some fans would be worried. We’re safe at the moment but if we still suck in 10 years, then I’d be worried tbh. By that time, a potential move up the road to Austin might just be too much money for ownership to pass up. Hope I’m wrong.

Clemenza · Post #14 » by **Clemenza** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:22 pm

That letter would have me worried if I'm a Spurs fan. I on Sirius XM's NBA Channel many months ago former Spur Antonio Daniels was on there saying how they could've easily had Lauri Marrkanen in the Bulls/DeRozen deal but didn't want to pay him as he was due for an extension. And also how they really haven't really paid anyone since Duncan, Parker, Ginobli left and those guys always took team friendly discounts. Antonio said they need to change up and get with the times soon or could slip away

Michael Jordan · Post #15 » by **Michael Jordan** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:24 pm

San Antonio is the closest NBA team for the 1 million people living in Austin, TX. It makes a lot of sense to play a few games there during the season from a business perspective.

Post #16 » by **Capn'O** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:26 pm

Bornstellar wrote:This is a non issue. People were in a tizzy because of them playing a couple games away from home (which we've already done in seasons passed) so the owner released a statement to tell people to chill out. Spurs are here til at least 2032

Is this true? From the outside it looks like a case of...

Nobody:

Peter Holt: WE'RE NOT MOVING THE TEAM!!!!!

Blame Rasho · Post #17 » by **Blame Rasho** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:28 pm

You don’t break the bank for Lauri Marrkanen and he was a free agent as well. You can’t do sign and trades with two free agents if I am not mistaken.

Castle Black · Post #18 » by **Castle Black** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:28 pm

Capn'O wrote:
Bornstellar wrote:This is a non issue. People were in a tizzy because of them playing a couple games away from home (which we've already done in seasons passed) so the owner released a statement to tell people to chill out. Spurs are here til at least 2032

Is this true? From the outside it looks like a case of...

Nobody:

Peter Holt: WE'RE NOT MOVING THE TEAM!!!!!

It’s definitely true. Social Media was blowing up last week with Spurs fans freaking out about a potential move to austin after it was announced they would be playing 2 “home” games there next year.

KembaWalker · Post #19 » by **KembaWalker** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:28 pm

KhalilS wrote:Austin is becoming a tech hub, owners are watching the bay spoiling the Dubs rotten and want some.

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Musk is basically making Austin his headquarters. I wouldn't be surprised if they surpass Dallas within 15 years. I don't get why it isn't discussed more as an expansion market. It doesn't have the gambling appeal of Vegas but it has everything else
Could see the Spurs try a true hybrid market like GS with SF/Oakland but they aren't quite close enough

Chinook · Post #20 » by **Chinook** » Tue May 10, 2022 9:31 pm

Capn'O wrote:
Bornstellar wrote:This is a non issue. People were in a tizzy because of them playing a couple games away from home (which we've already done in seasons passed) so the owner released a statement to tell people to chill out. Spurs are here til at least 2032

Is this true? From the outside it looks like a case of...

Nobody:

Peter Holt: WE'RE NOT MOVING THE TEAM!!!!!

No. It was a thing well before. I was surprised RGM even talked about this letter seeing as they ignored the stuff last week.