2022 SPURS OFF-SEASON NEWS

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Dedicated to non-roster team-related news, we start with some scheduling expansion:

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Appreciate the quote from R.C. Buford above in case any doom and gloomers start in. The expanded part ends with this from R.C.: "San Antonio has been home for five decades and the organization will continue to innovate, positioning the Spurs to thrive in San Antonio for the next 50 years."

Here's some context from the article:

According to a proposal that will be voted by Bexar County commissioners on Tuesday, the Spurs would likely play two international regular season games as the home team. The games could be played in Mexico City and in Monterrey, according to Wolff. The Spurs previously played in Mexico City in 2019.

“It would be Mexico City or Monterrey. That’s close to us. The theory is that if they can get out and broaden their network, get sponsors, get people to buy seats, get fans to come here, that it would bring them up,” Wolff said.

Another part of the proposal is for the Spurs to play at least two home games within a 100-mile radius from San Antonio. Wolff said those games could be played in the Alamodome, Austin, or possibly San Marcos. But Wolff was fairly certain Austin would be the site of one of those games. UT-Austin recently opened the new Moody Center.

“They (Spurs) want to go to Austin and have a game. I know that,” Wolff said. “They figure that they can draw more people down there if they did that.”

The two-year plan would start at the beginning of the 2022-23 regular season, which would be the 50th season since the Spurs franchise relocated from Dallas to San Antonio.

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2022/05/02/spurs-to-propose-playing-multiple-home-games-away-from-att-center-over-next-two-regular-seasons/

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Some more context and perspectives - well, assurances, really - for the news above:

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Don Harris with the confident and informative tweets:

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So we were 26th in attendance this season. Last season we were 12th even in controlled attendance ie/ mask requirements, social distancing, limited capacities. But of course we had ten times the number of fans buying tickets while ranked at 26th than 12th because there were no restrictions (615, 588 to 61,053). So talking about just ranking itself is incomplete. Still, twenty-five teams fared better, broadly speaking, which includes whatever larger contexts each respective team was facing (Covid rules, market size, etc.)

The thing is, since moving to the SBC/AT&T Center, the best we've ever hit was 8th. Even in the golden 2012/13-2013/14 years we were around that top third in the league range.

It was coming from the Alamodome where we led the league in attendance - the final two years there we ranked first; the previous two years before that, second. Before that, around the top third in the league. Of course, location and capacity for basketball (31,900 to 18,418) are important factors.

Both teams won around the same number of games (shortened previous season notwithstanding) and both teams got to the same stage, Game 1 of the play-in and lost. Both teams will end up with a lotto pick.

I haven't included HemisFair Arena numbers as this was a too far in the past and that context doesn't seem to inform the contexts after it; the team ranked near the bottom in the league in attendance and the FO made moves to improve that and it did.

One factor that doesn't really seem to have affected attendance through the Alamodome to SBC/AT&T Center in the Pop era has been team record. We were in a unique post-Covid situation on a team that went into embracing full youth movement/rebuild mode with all four vets/stars/team core players moving onto other teams. We started slow, too, as expected. We did finish better than pundits predicted, and I'd be curious to compare attendance earlier in the season compared to end of it. There were likely economic factors of fans making choices of what to do with their money coming out of financial pandemic effects. There's a myriad of factors beyond these I'm sure R.C. and his team have access to.

All of which is to say that this 26th rank is an outlier, an exception, rather than the normal pattern. So if the team is looking to expand its influence, San Antonio is in a unique position to do so given it's the southern most pro team, given its cultural influences, and given it is coming up on its 50th anniversary.

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The underlying unspoken fear when attendance dips in a small market is relocation. One line from yesterday's article stood out:

Action regarding a non-relocation agreement is on the agenda for Tuesday’s commissioners meeting. However, Wolff said a final decision would not likely be made on Tuesday.

The article did, however, go on to detail some factors that solidify the team's future in SA:

In recent years, Spurs Sports and Entertainment has concentrated on expanding the team’s fan base up the Interstate 35 corridor and south to Mexico City. The Spurs G-League affiliate currently play their home games in Austin. In June 2021, Austin-based billionaire Michael Dell joined the Spurs as an investor and strategic partner.

There has been some concern over the future of the Spurs in San Antonio, but despite this news, Wolff is confident the franchise will not move anytime soon.

Wolff added the team has a non-relocation agreement that goes through the 2031–2032 season under penalties of $84M-130M, depending on the year.

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2022/05/02/spurs-to-propose-playing-multiple-home-games-away-from-att-center-over-next-two-regular-seasons/

But here's the context of adjusting the non-relocation agreement:

When Bexar County officials agreed to build the Spurs a fancy new home, they drove a hard bargain in insisting that the team play all but two of their home games in the AT&T Center.

Now the Spurs are looking to double the number of “home” games they can play away from the arena. That will require changes to the Spurs’ non-relocation agreement with the county. County commissioners are scheduled to discuss the matter in a closed executive session Tuesday.

Commissioners could authorize county staff Tuesday to work out wording of the amendment, then vote on a final agreement at a later date.

The non-relocation agreement, which runs through 2032, was forged after intense negotiations regarding construction and operation of the county-owned arena in 2000.

It includes a schedule of damages the Spurs would have to pay for playing more than two alternative home games. The payment is set at $130 million this year and gradually decreases annually to $84 million in 2032. The proposed amendment would let the Spurs host four games elsewhere without a penalty for two years.

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-home-games-in-Austin-17142912.php

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And so in today's meeting, this was questioned and answered:

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Verdict:

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YEAH!

Caveat:

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And to be frank, a 3-2 vote isn't a ringing endorsement, with questions about what this really means and why the ownership and brass were not there (R.C. did release a decisive statement about the Spurs future being in SA but the court hadn't heard from Peter Holt and expressed a desire to):

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And this:

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Part of the reasoning behind these 'home games elsewhere' is the RRT, long a sore point for the team:

Under seven key contracts among the county, Spurs, Community Arenas Board and San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, the team’s schedule includes a “rodeo road trip” that allows the Stock Show & Rodeo to be held in and around the arena during February. It usually takes a week or two after the rodeo to clear the arena and grounds of animal smells and other traces of the rodeo.

The Spurs have indicated they want to play alternative home games during that period because the rodeo road trip has been one of the team’s “major complaints,” Wolff said. Because those games would count against the team’s 41 home games, as the Spurs would no longer be a visiting team, there would be at least two fewer games at the AT&T Center.

Last Aug. 10, Spurs officials reiterated a pledge to stay in San Antonio when commissioners committed $15 million from the county for a 22-acre park as part of a 45-acre campus at the northwest corner of Interstate 10 and Loop 1604 dubbed “The Rock at La Cantera....”

Bobby Perez, chief legal officer and general counsel for Spurs Sports & Entertainment, said the county’s commitment to the new campus would cement the team’s long-term presence.

“This location right here becomes our home and our place that we’re putting our flag in the ground for decades,” Perez said.

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-home-games-in-Austin-17142912.php

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Some questions arising from fans include accommodations for season ticket holders who may now be missing out on four home games, assurances from the ownership that a renegotiated non-relocation deal to play four home games outside of AT&T Center without penalty includes not relocating eventually:

The Spurs had asked for a two-year pilot program that could include two games at the Moody Center in Austin. But after discussing the matter during an executive session that ran more than an hour, commissioners said they felt they needed more time to study the issue. Under the 2000 agreement, which runs through 2032, the Spurs can only play two alternate home games or face a huge penalty — $130 million this year — if they play more than two home games outside the arena.

Commissioner Tommy Calvert asked pointed questions to Bobby Perez, chief legal counsel for Spurs Sports & Entertainment, about whether the team is increasing its local ownership and is possibly thinking of moving to Austin.

Calvert, whose precinct includes the arena, said people are worried the Spurs are “testing the waters in Austin....”

Perez said the Spurs simply want to widen the team’s following and be “crystal clear” that their strategic vision won’t run afoul of the restrictive non-relocation agreement.

“We don’t want to get sideways with our partner,” Perez said. “It’s really about building that brand from Austin to Mexico.”

Commissioner Justin Rodriguez proposed the county authorize staff to begin work on contractual language for only a one-year pilot program in the 2022-2023 season. The Spurs could then report back on the successes and failures before asking for more alternate home games.

But commissioners Calvert and Marialyn Barnard wanted to table the issue to study it further. They voted against Rodriguez’s motion, which was supported by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores.

The Commissioners Court is expected to consider the contract amendment at its next meeting May 17. Wolff said that will allow time for residents to discuss the matter and for the team’s leaders to communicate their intentions.

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Bexar-County-will-let-Spurs-host-additional-home-17144998.php

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Response sought; response given. And what an unequivocal, direct, and heartfelt one:

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Let's the anticipation and honouring of our 50th season begin! A year-long celebration!

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Looks like we'll be adding a third colour to commemorate the milestone.

p.s. And a new logo:

(from Spurs Twitter banner)

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[imagump1313]

Let's the anticipation and honouring of our 50th season begin! A year-long celebration!

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Looks like we'll be adding a third colour to commemorate the milestone.

p.s. And a new logo:

(from Spurs Twitter banner)

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Looks SOOOOOOOOOO much better than the fiesta throwup colors...

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Let's the anticipation and honouring of our 50th season begin! A year-long celebration!

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Looks like we'll be adding a third colour to commemorate the milestone.

p.s. And a new logo:

(from Spurs Twitter banner)

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Looks SOOOOOOOOOO much better than the fiesta throwup colors...

Haha! And rumour has that we'll be getting some retro uni version, too, so I think you'll be well pleased. Can't wait!

[imagump1313]

Haha! And rumour has that we'll be getting some retro uni version, too, so I think you'll be well pleased. Can't wait!

As long as they dont look like pajamas I'll be ok with it

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Some updates about the prospective home games away from home:

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So after Peter J. Holt's public letter and video statement

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the initial 3-2 vote shifted to a final 4-1. So we'll be playing two games in Austin, one in the Alamodome, and one in Mexico City.

The Alamodome game makes sense to mark the 50th anniversary, right?

The Austin games make sense to break up the Rodeo Road Trip.

The Mexico City game maybe for the RRT, too, but wherever it makes sense to commemorate something else, or just best scheduling purposes.

We keep the receipts from all games which is great.

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The location of the AT&T Center is one thing, the lack of development around it is another. This was addressed, and hopefully something will be done.

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Having seen a few games there, the sight lines are great, lots of in-arena options to eat and drink, great service, but getting there and back the options are 1. car 2. bus 3. car. And there's really nothing to do around there either.

The arena was specially designed for basketball — unlike the team’s previous home, the cavernous Alamodome, which was built to host football games. The AT&T Center cost $175 million to build, paid for by county bonds secured by hotel occupancy and car rental taxes. The Spurs kicked in $28.5 million of the construction cost and later spent more than $100 million on improvements, including a new scoreboard, sound system and Wi-Fi.

Commissioners also discussed recent traffic studies while revisiting needs for the AT&T Center and Freeman Coliseum grounds and surrounding area. Bobby Perez, chief legal officer and general counsel for the Spurs, said the team has had a working group in place for more than a year to examine those peripheral issues.

“We are excited about the traffic opportunity piece,” including widening AT&T Center Parkway — expected to cost about $5 million to $7 million — Perez told commissioners.

County officials said they’re considering options to fund that project and develop a railroad underpass on Houston Street to provide a better traffic link between the AT&T Center and downtown. It would likely cost about $50 million.

After the meeting, Calvert said voters could eventually be asked to consider a venue tax as part of a funding mix for improvements around the arena that could include parking garages, affordable housing and other amenities that “make people feel like they can have a return on their taxpayer dollars for arena improvements.” The arena was funded with a venue tax approved by voters in 1999....

He supports offering the Spurs a chance to partner in new housing, restaurants, office space, retail and entertainment businesses, providing additional revenue for the team “and making the asking price for an out-of-town buyer more expensive — helping to keep the Spurs in San Antonio,” the commissioner said.

Calvert said the county has allocated $250,000 for consultants to develop plans for those kinds of improvements, which would generate potential revenue streams for the Spurs, the county and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-will-play-four-home-games-away-from-the-17179273.php

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Three new alternate logos for the upcoming season:

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SPURS ADD THREE NEW LOGOS TO BRAND IDENTITY
New Marks Embrace Long Legacy in Texas

The San Antonio Spurs today announced they are expanding their visual identity to include three new secondary logos. These new marks help broaden the team’s brand with three adaptable logos, while staying true to the Spurs iconic legacy. This announcement is part of the team’s season-long celebration taking place during the 2022-23 campaign to commemorate 50 years of Spurs basketball in San Antonio beginning in 1973.

https://www.nba.com/spurs/spurs-add-three-new-logos-brand-identity

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I really like the 50th Anniversary logo with the extra gold.

These secondary logos will have to grow on me. The look is sort of industrial and masculine, so not initially appealing to ladies, at least not to this one. And after all the "we're here to stay in SA" assurances, the logo with the Texas outline has the center of the spur around where Austin is located lol and the SATX logos have the spur extend under ATX, which is Austin. Jesus, branding people!

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Not for nothing but look how easy it would have been for the center of the spur to be around where SA is rather than where Austin in in the Spurs design:

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For a team that keeps reinforcing staying in SA and not moving to Austin, and I take them at their word, WHY would you make the Spurs logo near Austin on the Texas logo and under the ATX in the SATX logos?