[Interview with Spurs VP of BA] Spurs aim to be a regional team— grow its market to cover Loredo, Austin, New Mexico with San Antonio as its home base

[Dejounte]

https://youtu.be/TJzf5AAs1h8

Per Brandon, the Spurs want to compete with the bigger markets by expanding their footprint.

The Spurs are revolutionizing the NBA business by doing this, tbh.

[rascal]

Spurs getting worred just staying in San Antonio isn't going to work out.

[exstatic]

Sean often tells stories of he and assistant coach Popovich driving down to and around the RGV in 1989 to promote the Spurs. This really isn't anything new, they're just circling back around to it again.

[Seventyniner]

Keeping fans in the surrounding area interested was easier when the team was really good. Now that they are just another bad team trying to strike gold in the lottery they have to work harder.

[baseline bum]

Probably figure they'd be better off in Austin than San Antonio if they have to pay for their own arena.

[Spursfanfromafar]

Keeping fans in the surrounding area interested was easier when the team was really good. Now that they are just another bad team trying to strike gold in the lottery they have to work harder.

That could change if they strike gold. And they have taken efforts to maximize the possibility of that happening. Let's see.

[The Truth #6]

I think they are trying to legitimately increase their fanbase, probably from Monterey to Austin, generally speaking.

Moving to Austin could be a flop for them. Very few dedicated fans there, though many casual fans from what I’ve heard.

I’ve also heard the AT&T Center has helipads now for I guess billionaires to fly in, but I have no idea if anyone actually is using them. They make most of their money in tickets with the close seats and corporate boxes. If they could get Austin billionaires to just fly down I’m guessing they would prefer that to actually starting over with a new fanbase. Just speculating…

[spurraider21]

they should be regional out of the nevada area imho

[wildbill2u]

If saying you have to appeal to the fans in the surrounding areas to be successful is insightful, then they don't understand that this HAS been the only marketing avenue open to the team since its inception. TBH they did a hell of a marketing job in getting a town that had virtually NO basketball fan base to adopt a team from a very iffy league and support the hell out of it. Remember, this was a team that couldnt make it in Dallas which has a population base that is not only much larger but at least has a lot of folks who have moved in from elsewhere and might have some enthusiasm for basketball. Frankly, I think this was a town that was simply desperate for some entertainment that could be labeled "big time" as in nationally known.

Back to the regional team idea: I suspect we are already pretty much at max fandom after 50 years of exposure. The local area population has expanded some, but you can't depend on getting a few carloads from Hondo or Dilley to come in for a game on a regular basis. New Mexico and Laredo? Mexican cities? Austin? Ok, you can play some games there, but on a occasional basis what do you accomplish? Is the purpose to eventually sell cable viewers to "expand the market/" OK, I get it and they won't have to compete with the other NBA teams to create some fandom there. Will folks in the "region" follow the Spurs in the newspapers and TV? Sure, but distances are too great for there to be much intermobility between cities for away games. I guess the answer isn't that the actual attendence of fans is going to be the goal, but perhaps some additional revenue through other sources such as cable advertising and merchandise sales.

[exstatic]

I think they are trying to legitimately increase their fanbase, probably from Monterey to Austin, generally speaking.

Moving to Austin could be a flop for them. Very few dedicated fans there, though many casual fans from what I’ve heard.

I’ve also heard the AT&T Center has helipads now for I guess billionaires to fly in, but I have no idea if anyone actually is using them. They make most of their money in tickets with the close seats and corporate boxes. If they could get Austin billionaires to just fly down I’m guessing they would prefer that to actually starting over with a new fanbase. Just speculating…

There's no suitable arena in Austin. The Moody Center is only like 9K seats, and would never get NBA approval.

[rjv]

There's no suitable arena in Austin. The Moody Center is only like 9K seats, and would never get NBA approval.

Yeah, i keep wondering why no one points this out. I mean, has anyone actually seen this place? it's great looking and all but it's not an NBA venue.

[scott]

Probably figure they'd be better off in Austin than San Antonio if they have to pay for their own arena.

tbh, a lot of the chatter coming out of the Spurs camp around this Austin trip (Pop mentioning he envisions playing some games in Austin going forward, for example) is the kind of rhetoric an org would engage in as part an effort to get their current home to pony up for a new stadium. San Antonio is used to being used as the decoy for NFL and MLB teams doing this, the Spurs may very well pulling a page out of that playbook here.

[John B]

tbh, a lot of the chatter coming out of the Spurs camp around this Austin trip (Pop mentioning he envisions playing some games in Austin going forward, for example) is the kind of rhetoric an org would engage in as part an effort to get their current home to pony up for a new stadium. San Antonio is used to being used as the decoy for NFL and MLB teams doing this, the Spurs may very well pulling a page out of that playbook here.

I’m sure Austin crowd will be loud tonight and the next game. Bye bye San Antonio and fat women :lol

[exstatic]

I’m sure Austin crowd will be loud tonight and the next game. Bye bye San Antonio and fat women :lol

The NBA would never allow a team to play all home games in a 9K seat arena. They’re not moving to Austin.

[ChumpDumper]

I just don't see Austin's municipalities ponying up for an arena the way San Antonio's have and probably will again. Round Rock/WilCo might be game to try, but I can't see their making a more attractive pitch than Fox Tech or the Alamodome parking lot. Bringing back games as part of a downtown trip could be pretty attractive for both San Antonio and the Spurs.

[scott]

Yeah, hopefully the city has moved beyond the old approach of using stadium development as a way to gentrify odd parts of town. The Spurs (and the Missions for that matter) should be playing downtown. They should have built the soccer stadium downtown too, but they were still in this stupid gentrification mindset.

[heyheymymy]

I feel very threatened by this shit man fuck atx

[baseline bum]

tbh, a lot of the chatter coming out of the Spurs camp around this Austin trip (Pop mentioning he envisions playing some games in Austin going forward, for example) is the kind of rhetoric an org would engage in as part an effort to get their current home to pony up for a new stadium. San Antonio is used to being used as the decoy for NFL and MLB teams doing this, the Spurs may very well pulling a page out of that playbook here.

Yeah it ain't subtle what they're doing. Might have a really hard time getting a stadium gifted to them this time around in San Antonio when there is no Tim Duncan on the roster though, and if they're going to be paying their own way for a stadium they'd probably rather do it in Austin where they'll sell more luxury boxes.

[scott]

1644135688609185793

[BatManu20]

Spurs are bleeding revenue atm so they’re trying to find other avenues to make it up by expanding their footprint. I don’t for-see them moving to Austin, UNLESS they’re still ass in 7 years when our l current lease with the AT&T Center is up. That could be a whole different story if they are still cheeks though. Time will tell.

[talkspurs]

There's no suitable arena in Austin. The Moody Center is only like 9K seats, and would never get NBA approval.

Sean was saying they had over 17k for tonight's game. They opened up the upper level.

[scott]

Construction also exists in Austin, lol.

[Maddog]

https://youtu.be/TJzf5AAs1h8

Per Brandon, the Spurs want to compete with the bigger markets by expanding their footprint.

The Spurs are revolutionizing the NBA business by doing this, tbh.

It's been tried before
Albeit at a time when the NBA wasn't anywhere near as popular

Kansas City Omaha
Houston Rockets played approximately a quarter of their home games in SA year before the Spurs arrival

Few other attempts.

[The Truth #6]

Construction also exists in Austin, lol.

Yeah it definitely exists. Official bird of Austin is the crane, locals have joked. Downtown has been under construction for like 30 years.

[tonight...you]

Construction also exists in Austin, lol.
Tis true, but space is getting sparce.

[scott]

Tis true, but space is getting sparce.

They would find the space for an NBA team.

[exstatic]

Construction also exists in Austin, lol.

You think things are bleak now, just wait until an arena for the Spurs is being built in Austin. The crowds would be a few hundred for those two years.

[scott]

You think things are bleak now, just wait until an arena for the Spurs is being built in Austin. The crowds would be a few hundred for those two years.

Moody can fit 16,000 - as they just proved today, and which is more that avg AT&T Center attendance the last two seasons - while a long term arena is built.

The Spurs may not move to Austin, and I hope they don't, but the reasons people invent to convince themselves it'll never happen are hilarious.

[tonight...you]

They would find the space for an NBA team.
You live in Austin?
You know how they are laid out and what goes where and the commitments to those spaces?

It's not going to be easy in any respect.

They put their MLS team in a former dump site.

[scott]

You live in Austin?
You know how they are laid out and what goes where and the commitments to those spaces?

It's not going to be easy in any respect.

They put their MLS team in a former dump site.

No, it wouldn't be easy... but it also isn't like it's impossible. The MLS Franchise has an estimated worth of $630 million, and that's after the success they've seen. The Spurs are worth an estimated $2.2B (and would be worth considerably more in Austin). They would find a space for the stadium. Not say it will be at the corner of 6th and Congress... but the stakes are high enough that they can make it work. It's not like trying to find a space to lease for a cupcake shop we're talking about. Where there is economic incentive, there is a way.

[heyheymymy]

Would be okay with putting it on 35 half way between Austin and San Antonio which 7 years from now will probably be damn near the merge point of the two cities anyway lol

[scott]

Would be okay with putting it on 35 half way between Austin and San Antonio which 7 years from now will probably be damn near the merge point of the two cities anyway lol

This would be a good solution, IMO, however the problem will be the politics between the cities and counties. City of SA and Bexar County aren’t going to just roll over and be cool with the arena being built in NB/Comal or San Marcos/Hays.
Likewise the City of Austin and Travis County will likely want to fit for it to be within their borders. There is too much revenue at stake for those entities for a natural compromise to be reached. NB/Comal or SM/Hays would have to put together a compelling bid on their own. This is how sports teams end up with these sweet publicly-funded arena deals. Best thing working in SA’s favor is that Austin may be too woke to go for anything like that. On the flip side, private capital may be willing to foot the entire bill for it to be in Austin. And of course, if relo is truly on the table, Las Vegas and Seattle are going to want to have a conversation.

I hope people aren’t truly too naive to see what is happening here. The Spurs are stacking the leverage in their favor, and I don’t think they’ll be afraid to pull the trigger if they don’t get what they want from SA and Bexar Co.

[heyheymymy]

How about splitting them around, maybe almost half at the AT&T Center, select dates around fiesta etc. Then do a quarter at Moody, maybe a few primetime matchups especially when students are in session. And then some smaller matchups offsetting the 2k less seats but for games that would sell <16k if held in SA instead.

Then the remaining home games in Mexico as a feature, maybe a 1-2 week long team residency so they settle in for the advantage still. The rest are huge marquee games at Alamo maybe 3-6x Lakers Warriors etc or maybe holiday games. Or split the dome, book a daytime tipoff and sell a poplar concert at the other end of the dome for 1 hr after the game ends.

[heyheymymy]

just shitposting but what if they went regional with it

[goliath]

Probably figure they'd be better off in Austin than San Antonio if they have to pay for their own arena.

I disagree. If they had to pay for their own arena I think they stay in San Antonio. Problem is they aren’t going to have to pay for their own arena.

[dbestpro]

You build your fan base as a winning team not when you are losing. The Spurs sound desperate.

[dbestpro]

Austin is a city that most Texans find lost it's charm. I have been an avid fan of the Spurs since 78. I live in the RGV. Most I know would see the Spurs as no different than the Mavs or Rockets if they moved to Austin. It was probably end our support for team. San Antonio is the place that the RGV connects with. Not Austin, or Houston or Dallas.

[offset formation]

Probably should play a game or two in El Paso like they did in Austin. Maybe one in Albuquerque if this is their plan.

[The Truth #6]

How about splitting them around, maybe almost half at the AT&T Center, select dates around fiesta etc. Then do a quarter at Moody, maybe a few primetime matchups especially when students are in session. And then some smaller matchups offsetting the 2k less seats but for games that would sell <16k if held in SA instead.

Then the remaining home games in Mexico as a feature, maybe a 1-2 week long team residency so they settle in for the advantage still. The rest are huge marquee games at Alamo maybe 3-6x Lakers Warriors etc or maybe holiday games. Or split the dome, book a daytime tipoff and sell a poplar concert at the other end of the dome for 1 hr after the game ends.

Me rambling here: Bexar County I believe has to approve games played outside ATT Center as we saw this season. I think Bexar County has some vested interest in the arena as it was publicly funded, though basically they just handed it over to the Spurs so they can make money as far as I can tell, corporate socialism if you will. Local government always prostrates themself to large companies so I think the Spurs definitely have the upper hand.

I would be ok for like 5 games in Monterey and 5 in Austin, but with the understanding that Spurs will likely do what they are able to do when the time comes. Spurs ownership is probably the poorest, so to speak, in all major sports and they seem to be looking for some rich people to get involved. Once that happens, then who knows what happens.

*steps off soapbox

[DesignatedT]

The Spurs aren't moving to Austin. Be more likely they moved to Vegas than Austin tbh. Don't think either happens though. They are definitely going to be demanding when it comes to the new stadium though and the city of SA will step up.

[The Truth #6]

Best bet is the cartels launder money circuitously to the Spurs with an ownership stake and get involved in building a new arena. Joking?

[rjv]

ST loves some chisme

[The Truth #6]

I mean the SA economy is tourism, real estate, USAA, healthcare, and narco money laundering, with a dash of California money now muddying the waters, and Rackspace, I suppose.

Building an arena out 281 or I-10 probably makes some sense if they did some sort of living/shopping combination, but still doesn’t solve high end money coming into the team.

Anyway…

[rjv]

I mean the SA economy is tourism, real estate, USAA, healthcare, and narco money laundering, with a dash of California money now muddying the waters, and Rackspace, I suppose.

Building an arena out 281 or I-10 probably makes some sense if they did some sort of living/shopping combination, but still doesn’t solve high end money coming into the team.

Anyway…


you forgot bioscience, cybersecurity, IT and aerospace. it's not much but something.

[Maddog]

Me rambling here: Bexar County I believe has to approve games played outside ATT Center as we saw this season. I think Bexar County has some vested interest in the arena as it was publicly funded, though basically they just handed it over to the Spurs so they can make money as far as I can tell, corporate socialism if you will. Local government always prostrates themself to large companies so I think the Spurs definitely have the upper hand.

I would be ok for like 5 games in Monterey and 5 in Austin, but with the understanding that Spurs will likely do what they are able to do when the time comes. Spurs ownership is probably the poorest, so to speak, in all major sports and they seem to be looking for some rich people to get involved. Once that happens, then who knows what happens.

*steps off soapbox

Add in that SA is 32nd in metro areas ranked by GDP

One of their goals I think is to increase their local TV revenue. I'm purely speculating here, but teams can reap in huge amounts on local TV revenue. I know the Lakers get more from their local TV contract than some teams get in total revenue

From 2017

The biggest local TV deals also raise the cap level for everyone. The Lakers and Knicks both made more than $100 million from local media deals last season. Only four teams even came within $100 million of the Lakers’ local media revenue. The Knicks alone made $10 million more from TV than the six lowest-earning teams combined.

I'm not sure when the Spurs next TV deal is up- but suspect this is in part the motivation to play games outside of SA.
In the early to mid 70s there was an attempt by many teams to drum up regional support- Boston played games in Providence, Philadelphia played in Hershey and Pittsburgh
Houston played more than 10 games at Hemisfair Arena
Didn't seem to work- but a different era

[The Truth #6]

I forgot the military to be honest which overlaps with some of those things.

Regardless, while a living/entertainment/shopping venue with a stadium makes sense in general, SA already has a trail of tears of existing arenas and spaces. The Tobin center would fight a new arena to cut into their performance center and new southside venue. Lots of collaboration would have to happen.

Just rambling…

[heyheymymy]

ATX thinks it's little LA but it's really glorified Knoxville

Sorry to the Austinites I know that's an unpopular opinion but ATX is such a plastic shit hole imho and it seems so impulsive to bail on historic legacy for some flash in the pan fickle fanbase with superficial loyalty. The students go back to daddy's ranch in may they won't even be in town to support deep playoff runs.

Sorry I'm panicking that this is some selfish money motivations but how the fuck does SA run out of money/need to look elsewhere before say OKC market or like SAC? SA is a massive metro area. I blame Silver dude is a cash goblin milking the Association and all the sudden nothing is good enough or prosperous enough hmmmm. If you can't make Spur work win SA just shut it down altogether. Some investors are starving I guess?

In the end it's just due diligence and brand expansion shit and nothing should change most likely but seriously can we stop being so obsessed with every last cent coming in and jut play some fuckin ball?

[Leetonidas]

Austin is disgusting. Can't even walk in a regular residential area without seeing some crazy homeless guy arguing with a trash can (true story). Spurs ain't moving to that dump

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

It would be cool if they did a game or two in Albuquerque. With the large Hispanic population it's kind of a smaller San Antonio in some respects. And it's a basketball crazed town. Lots of love for the Warriors and Lakers there, however.

[heyheymymy]

Shit do a weekend residency in USVI with Tim Duncan guesting as a promotional curator and stoke that Caribbean viewership market

Calypso Coyote mascot routines, spurs speedos and flip flop merch opportunities. NBA expansion test. Bill Land works on his tan, Sean grabs a Pina colada lol work with me here, people

[scott]

"We want to move to a top 10 TV market to compete with the Lakers and Nets of the world. We’ve outperformed our market size for so long, but the economics of the NBA have changed drastically, and we have to expand our scope,” James said to The Austin American-Statesman.It's a win-win as it will keep the franchise thriving in the Alamo City with help from the surrounding area, Mexico, and Austin's corporate presence.

"We’re going to continue to work with Bexar County to build this region. Our market, if it’s strictly San Antonio, is in the bottom 10 of market sizes in the league. As we grow, we can move into a pretty elite group of markets," Buford said.

It's pretty clear to me what is being communicated here: Status quo in San Antonio ain't cutting it. We can try to build this regional market, but it's going to take some San Antonio and Bexar Co. sacrificing some home games to try to make it work. The unspoken part is the alternative if that still doesn't work - they gone.

[baseline bum]

Sorry I'm panicking that this is some selfish money motivations but how the fuck does SA run out of money/need to look elsewhere before say OKC market or like SAC?

Because Sacramento just gifted the Kings half a new stadium a few years ago, when the Maloofs had them nearly out the door to Anaheim.

[heyheymymy]

Because Sacramento just gifted the Kings half a new stadium a few years ago, when the Maloofs had them nearly out the door to Anaheim.

thanks makes me feel better that this is just an issued ultimatum to get a new arena and if SAC agreed SATX should easily though I know the path is riddled with obstacles.

[NickiRasgo]

There's a bigger chance Spurs will play in France in the near future right?