Are Spurs more popular abroad than in US?

[raspsa]

I don't know if any poll has been taken but I suspect that the Spurs are probably more appreciated by fans and media analysts outside the US who probably aren't as taken in by all the hype and individualistic play. Does anyone else share my opinion?

[whottt]

A lot of us think that...but I don't think anyone but the NBA knows for sure. You'd have to assume the NBA is undergoing an big global expansion, not to mention the game of basketball itself...but who knows for sure? All I can say for certain is that there are a lot of international posters on Spurs sites.

[Strike]

With all the 'international' players on the Spurs roster it wouldn't surprise me if they are more popular overseas than here.

It would be hard for them to be LESS popular!

[romain.star]

in Europe they are...

[velik_m]

more popular than in US? maybe
popular? no.

[Bruno]

In countries where SPurs player are from (Argentina, France..) : yes.
In the world : not sure.

[whottt]

Are they popular in France Bruno? Like say...compared to the Lakers and Bulls?

[Bruno]

They are more popular because of Parker.
Something like 50% of games shown in France are with Spurs. There is too some people who hate Spurs because bandwagon fans are Spurs fans in France.

[MI21]

Spurs are generally hated in Australia. I have a lot of friends who play basketball and are into the NBA heavily and a whole bunch can't stand the Spurs, Ginobili and Bowen especially. I have exactly 1 friend who is a Spurs fan.

Lots of Chicago, Lakers, Magic type fans here, stemming back to the early late 80's/early 90's when the NBA was very popular.

[tp time]

answer by a french guy: yes, SA are very popular in France, not a surprise...

http://allstar339.skyrock.com/pics/596587765_small.jpg

In my opinion, popular NBA team in France are:

1 - San Antonio Spurs (tony!!!!! and manu and soon Ian)
2 - Phoenix Suns (Boris diaw, steve nash..offensive team)
3 - Los angeles (kobe!)
4 - Dallas Mavs (Nowitsky very apprecied)

[AnotherArgie]

Yes, I think the Spurs are way more popular abroad.

To give you an idea, Maradona, way before Ginobili started playing for the Spurs, dedicated his biography ("Yo soy el Diego") to "the Twin Towers of San Antonio", among others.

[Avitus1]

I know China likes them...

[BigBigSpurs]

I know China likes them...

Yes，we love them. There are millions of Spurs fans in our country.
But to tell you the truth, the authority in China still believe the Rockets is the best while people do not believe it.

[Manu Pacquiao]

Philippines loves the Spurs. And featherweight boxer Manny Pacquiao has fought twice in SA. San Antonio hosted his first one vs marco Antonio Barrera in 2003 and the second vs Jorge Solis this year. SA is a lucky city for PacMan.

[L.I.T]

I'd have to agree about the Philippines. There are individual players that are more popular than any player on the Spurs. But when talking about teams, I've noticed the Spurs comes up a lot.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

I think they are more popular outside the US. I have ties with people in several countries in latin america and everybody knows how are the Spurs. I'm talking about normal people. If you ask those who is Lebron, they have no clue, only real basketball fans might have an idea who lebrick is but he is not even a named player outside. All the hype happens here.

Jordan is well known outside the US, as Bird and Magic, and Shaq and Kobe are. Barkley is also very well known. Now the spurs is the team people love. Remember that the type of basketball teh spurs plays is what people like outside the US, not what phoenix plays. That type of basketball only the Globetrotters play (and people outside the US remember them very well)

[bosgezen]

more popular i don!t know but surely more respected.

[dbestpro]

Easy answer. Yes.
11 million USA viewers and 50 million world viewers watched last year's final each game.
8 million USA viewers and 105 world million watched the finals this year each game.
NBA sales are up 30% this year's finals worldwide. SPURS equal big bucks for NBA world wide period.

[Tippecanoe]

the spurs are hated in the US. does that answer your question?

[tp time]

cause its an international team? cause they play like an european team?

[Gummi]

Not many people here in Iceland like them. My closest friends hate them. Boring and all that nonsense.

[HJNTX]

i would think they probably are .. Just an assumption but, I believe it to be true ...

[Russ]

US players cannot win the world championship, the Olympic Gold or, now, the NBA title.

But in their defense, US players are very "interesting." :)

[Marcus Bryant]

The Spurs will never be popular in the US because to appreciate their play requires too much mental effort.

[Ya Vez]

they just asked Angel Cabrera the guy that won the US Open today who was more popular in Argentina "Him or Ginobili .. of course Ginobili..." .. lol it's been a very good week for Argentina...

[ShoogarBear]

To give you an idea, Maradona, way before Ginobili started playing for the Spurs, dedicated his biography ("Yo soy el Diego") to "the Twin Towers of San Antonio", among others.Really? Why was he such a big Spurs fan?

[Nbadan]

...4 out of 5 Italian hookers prefer the NY Knicks.

[carina_gino20]

Philippines is a basketball-crazy nation, more so, I think, than any country in Southeast Asia. I think people here though, buy more into the hype so you'd hear people saying their favorites are LeBron, Kobe, Dwyane, T-Mac. I'd have to agree though that the Spurs are very well respected as a team.

[pwilliam]

In Hong Kong, in China, I am sure the Spurs are one of the top 5 teams we like.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Easy answer. Yes.
11 million USA viewers and 50 million world viewers watched last year's final each game.
8 million USA viewers and 105 world million watched the finals this year each game.
NBA sales are up 30% this year's finals worldwide. SPURS equal big bucks for NBA world wide period.

Prolly this is the main reason.

[medstudent]

The Spurs will never be popular in the US because to appreciate their play requires too much mental effort.
:clap

[Cherry]

In Argentina:

We love Manu and Fabricio

We love the Team

We appreciate Pop

We appreciate the organization

We pray for Luis Scola :lol