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Keep being lazy, I may come for the playoffs next year and grab some cheap tickets!
Web Posted: 10/30/2007 12:12 AM CDT
Roy Bragg
Express-News
Spurs Fever — good luck catching it!
The San Antonio Spurs open defense of their fourth NBA le at 7 p.m. in the AT&T Center tonight.
But around the Alamo City, fans have gotten used to the success of the team called the most successful in professional sports in recent years.
Businesses catering to sports fans say the atmosphere surrounding tonight's opening game is a lot different from the 2000 season opener, which followed the franchise's first championship.
"I think we're jaded," said a ticket broker, who asked not to be identified because he's also a season ticketholder. "Winning is expected now.
Tonight's game, which features the championship rings awards ceremony and the unfurling of 2007 championship banner, isn't even a sellout.
"The excitement of the first year," the broker said, "just isn't there anymore."
Rachel Casanova, manager of Fatso's Sports Garden, agreed: Spurs games don't pack the place anymore. She's not even ordering extra beer for tonight's game.
"People would come dressed up," she said of 1999, "with their faces painted and their stuff that lights up. They would bring their own Spurs centerpieces for the table."
Fatso's was packed every night during the 1999 playoffs and for every game the next season.
On her commute during the 1999 playoffs, Casanova saw thousands of cars — on the road and side-by-side in parking lots — decorated with hand-painted messages and sporting black and silver flags.
"I only saw a couple of them (last spring)," she said.
Casanova and the broker say big playoff games and games against hated opponents — such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks — still light a fire under the faithful. But otherwise, they say, game day is just another day.
The Spurs, needless to say, have a different spin.
The Spurs' fan base, said Monica Taylor, the team's director of business communications, is transitioning as it becomes more sophisticated.
"Fans should come to see something unique in history," she said.
"This is one of the highest-quality teams in all of professional sports, both on and off the court. And that's rare. It doesn't come along every day. You never know if you'll ever get to see that in our time."
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Me, as an international fan, can not stop being amazed when I read reports like this..........unbelievable.......realy........
Keep being lazy, I may come for the playoffs next year and grab some cheap tickets!
It doesnt help that the Spurs have one of the worst marketing departments ever. At least this time I know that there are still tickets available more than 1 hour before tipoff.
i think ill go to tonights game.
Roy Bragg's ill-timed piece is stupid and completely out of place on an opening day. What was this idiot thinking? He ought to stick to writing about subjects other than basketball. The fact that tonight's game is not totally sold out is not indicative of the awesome fans and fanbase the Spurs have. It's one of the best in the league if not the best. Believe me I've been to games In Denver, Washington and Houston and none can compare to the excitement of a late season/playoff game when the Spurs get it cranked up on the court.
Same here
I can't understand that either. I would love to see at least on game live in SA. Damn.
You have to expect that as a whole for the entire population of SA, but there are still plenty of Spurs fans getting jacked up for this game and season. I learned from the Cowboys les in the 90's to never take winning for granted, and although I am pretty satisfied with the 4 les I never lose sight of being able to enjoy a team who's unselfishness is pretty much unparalleled in sports. I've never seen a team with this much pride and determination, but with very little ego. It's amazing.
That's the only thing i'm worried about this year..Our homecrowd. Last year it was already pretty pathetic, hope it doesnt get worse cuz this team deserves a lot more then what the fans are givin' them!
Might be a different story if the Blazers top two players weren't injured. They might as well be playing the Bobcats tonight.
In before BobcatsDynasty.
Is there anybody that is going to tonight's game from ST?
The ring ceremony is pretty cool and surely make it different from other games!
Don't blame me. I'm in Scotland.
I lived through the Gilmore-Gervin losses to the Lakers, the post-Iceman, pre-Robinson days, and the early and mid-90's close but no cigar days.
Any and every championship season is savored and never forgotten.
And yet the thrill never lapses or goes away.
I'm stressing, trying to get the morning off of work just to watch the game live on TV...
I hear ya, I had to do the same thing last year!
Hopefully, I will be free tomorrow during game time!
One game and the idiot writer's leading us to believe that lack of enthusiasm is a trend? o Houston, we have a problem in San Antonio. Phone the neighbors, wake the kids.
Kids, these are trained professionals, do not attempt this at home!
shame on san antonio.... the ing season opener after a championship
pathetic
I also don't live in san antonio but marked my calendar for tonight months ago. what the is wrong w/u mexicans!??!!!
I'm a college kid. I can't just drop $500 on tickets whenever.
Would rather watch it at home in comfort in HD than sit around a bunch of loudmouths in nose bleed :shrug:
Ok my hebrew korean brother, lets split the cost of tickets for a family of five! otherwise stfu.
if ur not amazed about the ring than i dunno what to say
as duncan is one ring away from a championship knuckle buster....
Yes Sir, I agree with that. There were times in the Old Hemisphere Arena when it seem like the Spurs where playin just of me and a handful of friends. We could sit anywhere we wanted. I had twenty tickets one time and could not give one away. We(me and a friend of mind), got to know Iceman pretty well.
Now a days, I prefer my sports on the big screen(my house or a friend). Even when I have a chance to go to a game, the first thing I notice is most people are there to be seen and not there for the sport of it. WTF, if you want to stand and support your team all game, go for it. If you ain't gonna get it on, then keep your dead ass home. But, this is what happens when you reach a certain price point with game tickets. Also, 82 freaking games per season??. I'm sure most of the Spurs would like to phone it in sometime during the season.
what r u doing posting here? go get a 2nd job to feed ur family!
Money is not my problem little boy, I also don't live in SA. Since you're obviously not very smart I'm just saying that's part of the reason in San Antonio that the arena doesn't get filled up. Do you know anything about social and fiscal demographics. Go down to SA and call people Mexicans, idiot!
True Spurs fans are just as passionate as they ever were... this article is bull .
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