Victor Wembanyama's arrival sparks Spurs to consider relocation from 21-year-old home
With the arrival of Victor Wembanyama to the San Antonio Spurs franchise, big changes are coming. Not just inside the basketball court but management is already considering relocating from the AT&T Center to downtown San Antonio.
The Spurs were once housed in the Alamodome where they won their first NBA championship back in 1999. Then, they relocated to the SBC Center in 2001-02, which was renamed as the AT&T Center in 2006.
It’s two hours ahead of Victor Wembanyama’s debut with the San Antonio Spurs at summer league — and it’s crowded in here. https://t.co/A3LmVR4eB1
By exploring downtown San Antonio, the management will put Spurs basketball games nearer to a busy area as compared to the AT&T Center which takes a few miles to go to outside the city.
Eddie Aldrete serves as a political consultant who pushed to fund the AT&T Centers bared that the Spurs are carefully exploring different locations.
"I think they're doing some preliminary research to see if it would make sense. They wouldn't want to start the conversation if the math doesn't add up," said Aldrete as reported by told the Express-News.
Victor Wembanyama is considered a generational talent by many NBA analysts and has been the consensus #1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. It is a no-brainer for the San Antonio Spurs to make Wembanyama, the next centerpiece of their NBA franchise.
This move will make Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs closer to the community and increase his engagement with the fans.
The lease of the Spurs at the AT&T Center will end by 2032 and if the new location is feasible enough, the team's relocation is a possibility.
Victor Wembanyama's impact on the Spurs' ticket sales
Antonio Spurs fans and the entire basketball community had a glimpse of what is to come during the NBA Summer League from Victor Wembanyama.
Prior to Wembayana's first official season and even the 2023 NBA draft, ticket sales have dramatically increased for Spurs games.
Victor Wembanyama displays his tantalizing skillset in his 2nd #NBA2KSummerLeague outing!
27 PTS, 12 REB, 3 BLK https://t.co/Nqw23FEFbL
According to a story by Madalyn Mendoza of Axios San Antonio, Spurs Sports and Entertainment revealed that there are 4,000 ticket deposits already transacted since the May 16 draft lottery. Among those who got sold out were suite leases.
By the numbers, the first 48 hours since Adam Silver officially announced that Victor Wembanyama is the 1st overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, ticket sales skyrocketed to 3,000% compared to last year.