Speak out as fans, voters

Several weeks ago, I authored an opinion piece in these pages warning of the damages a Spurs departure from San Antonio would cause for our city.

These concerns are not new. Over the last few years, there has been fan speculation, right or wrong, that the Spurs might be eyeing a move from San Antonio.

So, it was no surprise when, late Monday, news broke that Bexar County Commissioners Court is considering a provision that would allow the Spurs to play more “home games” outside San Antonio.

When I saw the news, I called every San Antonio official in my phone list. It is important that all our elected officials — municipal, state and federal, like myself — are committed to keeping the Spurs in San Antonio. I thought this would be a cause easy to rally behind, urging the only major league, professional sports team in the area to stay rooted in our city, reinforcing the economic and cultural impact it has had on San Antonio for the past 50 years.

However, this has proven more difficult than expected as only two commissioners — Tommy Calvert and Marialyn Barnard — openly opposed the measure.

Those in favor of the provision cited the rationale of allowing the franchise to grow and engage its fan base throughout South Texas and Mexico.

But the move would mean fewer games played in the AT&T Center, despite a recent $215 million investment in the arena by Bexar County. In other words, this attempt to expand the Spurs’ reach abandons fans right here in San Antonio.

This is a blow to not only the fan base but the city. One estimate has found the franchise annually generates close to $700 million in economic impact in San Antonio. Each so-called “home game” away from the AT&T Center shrinks that impact. This means smaller paychecks for arena employees, fewer patrons in restaurants and bars in the area, and fewer sales of sports merchandise in stores near or at the venue.

Fewer home games in the name of expansion seems to be a decision made in haste.

It is difficult to understand why Bexar County commissioners would choose to expand the franchise away from the county instead of encouraging further investment within San Antonio. It is especially concerning when we remember that county commissioners are elected to advocate for county residents.

As we look to the future, everyone in San Antonio has a role to play and their voices should be heard. Our voice comes in two forms — as fans and as constituents. Pack the arena, reach out to your county commissioner, express your concerns on social media, call into the local radio station, and write letters to the editor.

As our community recovers from COVID-19, the Spurs bring something more important than money to the city — a sense of unity.

As the only major league sports team in San Antonio, the Spurs have been a unifying cause for five decades. After two years of isolation and quarantine, it is better than ever to join friends for a game or take your kids to the arena. We cannot afford to lose the special, collective experience of rallying behind our city’s team.