The San Antonio Spurs are drawing a line in the sand—or rather, a 150-mile radius around their home court. The team has announced that tickets for Saturday's NBA Finals Game 5 against the New York Knicks will only be sold to residents living within that range of the Frost Bank Center. Out-of-state buyers, particularly those from New York, will have their orders canceled without notice, though refunds will be issued.
The move comes as the Knicks, up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, are on the verge of clinching their first championship since 1973. Reports indicate that Knicks fans had already purchased roughly 50% of the available seats, driving resale prices as high as $10,000 for floor seats. The Spurs are clearly aiming to prevent a hostile takeover of their arena by a sea of blue-and-orange-clad supporters.
Ticketmaster is enforcing the restriction by checking customers' credit card billing addresses. However, it remains unclear how the Spurs will police the secondary market, where local ticket holders might resell their seats to out-of-towners. The team and the NBA have not yet commented on the policy.
The controversy follows a stunning Game 4 in which the Knicks erased a 29-point deficit to win 107-106, marking the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. With the championship potentially decided on their home floor, the Spurs are taking no chances—ensuring that the roar of the crowd will be distinctly Texan.