Knicks Fans Flock to San Antonio for NBA Finals

The New York Knicks’ roster won’t be the only group heading from the Big Apple to San Antonio for Saturday’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Thousands of fans from New York are expected to join them in such numbers that they might outnumber local Texan supporters, according to multiple ticket resale companies.

Matt Ferrel, Vice President of TickPick, described the situation as unprecedented. Just one day before the game, TickPick reported that 48 percent of its tickets for Game 5 had been bought by credit card holders from New York and New Jersey ZIP codes, shared company spokesperson Jonathan Gluskin. Other platforms like StubHub, SeatGeek, and Vivid Seats confirmed the trend, with New York-area buyers accounting for 36 to 40 percent of their ticket sales for the game.

Even if New York fans don’t form the majority, it seemed likely that Spurs fans could be outnumbered in Frost Bank Center. Less than 20 percent of tickets on the major platforms were bought by individuals with Texas-based billing addresses. Meanwhile, California and Florida buyers represented 15 percent of TickPick’s ticket sales, added Gluskin.

StubHub spokesperson Jack Sterne joked that San Antonio could become New York City’s sixth borough on game day. According to SeatGeek’s Margaux Elias, this kind of traveling fan presence typically involves much shorter distances, like Chicago supporters heading to Milwaukee or Cleveland fans visiting Detroit.

Frost Bank Center is significantly further from Madison Square Garden—1,800 miles or a 27-hour drive. While flying is faster, only a few flights from LaGuardia could get fans to San Antonio in time. As of Friday night, the best travel option was a 6 a.m. Delta flight with a stopover in Atlanta, costing $703.

For Knicks fans, attending the finals in San Antonio presents a financial opportunity. The cheapest tickets at Madison Square Garden have been $8,000 each, compared to an average of $2,372 for Game 5 tickets in San Antonio, noted Julia Young from Vivid Seats. Ferrel commented that fans are keenly aware of the comparative savings they stand to make.