The Knicks are not the only travelers from New York heading to San Antonio for Game 5 of the NBA finals this Saturday. A large number of fans from New York are expected to join the team, potentially outnumbering local Texans, according to reports from several ticket resale companies.
The anticipation is high, with many describing the situation as unprecedented. Matt Ferrel, vice president of TickPick, a resale ticket site, remarked on how extraordinary the event is shaping up to be.
TickPick reported that 48 percent of its tickets for Game 5 were purchased by people from New York and New Jersey, based on ZIP codes from the buyers’ credit cards, as mentioned by company spokesman Jonathan Gluskin. Other ticket resale platforms, including StubHub, SeatGeek, and Vivid Seats, noted that fans from the New York area made up between 36 to 40 percent of their Game 5 ticket sales.
Even if New Yorkers don’t hold a majority, the crowd composition on Friday night suggested that Spurs fans might find themselves in the minority at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Only about 20 percent of tickets on TickPick, StubHub, and SeatGeek were bought by those with Texas-based credit cards. Combined fans from California and Florida made up 15 percent of the Game 5 ticket sales on TickPick, as stated by Mr. Gluskin.
“San Antonio might effectively become New York City’s sixth borough on Saturday,” said Jack Sterne, a spokesman for StubHub.
Traditionally, when fans travel in large numbers for an away game, it involves a relatively short distance. For example, Chicago Bulls fans often drive 90 miles north to challenge Milwaukee Bucks supporters; Cleveland Cavaliers fans can manage a five-hour round trip to taunt Detroit Pistons followers, explained Margaux Elias, a spokeswoman for SeatGeek.
However, Frost Bank Center is located 1,800 miles from Madison Square Garden, representing a 27-hour drive. Flights, although quicker, present another challenge. By Friday night, only a few flights departing from LaGuardia could feasibly transport a fan to the game on time. A Delta flight leaving at 6 a.m., with a stopover in Atlanta, priced at $703 according to Flights.com, appears to be a viable option.
For devoted Knicks fans, the San Antonio journey might offer the finals’ best deal. Tickets at Madison Square Garden for the finals have been priced as high as $8,000 each. Conversely, in San Antonio, the average Game 5 ticket cost was $2,372 as reported by Julia Young, a spokeswoman for Vivid Seats.
Considering the cost of attending a game at the Garden if the series extends to a Game 6, Mr. Ferrel commented, “These fans also know they’ll get a relative bargain.”
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