Spurs Tried to Tamp Down on Knicks Fans. It Didn't Work

Knicks fans aren't just traveling for Game 5 in Texas' San Antonio—they're close to taking over the arena. The New York Post reports that about 45% of tickets for Saturday's potential title-clincher against the Spurs were bought by fans with New York or New Jersey billing ZIP codes, citing resale site TickPick. Just 12% went to Texas-area buyers. The Knicks, up 3-1 and chasing their first championship since 1973 in a rematch of the 1999 Finals, are already 2-0 in San Antonio this series. The Spurs tried to "put safeguards in place" to keep Knicks fans from outnumbering Spurs fans at Game 5, including making sure direct ticket sales were only made to people within a 150-mile radius of San Antonio's Frost Bank Center, but "those measures are not foolproof when it comes to keeping opposing fans out," notes WOAI.

The road trip is, in many cases, the cheaper option. One Queens fan told the Post he couldn't touch Madison Square Garden seats, where the minimum for a possible Game 6 is listed at more than $10,000—so he bought tickets to fly to Austin, where he said he'd rent a car and drive to San Antonio instead. Some are even flying in from as far as Australia. As one traveling fan put it: "We're united Knicks fans. Now you see what Knicks fans endure." The Athletic has more on "what Knicks fans taking over road arenas really says about the modern sports experience."