SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County commissioners have officially approved an arrangement allowing the San Antonio Spurs to play up to four regular-season home games outside of the Frost Bank Center for the upcoming two seasons. This strategic decision is expected to include games in both Austin and potentially Europe, reflecting the franchise’s ambition to broaden its fanbase and increase visibility.
Over the past four seasons, the Spurs have made it a common practice to host home games away from their primary arena. However, this new agreement marks a significant shift, permitting the most home-away-from-home games seen in several years, and does so without the restrictive conditions that characterized earlier arrangements.
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The vote by Bexar County commissioners passed with a 4-0 majority, although Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert abstained. Commissioner Calvert, representing the area surrounding the Frost Bank Center, voiced concerns regarding the community’s potential benefits from allowing the Spurs to host games outside the county-owned arena.
Calvert stated, “When we’re talking about such sizable public investments, return and partnership have to be true partnership.” His caution highlights the need for accountability and community engagement in decisions affecting local resources.
Conversely, other commissioners, such as Precinct 1 Commissioner Rebecca Clay-Flores, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. She emphasized the Spurs’ role in uniting the community, particularly during their recent NBA Finals run, asserting that this move is about “more visibility. This is about marketing. This is about more branding.”
Historically, the Spurs have maintained a non-relocation agreement with Bexar County, limiting them to a maximum of two home games outside the Frost Bank Center each season. Yet, since 2022, amendments have progressively relaxed these restrictions, allowing the team to stage up to three or four games in various locations, including Austin, Mexico City, and the Alamodome.
This shift initially concerned fans, who feared it might herald a relocation to Austin. However, the Spurs have framed this strategy as a means to expand their reach and nurture a broader fanbase. The amendment for the 2022-2023 season allowed four games outside the Frost Bank Center, one of which took place at the Alamodome.
In subsequent seasons, the county approved plans for three home games outside the arena for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons. The three-game limit was also included in an amendment approved in July 2025, which governed the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 seasons. Notably, this latter amendment stipulated that two games must be within 100 miles of the Frost Bank Center, while the third could be played internationally.
The latest amendment, approved by commissioners, did not delineate specific locations for the four “home” games, although it explicitly states that these games cannot take place during the playoffs.
In January, the Spurs are scheduled to play two games against the Pelicans in Paris and Manchester, with only one likely qualifying as a home game for the Spurs. As the franchise prepares for these changes, the four home-away-from-home games could become a defining feature of their strategy.
Looking ahead, the Spurs aim to transition into a new, city-owned $1.3 billion arena at Hemisfair before their lease with Bexar County concludes in 2032. The San Antonio City Council has already approved a non-binding term sheet that would permit “four home games outside the Arena but in the Spurs’ home territory (which may include the Alamodome),” indicating a progressive approach to the franchise’s future.
