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San Antonio sets an attendance record of 68,323 for an NBA regular season game, breaking the previous mark from 1998 when the Spurs return to the Alamodome to face the Warriors.
- The Spurs returned to the Alamodome on Friday for their 50th anniversary season.
- San Antonio announced an attendance of 68,323, setting a new NBA record
- He broke the previous record for who got together to see Michael Jordan in 1998.
- The Spurs ultimately lost 144-113 to the defending NBA champions on Friday night.
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The San Antonio Spurs game against the Golden State Warriors broke the attendance record for an NBA regular season game on Friday night.
The Spurs posted an attendance of 68,323 at the Alamodome, returning to their old home to take on the Warriors to celebrate their 50th anniversary season.
He broke the previous record of 62,046 who gathered to watch Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls play the Atlanta Hawks in the Georgia Dome on March 27, 1998.
The Spurs game against the Warriors swept attendance for an NBA regular season game
The Spurs posted an attendance of 68,323 when they returned to their old home on Friday.
Spurs Hall of Famer David Robinson announced the official attendance at the end of the third quarter. Robinson said: ‘Spurs fans have once again set the standard for the league.’
The fans started chanting ‘Go Spurs Go! Go Spurs go!’ after the announcement.
“Yeah, that’s quite different,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said of the record crowd. ‘It’s a situation where you know… are they selling alcohol? I think people will be quite excited.
“This is an exciting time for everyone. It’s nostalgic for everyone. To have so many people in one building, to be able to play in front of them, it’s quite exciting, actually. We hope it will be a good game.’
Spurs Hall of Famer David Robinson announced the record late in the third quarter.
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said everyone inside the Alamodome ‘was excited’
San Antonio now plays its home games at the AT&T Center, but returned to the Alamodome as part of the franchise’s 50th anniversary celebration.
But the Warriors rained down on the Spurs parade, crushing the hosts 144-113 to sour the celebrations.
While the Spurs (13-30) are having one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the chance to play at the Alamodome gave fans a chance to relive an earlier era for the team.
“Having my son here with me sharing a memory past and present will be cherished by both of us for years to come,” said Spurs fan Eric Hernandez, who previously attended games at the Alamodome.
San Antonio returned to the Alamodome as part of its 50th anniversary celebration
San Antonio got its start at HemisFair Arena in 1973, but the Alamodome is where the team took its first steps in becoming one of the most respected franchises in the NBA.
The Spurs played at the Alamodome from 1993-2002 before moving 3.1 miles south to the AT&T Center.
San Antonio won its first NBA championship in 1999 while playing at the Alamodome and held its championship at the downtown facility.
The Alamodome also hosted the 1996 NBA All-Star Game, where Michael Jordan was booed for winning MVP over former San Antonio resident Shaquille O’Neal.
The Alamodome is where the Spurs became one of the most respected franchises in the NBA.
“It’s crazy,” said Taro Kotani, a Spurs fan visiting from Japan. ‘The amount of people here. I’ve never been inside the Dome, so just imagining what it was like here during the 1996 All-Star Game and the 1999 Finals is so nostalgic. I wasn’t there but this brings back a lot of memories.’
Kotani planned his annual trip to San Antonio around Friday’s game because he wanted to be a part of history.
The Alamodome is now the home of UTSA Roadrunners football.