Spurs Limit Ticketmaster Sales to 150 Miles of Frost Bank Center, Spark Hochul Backlash

The San Antonio Spurs limited initial NBA Finals Game 5 ticket sales through Ticketmaster to customers with a billing address within 150 miles of the Frost Bank Center, prompting backlash from New York politicians ahead of Saturday night’s game in San Antonio.

“- Published Ticketmaster is seeking to reassure Knicks fans that they can still attend Saturday's Game 5 of the NBA finals in Texas, despite its limits on ticket purchases”

BBC

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul posted online Saturday morning that “Knicks fans finally get within one game of a championship and their reward is having their tickets canceled?” as the Knicks entered Game 5 with a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals series.

BBC

Ticketmaster’s notice said orders outside the 150-mile radius would be canceled without notice and refunds given, and the Spurs said the geographic restrictions apply only to ticket purchases and resale transactions through Ticketmaster.

The Spurs also said the location of the original purchaser based on billing address does not always necessarily reflect who ultimately attends the game, while the Knicks’ parent company said it had confirmed with Spurs ownership that tickets would not be revoked.

The dispute played out as the cheapest available Ticketmaster ticket for Game 5 in San Antonio on Saturday afternoon was $848, while the lowest prices for Games 3 and 4 in New York were around $8,000.

After earlier reports raised fears that Knicks fans’ tickets would be stripped, Madison Square Garden Sports said in a statement that “we’ve confirmed with Spurs ownership that they will not be revoking any tickets that Knicks fans have to tonight’s game in San Antonio and all ticket holders will be allowed in to Frost Bank Arena.”

Ticketmaster then released a statement on social media clarifying that “no tickets purchased on Ticketmaster for this game have or will be canceled,” and it said the restrictions were applied at the time of purchase so anyone with a “valid, authenticated ticket” could get into the arena.

Bleacher Report

The BBC reported that Ticketmaster told it purchases by those living farther than 150 miles from the San Antonio arena would be canceled and refunded without notice, but that no tickets purchased on its platform “have or will be canceled.”

A spokesperson for the Spurs told the BBC that individuals whose billing ZIP code falls outside the designated area “are unable to complete a ticket purchase subject to that restriction,” while “tickets that have been previously purchased are not being canceled or revoked.”

With Game 5 scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. ET, the Knicks were one win away from securing their first title since 1973, and the Spurs’ 150-mile policy remained in place throughout the NBA Finals.

“SAN ANTONIO --New York Knicksfans outside of the San Antonio region looking to witness the team potentially win its first championship since 1973 faced steep obstacles obtaining a ticket, but not ones they haven't faced before”

ESPN

ESPN reported that the 150-mile radius restriction introduced during the playoffs remains in place throughout the NBA Finals, and that it does not extend to the secondary market, leaving Knicks fans a path to acquire tickets outside Ticketmaster.

The New York Times said the Spurs’ policy warns that purchases made with credit cards with billing addresses outside of 150 miles from Frost Bank Center will be canceled and refunded, while Ticketmaster posted that anyone with “a valid, authenticated ticket” would get into the arena Saturday night.

The New York Times also noted that the Spurs previously enforced a policy prohibiting the resale of tickets through unofficial platforms and informed season ticket holders whose tickets were not resold through the official Ticketmaster platform that their season ticket membership was being revoked.

As the series situation tightened, the controversy arrived with the Knicks holding a 3-1 series lead and a win Saturday delivering New York its first NBA championship in 53 years, according to NBC News.