“It’s an unimaginable honor to make our return to France and play our first-ever sport in England, given the robust embrace we’ve felt from the neighborhood and followers throughout Europe,” stated San Antonio Spurs CEO RC Buford. “Bringing world-class basketball, neighborhood affect engagements and compelling fan activations to a European market, alongside the league, aligns instantly with our group’s imaginative and prescient to unite our world viewers by way of unforgettable experiences and a shared love of sports activities.”
The Spurs have a singular historical past partaking with worldwide basketball since becoming a member of the NBA in 1976. Greater than 50 worldwide gamers have suited up for the franchise, together with seven from France, and the staff welcomed the NBA’s first-ever French jersey patch companion, Ledger, in 2025. The Spurs have made a purposeful effort to reinforce the cross-cultural alternate between NBA basketball and worldwide followers as a part of the group and league’s long-term dedication to rising the sport globally, most not too long ago internet hosting “Spurs Week Paris” in February 2026 and a Playoff watch social gathering in Paris in April 2026. The January 2027 video games will mark the Spurs sixth regular-season sport in France and first regular-season sport in England, along with seven preseason video games performed throughout Europe.
Along with the video games, the NBA, the Spurs and the Pelicans will conduct NBA Cares social affect programming centered on well being, wellness and sustainability, coach and referee growth programming and interactive fan actions that can deliver the NBA expertise to followers in Paris and Manchester. The Spurs will proceed their work with Ledger to deliver youth basketball programming and courtroom renovation efforts throughout the 2 cities all through the staff’s time in market and can construct upon their present world applications corresponding to Play Paris and Spurs Neighborhood Management Institute (SCLI) to maximise affect.
