Ticketmaster Plays Defense for the Spurs Ahead of NBA Finals Game 5 Against Knicks

Thanks to an epic Game 4 comeback win by the New York Knicks, the San Antonio Spurs are now in the unfortunate position to do what's rarely been done in NBA Finals history, and that's come back from a 3-1 deficit to become champions. Basketball historians will recall that this has only been achieved once, and that was in 2016 by the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors. So with such a tall task at hand, you can imagine that the Spurs will need all the support they can get come Game 5 on Saturday, June 13. Sadly for the team, a day before the game, it was reported that most of the ticket sales were from buyers in "Knicks markets" (purchasers lived in New York or New Jersey).

So just when it appeared as if the Spurs' home-court advantage would be neutralized to a degree, with half the crowd seemingly there to support the Knicks, Ticketmaster played the biggest defensive move of the series.

Knicks Fans Have Purchased 54% of Tickets to Game 5

Despite Game 5 being in San Antonio at the Frost Bank Center, according to the ticketing site Gametime, on June 12, 54% of ticket buyers were from New York or New Jersey. While it's certainly probable that there were some Spurs fans in New York and New Jersey hoping to head to San Antonio to support their team, at face value, it looked like the Spurs were going to lack some of their usual hometown fanfare. The whole point of a team playing in its home arena is to have the overwhelming support of the crowd on its side as the game is played, which again, the Spurs definitely need on the brink of elimination.

Ticketmaster Restricting and Canceling Tickets for New Yorkers

It would appear the Spurs just added a teammate actually bigger than Victor Wembanyama to the roster, in the form of Ticketmaster. If you go to purchase a ticket to Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on the Ticketmaster website, you'll see the following message:

"Frost Bank Center is located in San Antonio, Texas. Sales to this event will be restricted to customers residing within a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside of a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center will be canceled without notice and refunds given. Please note there is a 4 seat ticket limit for transactions through the venue."

This move by the ticketing company seems likely to cause a major point of contention for those who don't live within that 150-mile radius and have already made plans to attend the game. However, for those Knicks fans still determined to get into the game, there is still hope.

While Ticketmaster is limiting tickets to out-of-towners, the same can't be said for third-party ticket vendors. In fact, according to the San Antonio Current, New Yorkers have already "bought more than 1/3 of resale tickets sold to Game 5 of NBA Finals in San Antonio." So viewers at home shouldn't be surprised if there are still ample blue and orange jerseys and shirts in the Frost Bank Center come game time.

Who Are the Betting Favorites for Game 5 of the NBA Finals?

According to FanDuel, the Spurs are still the favorites to win Game 5. The team is a 5.5-point favorite as of publication. However, with Jalen Brunson leading his team and Mike Brown being a brilliant coach, one shouldn't count out the Knicks getting the win and claiming NBA Finals victory in Texas.

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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 6:11 AM.