San Antonio Spurs Become Title Sponsor for Austin International Half Marathon

Next year's race is slated for Jan. 18, and will keep the same format it has in the past, with a downhill course cutting through Austin neighborhoods before spilling into the heart of downtown.

The event attracts runners from more than 47 states and 14 countries, with over 7,000 participants each year.

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Spurs,” Austin International Half Owner and Partnership Director Jack Murray said. “They’ve shown time and again that their commitment to Austin goes far beyond basketball. Their values ... mirror everything this race stands for."

As part of the agreement, Spurs branding will be embedded into Austin throughout race weekend by way of signage and on-site activations. Registered runners will also have access to exclusive ticket packages for Spurs home games at both Moody Center and Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

The Spurs' added presence in Texas' capital is new territory; it falls right in line with the rest of their efforts to expand their fanbase further north.

"This has been a long time in the making," James said. "We know we only have a limited number of games here, but we’ve been intentional about reaching our fans where they are."

Austin Expansion, Spurs' Broader Scope

The Spurs are no strangers to ambitious feats.

What began as a test run at Moody Center as part of a mission to integrate Austin's fanbase into San Antonio eventually became a year-round initiative. In the four years since the I-35 Series began, the Spurs have partnered with the University of Texas, SXSW and several other Austin-centric brands to help turn the city into an NBA market.

San Antonio took notice of the initial "appetite" for professional sports in Austin, boosted by the Spurs' G League affiliate in Cedar Park and the addition of MLS' Austin F.C. Readily apparent was the correlation between tapping the market and garnering fan excitement for the Spurs.

When Victor Wembanyama arrived, that became even easier.

"Austin is coming together to show its Spurs fandom collectively," James said. "Fans are coming out in spades to our watch parties ... we're building the same community that we have in San Antonio throughout this region."

The approach was daring. For a city that's borne witness to five championships, its fans were slightly skeptical at first, but from the Spurs' viewpoint, the effort is paying dividends.

"All of our metrics are trending in the right direction," James said. "Not only from people coming to our games in Austin ... but people from Austin driving to our games in San Antonio. We're really the tip of the spear of bringing this region together as these cities merge into one large metroplex."

Helping move along the merger are the Spurs themselves. Over the summer, Harrison Barnes unveiled a new basketball court for the Austin Area Boys & Girls Clubs; the team has refurbished several in the Austin area while in town for the I-35 Series.

Location made no difference to Barnes.

"The Spurs are synonymous with their community," he said, "whether it's Austin or San Antonio. Continuing that tradition of being a Spurs player and giving back is important to me."

For the rest of the roster, roaming the sidelines during a Longhorns football game at Darrell K. Royal Stadium was enough to win them over.

"Our players are always eager to come up here," James said. "They go to concerts, shows, the lake — Austin’s a part of their lives ... they see Austin as a second home."

They also see the Spurs' vision.

"What the city is doing right now," De'Aaron Fox said in February. "Trying to expand ... I think people are excited to have an NBA game here."

Between Wembanyama's French heritage and Austin's proximity, the Spurs' mission of fanbase expansion has focused on global thinking.

San Antonio was given the chance to play two games against the Indiana Pacers in Paris last season, which created more exposure for all parties centered around the 7-foot-4 center's homecoming. The Spurs' new jersey sponsor — French crypto Firm Ledger — furthered that connection.

For James, it tied back to the Austin movement.

"If we see ourselves as a true, progressive, modern team, we have to think globally," he said. "We can't just lean on San Antonio. We can't just lean on Austin. We have to lean into this entire region and, frankly, beyond that."

Despite the ongoing effort to grow their fanbase, however, the Spurs are acutely aware of their home market's concerns. After Year 1 of the I-35 Series, the franchise made clear it was anchored by San Antonio. With Project Marvel set to take shape, that will continue to be the case.

But Austin still remains in the team's plans.

"For the Spurs to be as successful as possible, we need to broaden our reach," James said. "Austin is in our backyard. Fans are starting to understand that."

Securing the naming rights for the Austin International Half Marathon was another step toward a continued presence in Austin for the Spurs. They've dabbled in the realm before by sponsoring Ben Duong's attempt to complete the fastest half marathon while dribbling a basketball — a Guinness World Record. Now, their name is on the event.

"I grew up without any real pro sports teams (in Austin)," Duong said, "so the Spurs became the closest thing I had. They were my team ... and I think the (Spurs') ultimate goal is to create that same feeling for kids in Austin. To give them a team they can grow up with."

Merging two markets remains a daring feat, but the Spurs, now four years in, are still embracing that challenge.

"It comes with risk," James said, "but with the support we have here and the way our community has engaged with our brand, when you find natural synergies, it's a benefit to the entire community.”