After announcing they are staging two regular-season home games in Mexico City, the Suns "want to earn the devotion" of Mexico, as they aim "to start winning over" its fans, according to Paul Coro of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Suns President Jason Rowley said, "We really want to be the NBA team for Mexico. This is really our ultimate goal.” The Suns will be the "first NBA team to play consecutive road games in Mexico" when they face the Mavericks on Jan. 12 and the Spurs on Jan. 14. The Suns played two preseason games in Mexico City in '96, and since "have remained one of the NBA's more popular teams in Mexico," along with the Lakers, Mavericks, Spurs and Knicks. This visit "will be a more extended effort given how long" the Suns "stay this time and how far they intend to be committed to Mexico." Coro notes the early announcement "allows build-up to the January event that will have all the look, staging and personnel of a Suns home game." Rowley said, "It is foolish to not try to do everything you can to be authentic as you can for the Mexican-American community and for the Mexican national community." The Suns are giving up two home games "at some financial cost to take on the endeavor, which Arizona-Mexican Commission President David Farca guaranteed will sell out." Rowley said that the Suns "are working on how to rebate or credit their season-ticket holders" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/21). Rowley said the games are "an opportunity for us to build business alliances." He added that the games will also "show the Suns’ Latino fans in Arizona the team’s loyalty." In Phoenix, Mike Sunnucks noted Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton pointed out the team wore "Los Suns" jerseys during the '10 NBA Playoffs in the middle of the Senate Bill 1070 debate, which is an anti illegal immigrant measure (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/20).
CULTURAL TIES? In San Antonio, W. Scott Bailey noted the Jan. 14 game "could help the Spurs compensate for any impact to business from the retirement of Tim Duncan by casting a wider net in search of more fans and business opportunities outside the Alamo City." While the Spurs will "technically be the road team in Mexico City, they may have an opportunity to make deeper inroads." San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Ramiro Cavazos "suggests the deep economic and cultural ties between the Alamo City and Mexico could benefit the Spurs" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/20).
