May 16 marked a new beginning for the Alamo City when the San Antonio Spurs were gifted with a ping-pong ball that bounced their way for the third time in three generations. I was out delivering Hall of Fame auction items the next day and there was a different feeling in the air. And that same feeling of joy and enthusiasm around the community hasn’t let up since Victor Wembanyama’s arrival in June.
Whether Wembanyama lives up to the hype of being a generational talent who transforms the next Spurs’ era remains to be seen, but there is esperanza for what is to come. That’s the power of sport—it gives us hope for what’s possible.
That same feeling of hope and enthusiasm can be felt within the walls of our San Antonio Sports office. We are excited about a reimagined Pull for Kids shooting clay tournament August 18 at Good Bull Ranch that will provide a true Texas Hill Country experience. The team is also hard at work transforming our Fit Family Challenge brand as we expand the program from a 12-week summer journey to a 40-week, year-round wellness experience. Speaking of expansion, plans are underway to grow our San Antonio Sports All-Star Football Game into a series as we roll out All-Star Basketball for boys and girls in 2024.
In June, we announced that San Antonio Sports will help host the Naismith Hall of Fame Series at the AT&T Center on December 16 featuring some of the nation’s top Division I basketball programs. In a few days we’ll formally share news about an international team tennis championship coming to Freeman Coliseum in November that will feature some notable athletes. And a week ago, we submitted a bid to host the 2031 Men’s NCAA Final Four, which would mark San Antonio’s sixth time to host.
As we did in San Antonio on the evening of May 16, light candles for a Final Four award this fall, which just like Wemby, could also lead us to generational transformation for our city.
Game on!