Robert Sarver just trolled the Spurs

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

:lol Suns owner just told fans over the PA to send in ticket stubs for a free gift because this isn't the team fans paid to see. Called out the Spurs for sitting out their stars in a pre-season game.

[Purch]

Pre season drama? :wtf:

[Xover]

It was kinda awkward and he looked very pissed off. Here's the clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6kJIjQavCE

anyway here's a little taste of the three headed monster today

http://giant.gfycat.com/BeautifulSneakyBluegill.gif

[Timmy D for MVP]

Thank you for showing up to this preseason game. I apologize that the basketball people are treating it like preseason.

[oarabbus]

Why does he care? It's preseason.

[Just2McFly]

Boss move and I like it. He's setting the precedent because I think we are all tired of teams pretending like games are free and deciding to sit their whole starting lineups for some bs reason like rest.

[oarabbus]

Boss move and I like it. He's setting the precedent because I think we are all tired of teams pretending like games are free and deciding to sit their whole starting lineups for some bs reason like rest.


:biggums:
But it's the ***ING PRESEASON?

[bdreason]

It's a preseason game, and everyone buying a ticket knows it's a preseason game.

[masonanddixon]

Hilarious coming from the worst owner in the NBA

[I<3NBA]

the fans can still see the stars on the sidelines

[Random_Guy]

It's a preseason game, and everyone buying a ticket knows it's a preseason game.
still, if i was spending money id expect to see the stars get at least 20 minutes of playing time.
unless they told me i was going to watch the spurs bench play when i was buying the tickets

[rhowen4]

i would entirely expect that if i go to a preseason game vs the SPURS

that's cool though, fans are happy

[RoundMoundOfReb]

The fans should just know better going to a Spurs game

[Macho Grande]

So the Spurs left half their team at home, and Sarver got pissed about it. Sounds like it was the Spurs who trolled Sarver, not the other way around.

[Leroy Jetson]

still, if i was spending money id expect to see the stars get at least 20 minutes of playing time.
unless they told me i was going to watch the spurs bench play when i was buying the tickets
Well considering the Spurs bench can beat half the teams in the league they ought stop whining about it, especially preseason.

[Smoke117]

I don't blame Pop...why risk it when 3 out of 4 of your best players are 30+and two at the twilight of their careers?(duncan, ginobili) You have to expect that going to a PRESEASON GAME VS THE SPURS. Ace move by the owner though...he seems engaged and that's only a good thing from an owner.

[Ai2death]

When the Spurs are deep in the playoffs Pop should call Sarver and ask him how pre-season was.

[r0drig0lac]

When the Spurs are deep in the playoffs Pop should call Sarver and ask him how pre-season was.
this

[Real Men Wear Green]

Why does he care? It's preseason.
Because "bad" owners like Sarver are concerned with money. I know that statement requires explanation, so please read on: Sarver doesn't think that pumping every dollar he can into the team to build up the roster will be profitable, so he doesn't. Instead he has the people running his team put an effort into finding good deals to field a team that can compete and thus entertain on a budget. Dragic, for example, is a good player but no superstar. When a team is run that way you have to advertise for your games using the stars of other teams. I bet half the reason Sarver is apologizing is that he had TV and newspaper ads for the game talking about Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, Leonard. So when some or all of those guys don't play he looks bad to his customers.

Even teams with owners that spend money will advertise stars of opposing teams when appropriate. San Antonio was fined by Stern last season for failing to play any stars in a Heat game. Stern, as commissioner, like any commissioner of any league is enforcing the will of the owners, or at least the majority of owners (Spurs' owner couldn't have agreed of course). Pop is getting more and more criticism from the NBA community for the way he occasionally will decide to keep his stars out of a game and thus make that game less appealing to fans.* Sarver is the first owner to publicly criticize the Spurs for their MO but if they keep it up others may speak out and we may even see a rule that tries to address it, although doing so may open up a can of worms that everyone regrets.


* I know the Heat-Spurs game was competitive, it's the spirit of what the Spurs did that angered Stern, wasn't about the outcome.