The Frost Bank Center had to wait 12 years to see its team reach the NBA Finals again. The Spurs, who finished No. 2 in the West and dethroned the reigning champion Thunder in the Conference Finals, entered the series against the New York Knicks as favorites. They had a chance to repeat history after the last time the two teams met in the Finals in 1999, when the Spurs won the series 4-1. But this time, it was the Knicks who prevailed in five games. Regardless, it marked a huge step forward for the Spurs, who have established themselves as one of the league’s most formidable teams, largely thanks to Victor Wembanyama. The unanimous DPOY has turned both himself and the franchise into one of the NBA’s biggest global attractions, prompting the organization to make adjustments to its future plans.

“The Spurs have requested an amendment to expand that previously approved flexibility,” analyst Dusty Garza tweeted about the Spurs asking for permission to play more games away from the Frost Bank Center.

“Specifically, the proposed Letter Amendment would authorize the Team to play up to four (4) regular season home games, excluding playoff games, outside the Frost Bank Center during each of the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 NBA seasons without constituting a default under Sections 2.2.1 or 3.1(b) of the Non-Relocation Agreement.”

This issue of playing home games away from the Frost Bank Center is not new. Four years ago, San Antonio fans were baffled when the team made the request to play one of its home games in Austin. Many thought the Spurs were trying to test the waters for relocation. The need to ask for permission comes because Bexar County owns the Frost Bank Center. Plus, there is an agreement in place to play 42 games through 2032.

Bexar County leaders previously approved amendments to the Spurs’ non-relocation agreement after receiving repeated assurances that the franchise had no intention of leaving San Antonio. The revised agreement allowed the team to play up to three home games away from the Frost Bank Center each season: two within 100 miles of the arena, primarily in Austin, and one internationally, such as in Mexico City, as part of the franchise’s regional and global expansion plans.

The Spurs are now seeking even greater flexibility after the NBA scheduled two of their regular-season home games against the New Orleans Pelicans in Paris and Manchester in January 2027. The new request would allow the franchise to play four home games away from the Frost Bank Center during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons. Meanwhile, plans for games at Austin’s Moody Center remain undecided. Since 2023, the Spurs have hosted two regular-season games in Texas’ capital each year, but it remains to be seen whether that tradition will continue in 2026-27.

On the latest request, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai was open to communication. “We’re going to look and make sure that we’re not losing any money because we’re allowing that,” Sakai said last Wednesday.

“The Spurs will come in and give us their explanation and justifications, and they may get some comments about, ‘Well, what about the loss of revenue of those home games?’”

The Spurs have every reason to push for this change. Wembanyama has completely changed the trajectory of the franchise over the last three years, turning San Antonio into one of the league’s biggest attractions again. Wherever he plays, people tune in. So every extra game outside the Frost Bank Center is another chance for the Spurs to put their biggest star in front of a new audience.

Considering what Wembanyama has already done for the organization, it’s not difficult to understand why the Spurs are eager to keep expanding their footprint.

Victor Wembanyama’s direct impact on Spurs viewership

The French international has quickly become one of the league’s biggest television draws. A huge reason, apart from his incredible production, is the way he plays. Despite standing 7-foot-4, Wembanyama handles the ball like a guard, can create his own shot, and knocked down 34% of his three-pointers during the season. That unique combination was on full display throughout the 2026 playoffs, where he averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game, making the NBA Finals a must-watch.

Just look at the numbers. Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals drew 16.93 million viewers and peaked at 19.63 million, making it the most-watched Game 1 since 2018. The Western Conference Finals, featuring Wembanyama and the Spurs, also averaged 9.2 million viewers.

Wembanyama wasn’t the only reason for those numbers, but he certainly played a major role. His popularity extends well beyond television, too. He finished as the NBA’s second most-viewed player, generating 2.43 billion views across the league’s social and digital platforms in a single season. Only four-time MVP LeBron James was ahead, with 2.85 billion views.

Wemby’s influence even led to a reported 54% increase in League Pass subscriptions in France. The country has embraced its new basketball superstar, putting French basketball back in the spotlight for the first time since Tony Parker’s prime. Fittingly, Parker also built his Hall of Fame career with the Spurs.

In an interview with French channel France TV, Parker even stated that Wembanyama will go on to do “great things” for the national team and basketball in the European country as a whole. “Victor Wembanyama is the best NBA player right now. We’ve never seen anything like this in basketball. (…) He has the chance to compete with the greatest in the history of our sport.”

Wembanyama already made waves for France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with the host nation falling only to an American team featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant in the gold medal game. At just 22 years old, he’ll have plenty of chances to turn that silver into gold. If his NBA career follows a similar trajectory, there’s little reason to believe the championship won’t eventually come there, too.