SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento Kings games mean big bucks for the economy. Even with the Kings loss, the expectations remain high for fans and businesses.
Kings and Warrior fans came out in droves Friday night to see a rematch from the teams who versed in the playoffs. They weren't just flocking to the Golden 1 Center for the night, but also to downtown businesses nearly six months since the last game in Sacramento.
The tickets to the rivals game were the hottest ticket in town.
“The Kings are an exciting team to watch. [It] should be a lot of fun all season long,” said Kings fan Tim Bryan.
“We're really looking forward to winning this year,” said Kings fan Theresa Coria.
“They're gonna go all the way. Oh, yeah, they went into playoffs they're gonna go all the way,” said Kings fan Sue Jones.
“This is one of the most exciting times in Sacramento,” said Warriors fan Ad Dekoya.
For fans who couldn’t get inside, they had the next best thing, watching the game at nearby businesses who were hosting watch parties.
“I think it's so nice to see the Kings really bring this energy into the community,” said floor manager at Polanco Cantina Haley Leduc.
Polanco’s Cantina is now a staple to watch the game. Meanwhile, starting this season Tom’s Watch Bar hopes to eventually garner that status.
“We only opened Oct. 2 and we've been looking at this date for a while now,” said operating partner for Tom’s Watch Bar Joe Ortiz.
He says they had around 300 fans watching the game.
“I'm just so happy just to be a part of it, especially with our location being steps away from the entrance,” said Ortiz.
Many businesses got a taste of what the Kings success brought last season and they are hoping for a repeat. So are fans of both teams.
“It's a good vibe and I can't wait for like what's going to happen this year 2023 2024 season is a vibe,” said Dekoya. “It's going to be great.”
Downtown Sacramento Partnership says year to date, there have been around 2.7 million visitors to Golden 1 Center, nearly 30% higher than it was before the pandemic.
