Vintage photos show San Antonio Spurs through the years at the Alamodome

Team will return to arena where it played fro 1993-2002 son Friday night

This undated image of the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome was provided by the Spurs via NBAE/Getty Images. (Bibb T. Gault, © Bibb T. Gault/NBAE/Getty Images)

The year 2023 marks a special anniversary for San Antonio and Spurs fans, specifically.

Fifty years ago this year, the Spurs debuted in the Alamo City after the franchise moved here from Dallas, where they were the Chaparrals.

Recommended Videos



The team — which was in the American Basketball Association until it merged with the rival National Basketball Association in 1976 — first made its home in the Hemisfair Arena.

The Spurs played there for 20 years until it moved in across Interstate 37 to the newly built Alamodome.

There, the Spurs gained Gregg Popovich as its head coach and won its first national championship with the legendary David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Avery Johnson, Sean Elliott and Steve Kerr.

This undated image of the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome was provided by the Spurs via NBAE/Getty Images. (© Bibb T. Gault/NBAE/Getty Images)

They played in the Alamodome from 1993 through 2002 before moving into the AT&T Center and winning four more NBA titles.

Now, the beloved Silver and Black are returning to the Alamodome for a special night.

On Friday, the Spurs will take on the Golden State Warriors for the 50th-anniversary celebration game. (The first-ever game at the Alamodome was against the Warriors on Nov. 5, 1993.)

To commemorate the anniversary, the San Antonio Spurs franchise has released vintage photos of the team and its fans back when the Alamodome was home base.

See the images below for a glimpse into Spurs’ history at the Alamodome.

This undated image of the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome was provided by the Spurs via NBAE/Getty Images. (© Bibb T. Gault/ NBAE/Getty Images)
Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs attempts a layup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 30, 2001, during the NBA game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. (Chris Covatta/NBAE/Getty Images)
This undated image of the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome was provided by the Spurs via NBAE/Getty Images. (© Bibb T. Gault/NBAE/Getty Images)
Sean Elliott #32 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots a layup over Larry Johnson #2 of the New York Knicks during Game One of the 1999 NBA Finals played on June 16 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Knicks 89-77 and won the series 4-1. ((Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images))
This undated image of the San Antonio Spurs at the Alamodome was provided by the Spurs via NBAE/Getty Images. (©2021 San Antonio Spurs/NBAE/Getty Images)
Panoramic view of the action between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks during Game one of the 1999 NBA Finals played June 16, 1999 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
This is an undated photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs. (© Bibb T. Gault via San Antonio Spurs)
This is an undated photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs. (© Bibb T. Gault via San Antonio Spurs)
This is an undated photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs. (© Bibb T. Gault via San Antonio Spurs)
This is an undated photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs. (© Bibb T. Gault via San Antonio Spurs)
This is an undated photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs. (© Bibb T. Gault via San Antonio Spurs)
Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan of the East drives against San Antonio Spurs' David Robinson of the West as Houston Rockets' Clyde Drexler (22) closes in during the second quarter of the NBA All Star game Sunday, Feb. 11, 1996, in San Antonio, Texas. (AP Photo/Tim Johnson) (The Associated Press)

Read also:


About the Author:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.