Suns to host Mavs, Spurs in Mexico City
After a month of speculation, the NBA announced Wednesday the Phoenix Suns will host two consecutive regular-season games in Mexico City on Jan. 12 and 14 against the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, respectively.
The events will mark the first time the league hosts two regular-season contests in Mexico in the same season. Mexico City Arena has hosted multiple regular-season NBA games in the past, including last year's tilt between the Boston Celtics and Sacramento Kings.
Suns president Jason Rowley said Wednesday the games are an attempt to grow the team's brand in Mexico. "We want to be the NBA team for Mexico," Rowley told reporters. "That's our ultimate goal here."
Phoenix's Democratic mayor Greg Stanton then offered a timely zing at a certain Republican presidential candidate:
Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton thanks Robert Sarver and the Suns for being a franchise "that is building bridges to Mexico and not walls."
— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) July 20, 2016
In playing a pair of games south of the border, the Suns will reduce their regular-season home dates at Talking Stick Resort Arena to 39 games. Team owner Robert Sarver is on record saying a replacement building will soon be needed for the 24-year-old facility.