Celebrating 47 Seasons at Oracle Arena
Over the last 47 years, Oracle Arena has established itself as one of the premiere basketball venues in the NBA. Whether the Warriors are down by ten or up by twenty, visitors are impressed by Dub Nation’s ability bring the noise. In many ways, Oracle’s energy is a continuum of the soulful spirit and vibrant culture of the Bay Area; becoming common ground for those from diverse backgrounds and lifestyles, all uniting together for one common cause: to support their beloved Golden State Warriors.
Former Warrior and current broadcaster Jim Barnett recalls what it was like to play for the team during the first three seasons at then-Oakland Coliseum Arena, later known as Oracle Arena, sharing, “We played for crowds around 6,000-7,000, with a few sellouts here and there. But the fans were authentic, with a real passion for the game. These weren’t fair-weather people jumping on and off the bandwagon; they were purists who knew the game, followed the league and came to see all the stars who came in. And we had a real connection to them.”
Since the Warriors took ground in the Bay Area, fans have maintained steady attendance numbers through the ups and downs of the team’s performance, reinforcing the authentic support fans had for the organization. While there have been great changes in talent, coaching and ownership, a couple elements have remained steadfast: Oracle Arena and a passion for the game shared by the greatest sports fans in the world — Dub Nation. This loyal following has led to 336 consecutive sellouts for Warriors home games as the teams get set to open the 2019 postseason.
It all began in 1962, when the Warriors made their way west and relocated from Philadelphia to the San Francisco Bay Area. Warriors owner Franklin Mieuli’s eccentric spirit led the team to atypical opportunities, with the Warriors playing “home” games in various cities across the state including Daly City, San Jose, San Diego and Oakland.
Some all-time greats played for the then-San Francisco Warriors, including Wilt Chamberlain (1959-1965), Nate Thurmond (1963-75) and Rick Barry (1965-67, 1972-78); each of whom were later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And in 1964, the San Francisco Warriors made it all the way to the NBA Finals before being stopped by the Celtics, who were in the middle of a championship run that lasted eight straight seasons.
Constant travel was not ideal for the team, which led Mieuli’s wandering eye to the Oakland Coliseum Arena. The building opened in 1966 and primarily functioned as an entertainment venue; however, on October 24, 1967, history was made as the Warriors played their first home game within those four walls. Quickly, the team felt at home, playing in front of 7,000+ energetic attendees. And in the summer of 1971, Mieuli signed a five-year contract to play the majority of Warriors’ home games at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.
1970s - Breaking Barriers
Though the Warriors played nearly exclusively in Oakland, they still scheduled sporadic “home” games across the state, prompting a brand name change in 1971; with the San Francisco Warriors now referred to as the Golden State Warriors in order to have the team represent California as a whole.
Head Coach Alvin Attles was an integral member of the Warriors during this era, as he has been for the last six full decades. Playing at the guard position for the Philadelphia Warriors for 11 years, Attles became one of the first African American coaches in professional sports upon assuming the role for the Warriors in 1971. He led the Warriors in tremendous ways through his wisdom, conduct and even-keeled attitude and to this day, is a distinguished member of the Warriors organization.
In the 1974-75 season, Attles, with the help of the legendary Barry, led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA Finals, silencing critics by defeating the Washington Bullets in four-game sweep and bringing the first NBA Championship title to the Bay Area. The 11th man in the rotation that season, Charles Dudley recalled, “We were always coming back from 15, 20 points down, right through the playoffs, and the great thing about our fans — they knew it. People in the upper sections would stand up and start stamping their feet, really loud, and next thing you know, it’s spreading through the whole (arena). Unbelievable. They’d sense that we were about to run off 12, 14 straight points, and we did. That was the really exciting part for me.”
1980s – Building Blocks
The turn of a new decade presented new challenges for the Warriors, with trades, retirements, and coaching changes causing Golden State to enter into a somber slump. And while critics were unsure about the future of the Warriors, one thing was for certain: the unwavering support of Warriors fans.
Lively and loyal, Warriors fans are reflective of the Bay Area’s diverse and inclusive demographic. And regardless of the numbers on the scoreboard, Warriors’ fans savored the in-game, arena experience, personified by the Larry Smith hardhat crew, a group of fans who wore hardhats in support of a hardworking role player whose all-out hustle resulted in him being among the franchise’s rebounding leaders.
Warriors fans displayed their passion and compassion once again when Chris Mullin took some time away from the team to deal with some personal issues during the 1987-88 season. Upon his return, Mullin, the seventh pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, didn’t know how we would be received upon his return. But when he came off the bench in the first quarter, Warriors fans reacted with a hair-raising standing ovation. Mullin recollects that moment, sharing with the San Francisco Chronicle, “Something I remember to this day…The understanding, the open-mindedness of our fans. I was just overwhelmed by that response, and that was the start of my new life. Being guided by a higher power.”
The 1980s would bring with it individual moments worth celebrating — among them being Bernard King’s ability to score and Sleepy Floyd’s heroic effort in the 1987 playoffs, scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter of a game against the Lakers. But overall, the Dubs struggled through the decade, having more seasons with 50-plus losses (3) than playoff appearances.
1990s - Run TMC
But the late 1980s did spawn the beginning of Run TMC. With Head Coach Don Nelson taking over for George Karl, the fast-paced offense and position-less basketball that’s commonplace in the NBA today took form. Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin lit up the scoreboard on a nightly basis, and that entertaining brand of basketball helped the Dubs sell out every home game during the 1990-91 season that included the Dubs stunning the second-seeded Spurs in a first round playoff upset.
As legendary as that Run TMC era was, it wouldn’t last long. Richmond was traded to Sacramento at the start of the 1991-92 season, and although the team made the playoffs in 1992 and 1994, the Warriors would struggle on the court for most of the next two decades.
2000s - ‘We Believe’ Warriors
After years of annual trips to the draft lottery, a carousel of head coaches and established players signing elsewhere, the Warriors assembled a gritty group for the 2006-07 season, and Head Coach Don Nelson was brought back to the team. Baron Davis and Jason Richardson headlined the roster, and Monta Ellis would earn the league’s Most Improved Player Award in his second NBA season. But it wasn’t until a midseason trade for Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington until this became a team that would live forever in Warriors, and NBA, lore.
This group represented the ‘We Believe’ era, and it took 16 wins in their final 21 regular season games to finish with a 42-40 record and snag the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. And in the first season of the Warriors’ home building being known as Oracle Arena, ‘Roaracle’ would soon solidify its reputation.
Making their first playoff appearance in 13 years, the Warriors made further history by becoming the first eight seed to beat a one seed in a best-of-seven playoff series. Fueled by their passionate fans, the Warriors would beat the Mavericks, winning the series in a decisive Game 6 at home in one of the most electric atmospheres in NBA history.
The Warriors would fall to Utah in the next round, but the legend of ‘We Believe’ lives on. And even though the 2007-08 Dubs had a better record (48-34), the team wouldn’t sniff the playoffs again until the following decade. But in 2009, the Warriors drafted a skinny kid out of Davidson, and little did anyone know of the impact that he would have not only on the franchise, but the game of basketball as a whole.
2010s – System Of Success
In the fall of 2010, the sale of the team to a group led by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber was finalized. Although the team had just one playoff appearance in the prior 16 years, the Warriors did have one thing going for them — consistent support from the fans.
And with that unwavering support and dedication from Warriors fans, the organization established a system of success. Following Curry, the Warriors picked up Klay Thompson (2011) and Draymond Green (2012) in the draft and under Head Coach Mark Jackson, the Dubs ended a six-year playoff drought in 2013. The team acquired Andre Iguodala later that year and veteran guard Shaun Livingston would make his way to the Dubs following another playoff season in 2014, after which Steve Kerr was tabbed to be the team’s new head coach.
From there, the golden era of Warriors basketball began. Thompson would score 37 points in a quarter, Curry would earn his first NBA MVP in 2015, and the 67-15 Warriors would go on to win the NBA Finals, clinching the team’s first championship in 40 years with a Game 6 win in Cleveland.
The following season, the Warriors were arguably better. They won 24 straight games to start the season and wound up setting an NBA record with a 73-9 record, and Curry would win the MVP Award for the second straight season, this time becoming the first player in league history to win the award unanimously. The dream season, however, ended on a sour note, losing a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and seeing the Cavs celebrate their first title in franchise history on their home court.
The sting of that crushing Game 7 defeat was lightened by Kevin Durant’s Bay Area arrival in the summer of 2016. Championships would follow in 2017 and 2018, and Durant would be named NBA Finals MVP in both years.
DeMarcus Cousins signed with the Warriors as a free agent in the summer of 2018. And after a near year-long injury rehabilitation process, he made his Warriors debut in January, joining Curry, Thompson, Durant and Green to put five All-Stars from the prior season on the floor together for the same team for the first time in 43 years.
The Warriors are now entering another era as they wrap up their final season at Oracle Arena and bid farewell to the place the team has called home for past 47 years. Moreover, it’s the commitment and unwavering support of Warriors fans who have filled the arena with their roaring chants and spirited attitude through the decades, that have been the core to the Warriors’ success. As the Warriors look to take new ground in the fall of 2019, one thing is for certain; the Warriors will continue to be the Bay’s team.