The San Antonio Spurs reportedly will be disbanding the Silver Dancers -- their all-female dance team -- starting in the 2018-19 season. The Spurs will instead have a 35-member "family friendly" coed hype team. Apparently, it was due to the dance team not drawing enough "fan interest."
The #Spurs Silver Dancers are no more. I am told the @SilverDancers were told tonight that the program was ending due to lack of fan interest & would be replaced with a larger co-ed team. The news does further explain the press release SS&E sent out today. #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/8dNeAwSMBl
— Jason Minnix (@JasonMinnix) May 19, 2018
According to a press release from the Spurs, the hype team will be doing "tumbling, acrobatics, dance and stunts." They will also "participate in a variety of community events and public appearances as well as perform at home games." The name is TBD.
The Spurs are the first team to disband their dance squad. As one might expect, members of the team felt blindsided by the news, and they questioned the motives behind the Spurs ending the team.
Lack of fan interest? Wonder where all these followers and YouTube views came from. Not to mention all the $ made for the organization bc of THOUSANDS of kids thru Jr. Silver Dancers Program, prep classes... Hundreds of hours of community service etc... 26 yr legacy, gone. pic.twitter.com/sLkPM7MXYt
— melissa (@melissaaschoon) May 19, 2018
I am truly heartbroken and at a loss for words for an organization I held so dear to my heart. This year is one I will never forget. The legacy we left will live on forever. Love my girls🖤 #jeremiah29:11 pic.twitter.com/TPSd8Z6WYi
— Alexis Bonilla (@lexbonilla2) May 19, 2018
“Going in another direction” that is “more family friendly” 👎🏼 said “lack of interest by fans” was the reason. Pfffff! There’s definitely more to the story
— Lisa Elaine (@LisaElaine9) May 19, 2018
The Silver Dancers, who have been a part of the Spurs' gameday entertainment since 1992, have also had their Twitter and Instagram accounts taken down, not to mention their webpage on the team site. The move is already a divisive one. While some are lauding the Spurs for making games a more "family-friendly experience," others are bemoaning them taking away a mainstay of the team for 26 years.
The Spurs, however, seem happy with what they have planned.
"We are excited to announce our new Spurs hype team," Spurs Sports & Entertainment Vice President Tammy Turner said in the Spurs' release. "This team will further enhance the game-night experience for Spurs fans at the AT&T Center."
