I See Purple People: Kings Fans Invade Golden State
By Alex Maffei
Photo: Crown Downtown
“SAC-RA-MEN-TO! *clap clap clap-clap-clap* SAC-RA-MEN-TO!”
A familiar chant that is normally echoed thunderously within the confines of Sleep Train Arena was seared into the ears of begrudging Warriors fans at their home court in Oracle Arena Saturday night.
A routine Warrior trip up the basketball floor is normally accompanied by the in-house soundbite to the cadence of “Let’s Go Warr-iors!” from an audible Oakland crowd. But this was only inviting to the Kings faithful in attendance, to fire back with their “SAC-RA-MEN-TO!” chants met with boos and the chagrin of the self-proclaimed “ROARacle” crowd.
If you ever doubted Kings fans’ passion, don’t. They brought it all night in enemy territory.
Photo: Crown Downtown
Rolling down I-80 West from Sacramento in a rented out charter bus, was the Crown Downtown army, who also purchased a chunk of seats in Section 119 to put their purple passion on display in an opposing arena, joined by smatterings of fellow Sixth Men throughout the building.
The beloved Kings of Sacramento stayed in our city, jolting and rejuvenating our passion.
Crown Downtown member Ron Klint and company wanted to show that off and took the show on the road.
“It was a great experience that helped bring us even tighter together as Kings Family”, said Klint. “It’s a different feeling bringing it into someone else’s building and each time we meet more Kings fans”.
Even in a resounding pounding loss to the Warriors, Kings fans in Section 119 namely, kept up the volume, showing that we love our team no matter what.
Sacramento radio personality JayMarZZ, was also in attendance, “There is literally no other team in the world that has a fanbase that stays and cheers a team like crazy who is down 20 points”, he said. “It’s pretty amazing that a group of 40 people can be heard on TV in another team’s arena!”
The game concluded in a prolonged chant and a growing gathering of purple in that section with the “Sac-ra-men-to!” chant and various others keeping up loudly until security kicked us out, only to have the Kings circus spill out into the concourse and out of the building.
Seeming to light a fire under Warriors fans, this might be the spark to heat up the Kings-Warriors rivalry.
Not there? Watch below and be proud of your fellow purple faithful.