The Golden State Warriors won the NBA Championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers this June, making this their third NBA title in four years and second consecutively.
In the weeks preceding the final game, fans showed their loyalty to the “W,” attending games decked out in Warriors gear. When the Warriors played the Cavaliers on their turf, fans of the Warriors filled the Oracle Arena for a ‘watch party’ to show their support. Finally, following the win of game 4 and the wrap up of the NBA Championship, fans gathered in Oakland for the Warriors victory parade.
Since the Warriors are moving to San Francisco starting next year, a lot of Oakland-based fans were eager to show their support for the team throughout their last journey in Oracle Arena.
“When the final buzzer rang we threw on the best running shoes that we could find and we sprinted around the block just saying ‘Go Warriors,’” said Justice Delos Santos, an eager Warriors’ fan. “You know just causing like a whole mess.”
If there was one magnet that brings together the diverse population of Oakland, it definitely would be the Warriors’ team.
“Warriors fans do a really good job of sort of representing what the Bay Area is about,” said Santos. “We sort of have this collective ‘Bay area against the world’ mentality.”
The atmosphere they created, the chants they passionately sang, and the apparel they proudly wore will forever be part of the city’s history.
This is their 6th championship since the team was created in 1946. Their previous championship victories were won in 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, and 2017. Following their stellar performance, the team has been referenced as “the dynasty of all dynasties” by their followers during the last few years.
It has also brought an international interest to American basketball with fans coming from around the world to watch the Warriors in action. With fans coming in to watch the NBA final games from San Ramon to San Francisco to New Orleans to even China, the list of possible locations doesn’t end.
The love for the Oakland team was showcased during the Trophy Parade. Hundreds of thousands of fans gathered around the city starting as early as 6:30 a.m. to be on the front rows to witness this last parade, before the team moves to San Francisco.
This keen interest in the team grew increasingly popular at the start of the “We Believe Era” in 2006 in which the team changed its status of “the laughing stock of all sports” to “the serious competitor for the title.”
Even though the current support around the team comes from their recent rise to success, the Golden State Warriors have a very loyal fan base. One that stands out from those cheering for other teams, and one that will continue to show their support in upcoming years.
