Some sports can bring out the worst in fans, though anti-Hispanic sentiments are probably not what gets unleashed for most people. That’s why the internet went abuzz after a viral video of a grandmother texting during an NBA game featured blatant anti-Hispanic chat messages, and in a San Antonio Spurs game in Texas, nonetheless.
The incident took place during the Spurs vs Suns game in Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, specifically on March 19. A TikTok user named inluvwganineee managed to capture the text messages of an old woman in front of her, showing her texting someone saved as “Chris.” In the exchange, she writes, “A lot of crazy Hispanic fans,” followed by, “All Hispanic! How can they afford it.”
For those interested, the Spurs narrowly secured a 101–100 victory, highlighted by a game-winning moment from star Victor Wembanyama. But online, attention quickly shifted away from the court and toward the now-viral footage. The roughly 10-second clip amassed millions of views, along with hundreds of thousands of likes and thousands of comments, before being briefly deleted in the main account. Thankfully, the video was also shared by multiple sports pages online, where it continued to gain traction.
Social media users widely condemned the messages, calling them offensive and out of touch, particularly in a city like San Antonio, where Hispanic residents make up a significant majority of the population. Other posts have since labeled the old woman as the “Racist lady was spotted texting at last night’s Spurs game,” though the label has sparked a debate about what counts as racism these days.
People Online are Calling Out the Old Woman
The identity of the woman in the video remains unknown, and it is unclear whether she will face any consequences. The Spurs organization has not issued an official statement as of Friday afternoon. Reactions from Hispanic people, on the other hand, were what you can expect, with one local bar owner even outright saying, “Grandma, you’re halfway there. Just call me a bean.”
Local figures also weighed in. Television sports reporter Jeff Garcia called the video a “damn shame,” while Tim Morrow described it as “disgusting.” Author Shea Serrano took a more sarcastic tone, joking online about legally changing his name to “Crazy Hispanic Fan.” Some people online, however, took on a more neutral stance, such as “Granny comes from a different time and her thoughts are outdated. Don’t ruin her life because she was conditioned the way she was.”
Still, the incident has ignited a broader conversation about race, representation, and belonging in professional sports arenas, especially in cities where diversity is not the exception but the norm.
