The 2025 NCAA Men’s Final Four came to a thrilling conclusion on Monday, with the Alamodome hosting a championship game where the Florida Gators triumphed over the University of Houston in a hard-fought battle that kept college basketball fans on the edge of their seats.
Among the 66,602 fans at the Final Four games were several San Antonio council members, who used city-funded tickets, according to a KSAT investigation.
Records attained by KSAT, which the San Antonio Report has also requested from the city, show the city’s Convention and Sports Facilities Department spent $20,000 on 20 VIP tickets, each worth $1,000, for council members and a guest.
In a statement given to the Report, a city spokesman said it is “perfectly normal for council members to represent the city at an event of this magnitude,” noting that the 10 council members and the mayor were each offered two tickets.
“…We used Alamodome revenues to purchase the tickets,” said Brian Chasnoff, assistant director of communications for the city. “The NCAA Men’s Final Four tournament placed San Antonio on a national stage and will be an economic boon to the city, injecting an estimated $440 million into the community.”
The city had also previously purchased NCAA Final Four tickets for the mayor and council members in 2018.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg attended the event, having received two tickets from the city manager’s office allotment, which were purchased by the city. These tickets were not part of the 20-ticket allotment for the council, the mayor’s office said in a statement. The mayor took his son Jonah as his guest.
“The mayor’s tickets are in the NCAA president’s section, and the mayor is serving as an official ambassador of the city,” the mayor’s office stated.
Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1) didn’t say if she utilized the city-issued tickets, but told the Report she was honored to represent the city in attendance at the Final Four events, including the free viewing of the women’s championship games at Civic Park.
“It was an amazing experience to see young girls and families from our community enjoy an event that brings so much notoriety and economic benefit,” she said.
Councilman Jalen McKee Rodriguez (D2) said he’s never been much of a sports fan, so he usually passes on game tickets when they are offered. However, he said he did attend the Saturday Final Four game at the Alamodome between University of Houston and Duke to “represent the city and take part in important conversations about San Antonio’s future.”
“While there, I had the opportunity to speak with a Fortune 500 CEO about investing in our community — including the proposed Spurs arena and the existing Frost Bank Center,” he said. “As a city-owned facility, tickets at the Alamodome typically come at no cost, so I wasn’t aware of the retail value until now. I understand the concerns, and I believe it’s important we continue to have conversations about transparency and responsible use of public resources.”
Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran (D3) defended the practice of attending such events, calling it an essential part of being a good representative for the city.
“We’re supposed to be there and be a good ambassador for the city, supporting the entertainment and promoting our city’s greatness,” she said.
Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia, however, expressed discomfort upon learning the city had paid for the tickets, especially after realizing the cost.
“When I found out, I immediately felt uncomfortable and decided to reimburse the city,” she said, adding that she was unaware of the tickets’ cost until after the event. She shared text messages with the San Antonio Report showing that she had not been informed about the city funding the tickets beforehand.
Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito (D7) said she did not request or use the tickets provided by the city. Councilman Manny Pelaez (D8) told the Report he wasn’t aware the city had offered them tickets and he did not attend any Final Four events. In the midst of a mayoral campaign, Pelaez added he also didn’t see value in a council member attending any of the games.
“What value does a councilperson going to those events really add to the city?” he said. “I’ve never had a constituent tell me, ‘Thank you for representing me at the Men’s Collegiate Basketball Final Four.'”
Council members Teri Castillo (D5), Melissa Cabello Havrda (D6) and John Courage (D9) did not respond to the San Antonio Report’s requests for comments, while Councilman Marc Whyte (D10) declined to comment.
