From overtime thrillers to anger at flopping superstars, San Antonio Spurs fans have had plenty to get frustrated about over the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With a spot in the NBA Finals on the line, it only makes sense that emotions will be high. But in a way, gas station bragging rights are also on the line.
This goes beyond Texas vs. Oklahoma and some strange version of the Red River Rivalry. In case you haven’t noticed, the Thunder have the Love’s Travel Stops logo plastered on their jerseys. So, if we consider the Spurs the unofficial Buc-ee’s representative, the series becomes a battle for which travel stop chain is No. 1: Buc-ee’s or Love’s?
Texans are bound to have seen the Love’s logo on numerous highways as more than 50 criss-cross the entire state. The Love’s Travel Stop in Luling even sits on the opposite side of I-10 from the largest Buc-ee’s in the world, emphasizing the chain rivalry. But the company’s roots are in Oklahoma, where it opened in 1964 and is still headquartered in Oklahoma City with more than 600 locations nationwide.
“As we continue to grow our network of travel stops along our nation’s highways, expanding the Love’s partnership with the Oklahoma City Thunder in this way helps elevate our brand to an even broader audience,” Love’s Founder and Executive Chairman Tom Love said in a news release. “Our core values align with the Thunder’s, and we are proud to support our hometown team and extend that pride across the country.”
So, it’s as simple as this. Buc-ee’s and Love’s fans can go back and forth on which is the superior rest stop, but whichever state sends their team to the NBA Finals will be the ultimate indicator of bragging rights.