Spurs spill the beans, confirm ‘Coffee Gang’ merchandise line will launch soon

Starting next week, Spurs fans will be able to join the team’s tradition of coffee gang meetups.

Well, sort of. Diehards will be able to wear matching merchandise, at least. After teasing the new products earlier this week, Spurs confirmed to MySA Friday that a limited edition line of Coffee Gang novelty items including t-shirts, hats, stickers and mugs will be up for grabs starting April 1.

It’s no April Fool’s Day joke, the team is inviting fans to join the tradition Patty Mills and fellow founders Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter formed years ago. Though the original members have hung up their Spurs jerseys, there are some déjà brew moments as Mills carries on the beloved tradition with his newer teammates.

Jordan Mandelkorn, the team’s director of marketing, said the the idea for the 12-piece collection was to produce something that was “organic” to the team.

“We were trying to do something that we felt was true to the team culture and gave fans the opportunity to be part of that bonding experience,” he added.

Mandelkorn said Mills has been involved in the production process since the first design sketches were drawn up.

“We wanted to make sure that this is something the team was excited about and felt was true to what they created,” Mandelkorn said.

Spurs center Drew Eubanks joked that the team will be wearing matching pieces of the line the next time the squad meets up for coffee. The third season coffee crew member said it was Mills who drew him in to joining, mostly by intrigue.

“I started noticing Patty would show up to a game with a cup of coffee,” Eubanks remembered. “He’d have one right before we went out on the court and then we’d come in at halftime and he’d be sipping on coffee and I’m like ‘What’s this guy doing?’ Obviously he’s a great player — he’s Patty Mills, so I’m like ‘Alright, I need to try what’s he’s doing.’ Now it’s a habit I can’t kick.”

The love of coffee runs hot off the court, too. Eubanks said the coffee gang gives the team a chance to explore each city they travel to and relax.

“It’s getting out in a different city, hanging out with the guys and getting away from basketball and just talking about family stuff, joking around, all while coffee’s at the center,” he said. “It’s what brings us together, so it’s just good comradery and a good team-building activity.”

The limited edition collection will go on sale on the Spurs website and at the AT&T Center’s Fan Shop on April 1 at 7:30 p.m., as the team hosts the Atlanta Hawks. Remaining items will be sold at the The Shops at La Cantera Spur Fan Shop the following day starting at 11 a.m.