Animal rights group PETA is calling on the San Antonio Spurs to change their longtime team name to the San Antonio Spores, arguing that “spurs” celebrate a device used to inflict pain on animals.
In a letter sent this week to Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt, PETA proposed the fungi-inspired rebrand as a more compassionate alternative. The group highlighted Texas’s mushroom industry and suggested new uniforms featuring the state mushroom, *Chorioactis geaster*, while noting that the current name could be seen as glorifying tools linked to rodeo animal suffering.
PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk stated that switching to “Spores” would be a “slam-dunk” that could spark a national conversation around healthy eating and animal-friendly branding. The organization acknowledged the request is a tall order but offered to assist with the transition.
In my inbox this morning: PETA has sent an official letter to the #Spurs' Peter J. Holt asking the team to rebrand from the San Antonio Spurs to the "Spores."
— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) June 16, 2026
The organization cited the use of Spurs in team branding as glorifying animal abuse in rodeo settings. Their new idea: pic.twitter.com/Le3EeW5GZd
The Spurs, whose name dates back to the team’s arrival in San Antonio in the early 1970s and reflects the city’s cowboy heritage, have not publicly responded to the proposal. The team has built a passionate fan base around the Spurs identity over more than five decades of NBA play, including multiple championships.
The suggestion has drawn a mix of amusement and skepticism online, with many fans viewing it as another example of PETA’s provocative campaigns targeting sports teams and traditions. No timeline or formal response from the organization has been announced.
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