I-80 playoff showdown between Warriors and Kings tests allegiance of Solano County residents
SACRAMENTO -- The Interstate 80 NBA playoff series between the Warriors and the Kings puts a new spin on an old question: Where, exactly, does the Bay Area end? Or in this case, where does Kings country begin?
"We're kind of, Vacaville, is right in that middle," Chris explained. "Where you're going to see a town, probably if we had to put it on a percentage, probably a 50-50 split between both teams."
At Town Square Barbers in Vacaville, the Kings-Warriors question was pretty lopsided ahead of game one.
"Kings," Chris said proudly.
But even these Kings fans will admit, times have changed here on the edge of the valley.
ALSO READ: Historic I-80 NBA playoff series gives 'old school vibe' to Kings-Warriors showdown
"The older generation, Kings," said Town Square Barbers owner Bundy. "Younger generation, probably Warriors."
"I was the one of the only few that never switched up," Ryan laughed. "I never jumped on the Warriors. I never jumped on the Lakers. Always been struggling with the Kings."
They say what was oce decidedly Kings country has shifted in the Curry era.
"The Warriors have been so good for the last decade that we've gone over to blue and gold, you know," Chris added.
"But even if you grew up with that, you're starting to look over the fence like, 'I don't know it's looking pretty nice over there,'" Joe said of the Warriors success.
35 miles from Sacramento, 55 miles from San Francisco, Vacaville is a community divided by a generational rift of allegiances. But take a quick 10-minute drive to the east to Fairfield and there is the other side of this California fault line.
"A little bit more towards the Warriors," said Harry Petterson, owner of Harry's Sportsman's Lounge. "Even though we'll have a lot of Kings fans in here too. But mostly heavy on the Warriors."
While Fairfield is out on the edge, he says it is still firmly in Warriors territory.
" I think so," Peterson said. "This is just fantastic. And I'm a fan of both. This puts me in a dilemma. Never been in this spot before."
So the stage is set for the I-80 showdown. A competition among neighbors, a split among fans, and good news for sports bar owners.
"Yeah, this is right in the middle," Peterson laughed. "Which is a good spot to be."
