12: 09 PM ET
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — Sacramento Kings fans making the drive to San Francisco for Game 3 of their playoff series against the Golden State Warriors should keep their cowbells at home.
The Kings warned their fans that cowbells aren’t permitted in Chase Center — the Warriors’ home arena — and that fans trying to bring them in will be forced to leave them at the outdoor bag check location.
Cowbells have been prevalent at Kings games ever since former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson called Sacramento a “cow town” two decades ago, leading to fans bringing the noisemakers to games during showdowns with the Lakers.
The Kings are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006. There were some cowbells at their home games at the Golden 1 Center for Games 1 and 2, although not nearly as many as during the heyday of the 2002 Western Conference finals against the Lakers.
Kings fans going to a watch party at the arena in Sacramento will be able to bring cowbells.