Minnesota Timberwolves expecting "packed" Wells Fargo Arena for preseason game with 76ers

The NBA is returning to Des Moines later next month when the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers play a preseason game at Wells Fargo Arena on Oct. 11.

Interest in the game has been so high that it might not be the last time a preseason game comes to Central Iowa.

Ryan Tanke, chief operating officer of the Timberwolves, said this year’s game is approaching 10,000 tickets sold which bodes well for future preseason games in Des Moines.

“I think it’s important,” Tanke said. “It’s not something that we would do every year as we rotate through things like international games and other requirements. But it’s something we certainly want to make a fairly regular habit of engaging inside of that market.”

Coming to Iowa has always been part of the plan since the Timberwolves purchased the Iowa Energy and rebranded them as the Iowa Wolves to become Minnesota's NBA G League affiliate. Tanke said the goal was to commit to the area that they were here to stay.

NBA preseason games have helped do that.

The Timberwolves return to Iowa after playing a preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Hilton Coliseum back in 2018. This game will be played at Wells Fargo Arena, the home of the Iowa Wolves.

“Wells Fargo Arena should be packed,” Tanke said. “It’s a chance to see some players like Naz Reid and others that have come through our Iowa Wolves program and a chance to maybe see some other guys that might play a little bit down there this season as well.”

It’ll also be a homecoming for Philadelphia coach and Carrol native Nick Nurse. He coached the Energy and guided the team to its lone championship in 2011. That, coupled with the recent run of success for the Timberwolves, has made a ticket to October’s game a hot commodity.

“We are certainly trending towards a great crowd, if not a capacity crowd,” Tanke said.

Tanke said it's another piece of evidence that pro basketball is thriving in Iowa. The Iowa Wolves are coming off a season that saw them break a franchise record for attendance with over 103,000 total fans coming to games last season.

"Iowa's obviously got a tremendous basketball fandom throughout the state, both on the men's and women's side. And so this preseason game is an opportunity for us to tap into the fans and celebrate the growing interest throughout Iowa and NBA basketball," Tanke said.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Minnesota Timberwolves expecting "packed" Wells Fargo Arena for preseason game with 76ers