Eager fans arrive for first Golden State Warriors game at Chase Center

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - The long-awaited day finally came Saturday, the day the Golden State Warriors played in their new arena against the Los Angeles Lakers.

There was a lot to look forward to, "Just seeing how it compares to Oracle and seeing the difference between the two," said Warriors fan Paul Vitato.

Vitato and his 12 year old son, Austin, were decked out in blue and gold at Chase Center.

They seemed like Bay Area natives ready to root on their home team, but the father son duo is actually from Kentucky.

"My friend honestly got me into the Warriors because he showed me videos of [Steph] Curry, and he just shooting all these unbelievable shots and I immediately fell in love with him," said Austin.

They came all the way from the south to cheer on the Dubs in their first preseason game at Chase Center.

They stopped inside the Warriors Shop on its grand opening day to stock up on some swag before the big game.

The shop opened Saturday and is a step up from the old team store at Oracle Arena.

It's 10,000 square feet vs 1,000 square feet in Oakland. There's even a customization station where fans can get personalized jerseys and shirts.

The grand opening event had a DJ, photo booth and a live radio broadcast from 95.7 The Game.

"A lot more room to move around, new logo, new products, just a very enhanced experience," said Jeff Knepp, Senior Manager of Retail Operations.

The Warriors also have team stores in Westfield San Francisco Centre, Walnut Creek and Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose.