No matter what happens on the court, we all support Masai Ujiri's vision and our beloved Raptors organization. We'll strive for a championship - "We the North!"
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Raptors’ first game?
The Raptors' first regular season was played at the SkyDome against the New Jersey Nets, November 3, 1995. Alvin Robertson scored the franchise's first points with 33,306 supporters in attendance. The Raptors defeated the Nets 94-79 with contributions from Damon Stoudamire (10 points and 10 assists) and Robertson (30 pts).
Is Canada home to many NBA teams?
Since 2001, the Toronto Raptors have been the only Canadian NBA team. From 1995 to 2001, the Vancouver Grizzlies was an NBA team. They moved to Memphis and became known as the Memphis Grizzlies. Canada did have two teams--the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies--for a brief time during the late 1990s, but no other Canadian cities currently have an NBA team. Canadian basketball fans are still passionate, even though Canada does not have an NBA team. Many Canadians travel to the United States to see games. The Toronto Raptors have been a famous team since their inception in 1995 and continue to draw large crowds for their home games at Scotiabank Arena. Hundreds of Canadians also travel annually to attend the NBA All-Star Weekend in the United States. Canada can host more than one NBA basketball team with its 38 million population. Many North American basketball fans debate the possibility of having a second NBA team. The Toronto Raptors continue to be the only Canadian representation within the NBA.
Canadian Elite Basketball League(CEBL) is a Canadian professional basketball team. This league features six teams, including the Fraser Valley Bandits in Abbotsford, BC, Edmonton Stingers in Edmonton, Alberta, Guelph Nighthawks in Guelph Ontario, Hamilton Honey Badgers and Saskatchewan Rattlers in Saskatchewan. The Niagara River Lions are located at St. Catharines, Ontario. The CEBL is Canada's only professional league for basketball.
The National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC), a professional men's basketball team, was in existence from 2011 through 2020. It featured eight teams from Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, Cape Breton, Summerside, London, Windsor and Kitchener. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of operations at the NBLC in 2020.
Canada also has junior hockey leagues, like the Canadian National Basketball League. This semi-professional men's league is located in Vancouver BC. The CNB features teams from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Canadian Elite Development League - Another junior basketball league in Canada, the CEDL features teams mostly from the Greater Toronto Area. AC) and Canadian Youth Basketball League. These leagues provide opportunities for young basketball players to develop their skills while competing in a competitive environment.
Why did NBA leave Vancouver?
NBA left Vancouver after a dispute regarding arena financing. The City of Vancouver was to contribute $40million towards the construction a new basketball venue. This would include 12 luxury suites as well as two restaurants, a bar and a hotel. The City Council decided to give $60 million to the team owners to help pay off existing debt. This meant that the city would have had to borrow $200m in order to build the arena. While the team owners had only to pay $20 million, this was a huge difference. This would result in the city being responsible for paying the rest of its loan.
If the NBA would agree to keep Rogers Arena open until the opening of the new facility, the City Council was willing to approve the plan. The league refused to sign on, claiming that the arena was no longer large enough. Because it was too small, they didn't want anymore to play there. They felt that it was unfair for them to continue playing in a smaller space when they weren't receiving any additional revenue.
The City Council asked for financial assistance and offered to help the province. The province agreed to provide $150 million towards the project, but the City Council still needed another $100 million. That's when the City decided to drop its plans and focus on building a new downtown arena instead.
Statistics
- By 2018, estimated the Raptors were worth $1.4 billion, 12th in the NBA. (en.wikipedia.org)
- In November of the 1996–97 season, Bitove sold his ownership interest in the team to Slaight for $65 million after Slaight had activated a shotgun clause in their partnership agreement,[32][33] giving Slaight 79 percent control of the team, [34] (en.wikipedia.org)
- This improved during the 2006–07 regular season to an average of 18,258 fans (13th in the league), 92.2 percent capacity at the Air Canada Centre. (en.wikipedia.org)
- After Thomas attempted to execute a letter of intent with Slaight to purchase the team failed, he resigned from his position in November and sold his 9 percent stake in the team to Slaight. (en.wikipedia.org)
- Thomas named Raptors' GM NBA superstar to have 10% stake in the new franchise". (en.wikipedia.org)
External Links
basketball-reference.com
raptorshq.com
- Tip in, Toronto Raptors' Game: Not Just Any Williams
- Raptors HQ, a Toronto Raptors community
sportingnews.com/ca
assets1.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/teams/toronto-raptors
How To
Best time to catch a Toronto Raptors' game
The Toronto Raptors usually play during weekdays between October-April. Weekends are usually reserved for concerts and festivals.
You should book tickets in advance as they sell quickly.
Wednesday is the most popular day for Toronto Raptors fans to visit. This is due to the fact that many fans arrive early in order to view pregame warmups.
Fans head to Nathan Phillips Square next to the ACC after the game. They stay there through the end.
After 8pm is the best time to go to a Toronto Raptor match. The stadium is empty before midnight, but fans return to celebrate their team's win.
Resources:
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