Do you guys think we're the most popular team in the world?

[Koosh]

All this talk about Americans not caring about our poor Canadian club has me thinking...

I know we have a diverse fanbase but is there any way for us to measure how big our fanbase really is? We have a ton of guys that have played at a high level in world tournaments so there's gotta be plenty of fans watching out of Spain, Slovenia, Argentina, Italy and other places where our players have played (like Israel). Obviously that's not gonna touch the hundreds of millions of Chinese fans that cheer for Houston and Milwaukee but not counting those clubs, we gotta be up there with Spurs, right?

Maybe some of our international posters here can fill us in? Are the Raps talked about in the media and popular in different countries around the world? I dunno about you guys but I don't give a flying fluck what Americans think and I'd be more honored if our team was renowned around the world instead.

[Mr. Perfect]

No, but we're probably up there.

The most popular team is probably the Lakers, with the rich history and all the Kobe fanboy's that cheer for them.

We don't have that one global icon superstar. Back in the day with Vince, we were probably one of the most popular teams in the world.

[Yuri Vaultin]

No. the Lakers, Celtics or Houston.

[The_Hater]

San Antonio with their multiple championships and international flavour probably has some long-reaching support too.

[TheMainEvent]

Even with the diversity and wide-variety of ethnicities represented on the Raptors, I dont think the Toronto Raptors are the most popular team around the world. I'd say it's now in the top 5... MAYBE top 3... but not the best.

I'd think San Antonio would be number 1.

The Los Angeles Lakers would be up there. Maybeeee the Boston Celtics cuz of the hoopla they created this year. Maybe Dallas? Probably Phoenix.

Sacramento probably used to, when they had Peja, Vlade, Turkoglu, etc.

I think the NY Knicks franchise is quite known around the world, but I figure they dont have any fans anymore, haha.

[N1QUE24]

Cleveland because of Ira Newble.

[RingItUp!]

No.

We're not even close. It's arguable whether or not we're more popular now than when we had Vince. And I'm not discounting our "Euro-flavour" and over-emphasizing the NA market.

Vince was a superstar for a few seasons here. It brought the franchise recognition around the world.

[mintsa]

I say Lakers. Becasue of Kobe & the history.

[Taiyab_K]

Bulls, I asked Arshad from PK.

[azorian]

I say it's a toss up between Chicago (jordan), lakers (history/kobe) and houston (yao, tmac, hakeem, drexler, barkley)

[raptor21_85]

CHICAGO BULLS - MICHAEL JORDAN

[Traveler]

In Spain, the most popular NBA teams amongst basketball fans are LA and Boston, because American basketball started to be well known during the 80's, in the heydays of the Magic/Bird rivalry and the mythos of those days is still alive. Even during the last years of awful Boston teams, they still had a loyal fanbase here. Chicago is also popular since MJ's days.

For non-basketball fans, Memphis has been probably the most popular in the last few years due to the Gasol craze. And I guess now LA will get again most of the buzz.

But Toronto has been getting a good deal of media coverage, both in spots media and in general ones, during the last couple of seasons and it's very appreciated, specially for fans of the sport.

[nordique]

Bulls, Lakers and Celtics...

[lupo]

In Spain, the most popular NBA teams amongst basketball fans are LA and Boston, because American basketball started to be well known during the 80's, in the heydays of the Magic/Bird rivalry and the mythos of those days is still alive. Even during the last years of awful Boston teams, they still had a loyal fanbase here. Chicago is also popular since MJ's days.

For non-basketball fans, Memphis has been probably the most popular in the last few years due to the Gasol craze. And I guess now LA will get again most of the buzz.

But Toronto has been getting a good deal of media coverage, both in spots media and in general ones, during the last couple of seasons and it's very appreciated, specially for fans of the sport.

agreed completely on the first and the last part. with LA and Boston i would say that also Chicago and New York have a pretty good fan base in italy.

of course non-basketball fans in italy right now are watching the raptors for bargnani and i think that the media coverage will improve with bargnani's improvements. there is only one italian player that could be followed by more italians and this is gallinari...i really hope that will go in toronto!

[ldnk]

It better be Milwaukee for how much they are playing Yi to suck.

[Kabookalu]

In the Philippines it's hands down the Lakers.

[rapstarr]

gonna have to go with the lakers and bulls, to some extend the knicks

[rapstarr]

Cleveland because of Ira Newble.

[CaptainFanchini]

-= original quote snipped =-



agreed completely on the first and the last part. with LA and Boston i would say that also Chicago and New York have a pretty good fan base in italy.

of course non-basketball fans in italy right now are watching the raptors for bargnani and i think that the media coverage will improve with bargnani's improvements. there is only one italian player that could be followed by more italians and this is gallinari...i really hope that will go in toronto!

I can agree with Lupo.

"Hardcore" and "oldschool" basketball fans in Italy are mostly fans of Celtics, Bulls or Lakers; some crazy people even of the Knicks

But Raptors are surely rising from some years, and not just because Andrea (even if mostly, of course).

I can't wait what will happen with Gallinari ... he's having more media exposure than Andrea ... Danilo has been a guest star even in some comedy show on TV

[5DOM]

chicago bulls