The Toronto Raptors rebuilt their fan base

GED Education · Post #41 » by **GED Education** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:17 am

Always remember this.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKUkOKXc0nA&list=UUYBFE432C2AmNRDGEXE4uVg[/youtube]

Macho · Post #42 » by **Macho** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:19 am

Been here since Loren Woods was our starting C.

BlackMaple · Post #43 » by **BlackMaple** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:29 am

I went out last night and I've definitely noticed a buzz regarding the Raptors in hockey-crazed London Ontario. Bandwagoners or not...the more people cheering on the Raps, the merrier!

Post #44 » by **TheDoctor** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:40 am

Been here (RGM) since just after we last won a road playoff game.

Been a Raptors fan since Isaiah ran through a dinosaur.

Young_Buc · Post #45 » by **Young_Buc** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 4:47 am

Been on message boards since arguing with dagger (then accfan99) about why we should give McGrady the max without him deserving it. Been around long enough to appreciate Mike_Toronto or to know that mrchristiescookies is guy smiley and that harry palmer is an intelligent misunderstood soul.

I've been here long enough to know that ambercrombie and its male fashion models is the american dream.
That's long.

TheBatman · Post #46 » by **TheBatman** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:26 am

DemarEvolution wrote:
RoleModel wrote:[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97hFKePDFdY[/youtube]

This is what it's all about.

And the raptors aren't even at home.

#turndownforwhat

Boogie! · Post #47 » by **Boogie!** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:38 am

MEDIC wrote:
GED Education wrote:
g.muresan wrote:
Why bring race in to the equation?

Yeah I don't understand it either. There are a lot of visible minorities though - which is GREAT. This is what Toronto is.....the first time "real" Toronto has been seen on TV for North America to see.

Yeah, the crowd is much more diverse than in the VC years. It's nice to see people from all backgrounds come out & support our sports teams.

most current raptors fans became fans during the vc years... and they were all kids then... myself included. now we've grown up and can finally go out and spend money to support the team... or just go buy beer and stand in an empty lot to watch the game.

AndreasLeftCalf · Post #48 » by **AndreasLeftCalf** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:40 am

its a great time to be a fan of this team :clap:

Boogie! · Post #49 » by **Boogie!** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:42 am

AndreasLeftCalf wrote:its a great time to be a fan of this team

this is amazing because i'm pretty sure none of us expected this, especially after the rudy gay trade... we were all talking about tanking for wiggins... and now we're in the freaking playoffs and our fans are going nuts, that turnout was spectacular man... i can't believe that many people showed up to stand in the square for an AWAY game... there was more intensity there than there was in brooklyn... that's honestly awesome, i couldn't believe it...

Vtop · Post #50 » by **Vtop** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:49 am

Yes a lot of our fans are brown so what

orbesnet · Post #51 » by **orbesnet** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 1:44 pm

I think the fan base has always been there, but the playoffs set the stage to showcase just how many people support the Raps. And it definitely brings in those fringe fans who sadly probably didn't watch the most entertaining regular season but tuned in for the playoffs.

vaff87 · Post #52 » by **vaff87** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:20 pm

Mr_NC wrote:The fans have always been here, I'VE BEEN HERE, we just didnt have much to cheer for.

As for the ticket prices, in an earlier thread acouple months ago they said that they would raise the ticket by an avg. of $2 lets see if they keep to their word #NOTHOLDINGMYBREATH

No, you haven't. Everyone knows the day you sign-up for RealGM is the day you become a real Raptors fan :wink:

.

tecumseh18 · Post #53 » by **tecumseh18** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:49 pm

I don't think we should over-emphasize the youth or the diversity angles here. I know a bunch of middle age white professionals who really like basketball, and regularly go to games with them. There's no limits on the breadth of the appeal of a winning team playing a sport with personalities that are fun to watch even if they're beating you.

Speaking of hockey guys, I was really impressed when I heard (former HNIC host) Dave Hodge talking seriously about basketball. I always thought Dave was smart, and it was comforting to know that he "gets" it.

DDP · Post #54 » by **DDP** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:57 pm

justinmacd wrote:This city is so diverse. The Raps will never be the #1 team in town but they could still be a massive draw.

Immigrants from India, China, etc don't give a **** about the Leafs... But a lot of them could become Raps fans. I know all sorts of Pakistanis, Indians, Chinese, etc. from work that have converted to Raps fans since the playoffs began.

People need to stop saying this stuff. Everyone watches the leafs, for example I play In an Indian ball hockey league set up by temples/mosques etc. there is a massive waiting list to get on. Virtually every Indian I know watches and follows them to some degree.

Just like everyone, new or old in the USA watches the NFL. I lived in DC, in my building my neighbour was Filipino and 60ish, been in states for about 10 years and could tell you everything about the skins.

Just like if you end up the UK you will gravitate to soccer, people will always watch the biggest just because it represents the local culture. The difference is we also watch ball, and are more accepting of it, no one needs to teach you how to play/follow the game like hockey where you need to learn how to skate.

Basketball really is the youth thing, if you are under 30-35 the game is not foreign like it would be to a person who is 50 and never grew up with it.

Courtside · Post #55 » by **Courtside** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:09 pm

YoungG wrote:
lolwut wrote:
UnRealGM wrote:surprisingly it's mostly made up of visible minorities.

Are they still visible "minorities" if they outnumber the "majority"?

Thank you, this right here. The term minority needs to be demolished. If the word is being used to describe non-caucasian races, then sound logic dictates that the "majority" is the real "minority".

It's also not true.

If you looked up the demographics of the GTA and saw 50% white, 15% asian, 15% brown and 10% black - that is pretty much exactly what you see in the Raptor fanbase.

It's a great thing that the Raptors are being embraced by all cultures in this city. It's apparent in any crowd shot, but it's also apparent that it's still largely supported by white people also. While visible minorities make up a larger portion of the Raptor fanbase than they do in hockey, I would say that it's simply representative of the population here. It's diverse and so are the crowds, but white people are represented very well.

This narrative that white Toronto doesn't support the Raptors needs to stop.

TheGoodDoctor · Post #56 » by **TheGoodDoctor** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:11 pm

UnRealGM wrote:surprisingly it's mostly made up of visible minorities.

Surprisingly Sterling posts here.

Slim_Charles · Post #57 » by **Slim_Charles** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:14 pm

Risk101 wrote:

Nets crowds look all the same.

They can't compare to ours

LOL

LLJ · Post #58 » by **LLJ** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:22 pm

I was at maple leaf square last night and there was a decent mix of all ethnicities. No one really dominant color.

gei · Post #59 » by **gei** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:33 pm

LLJ wrote:I was at maple leaf square last night and there was a decent mix of all ethnicities. No one really dominant color.

It really is amazing how multicultural our fan base is and a great representation of Toronto in general - this is what makes us unique.

I was at game 3 in Brooklyn and the Raps fans in attendance were also a mix of all races - no one dominant ethnicity, but a good mix of all hardcore fans who came down to support the team.

Yallbecrazy · Post #60 » by **Yallbecrazy** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:37 pm

Risk101 wrote:

Nets crowds look all the same.

They can't compare to ours

They got some stacked fans in Brooklyn, I may have to visit there soon