Toronto Raptors to get an overhaul? Maybe name change as well?

[IceCap]

Kind of pompous for the Raptors to hold themselves out as "Canada's team". They are pretty much irrelevant in Western Canada, bordering on being a non-entity. I know a lot of NBA fans and I can't think of one person who would describe themselves as a Raptors fan. Maybe they like the odd player, etc. but I don't think the Raptors really register west of Barrie. At least no more than, say, the Milwaukee Bucks.

It's funny you bring up the Bucks, because the Bucks and Raptors are the two NBA franchises that I have to remind myself still exist. Outside of their local markets, they just don't seem to resonate. How beloved is the Raptors brand in Toronto? Would anybody care if they rebranded?

These days the Raptors have little to no presence outside of the GTA. They did, once upon a time. Back when they first came into the NBA and later when they were a playoff contender during the Vince Carter years. Not any more though. You can't be Canada's Team when you're not even making a real effort to win over fans in your backyard.

[Nyk33]

Kind of pompous for the Raptors to hold themselves out as "Canada's team". They are pretty much irrelevant in Western Canada, bordering on being a non-entity. I know a lot of NBA fans and I can't think of one person who would describe themselves as a Raptors fan. Maybe they like the odd player, etc. but I don't think the Raptors really register west of Barrie. At least no more than, say, the Milwaukee Bucks.

It's funny you bring up the Bucks, because the Bucks and Raptors are the two NBA franchises that I have to remind myself still exist. Outside of their local markets, they just don't seem to resonate. How beloved is the Raptors brand in Toronto? Would anybody care if they rebranded?

These days the Raptors have little to no presence outside of the GTA. They did, once upon a time. Back when they first came into the NBA and later when they were a playoff contender during the Vince Carter years. Not any more though. You can't be Canada's Team when you're not even making a real effort to win over fans in your backyard.

How popular is basketball outside of the GTA?

Is there a particular place known for liking the sport?

[Lee.]

Saskatchewan seems to love basketball,Saskatoon in particular. It's a pretty big deal in Vancouver too, albeit at a high school and college level.

[nicktharipper]

Seriously though, it would be really cool if they took 'Velociraptor' literally

http://myths-made-real.blogspot.com/2011/11/creature-feature-velociraptors.html

They could then go 'multi color' like the Toronto FC crest posted a few pages back.

[Lee.]

Or they could go Bird of Prey route, which means pissing off Atlanta.

[trueblues]

Toronto Huskies.

"Winter is coming."

Done.

[IceCap]

[walby2]

How popular is basketball outside of the GTA?

Is there a particular place known for liking the sport?

In Canada, basketball itself is fairly popular mainly because it is a popular school sport to participate in across the country. As a spectator sport it tends to have pockets of very enthusiastic support but that doesn't really translate into a broader level of interest... for instance, many under-30 younger people, especially urban youth and immigrants, would probably fall into the category of huge NBA fans. But the same kinds of middle-aged white guys who would regularly engage in water-cooler conversation about hockey or football (be it NFL or CFL) probably wouldn't ever talk about the NBA unless maybe they lived in Toronto and actually went to a few games.

I think Ice_Cap's assessment is at the top of this page is bang on. For a while it looked like the Raptors were going take off and ascend to that "Canada's team" status but for the last decade they have faded into a certain obscurity where they are "Canada's team" about as much as the Calgary Flames or the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are.

[29texan]

Easy.

[powersurge]

I always laugh when I hear a team say "We want to be Canada's team" because the majority of the time they are usually as far from being Canada's team as humanly possible. I can also usually predict the two or three major elements of that team's identity: Red as the primary color, black, silver or grey as a secondary color, and the maple leaf prominently featured/awkwardly forced somewhere into the logo and uniforms.

It almost seems like they are pandering more to average American sports fans who seem to know absolutely nothing about Canada to try to position themselves as being something different from the US as opposed to catering to Canadian fans. If I didn't know any better I would almost think that all Canadians are reverse color blind and can only see red, have some sick uncontrollable fetish about a leaf and will buy everything and everything with a maple leaf on it, and that they actually give a $#!t about something other than beer and hockey. If I were Canadian I would tell that team to go F#$% themselves and give me something truly unique that isn't some tired old stereotypical horse$#!t.

[Mr. Aware Eagle]

I'd love to see the Raptors make some kind of change, whether it's bringing back purple or going blue with the rest of the Toronto teams. I'm just not a fan of their current look.

[eliasrappaport]

As long as they bring back purple and the side panels from 2000, I'm happy.

[eliasrappaport]

I love how us Americans are talking about how arrogant Canada is being putting leaves and red all over their jerseys etc. despite the fact that every all star/pro bowl/olympic jersey we have is all red, white, blue, and stripes and stars.

[McCall]

I love how us Americans are talking about how arrogant Canada is being putting leaves and red all over their jerseys etc. despite the fact that every all star/pro bowl/olympic jersey we have is all red, white, blue, and stripes and stars.

All-Star kind of makes it obvious, don't ya think? And the Olympics are the national team so it's kind of appropriate there too, wouldn't you say?

[Chromatic]

Or they could go Bird of Prey route, which means pissing off Atlanta.

The bird of prey thing is ridiculously overused across all sports.

I think Huskies works well, and the Blue-White colours. No NBA team uses those, unlike the overused red and black.

[dbadefense1990]

The most famous Canadian associated with the sport of basketball:

[McCall]

The most famous Canadian associated with the sport of basketball:

Or you know, Steve Nash.

[AAO]

The most famous Canadian associated with the sport of basketball:

Or you know, Steve Nash.

Whoa. You can't say Canada and basketball in the same sentence without mentioning this guy. Neither of the aforementioned would have a career without this guy (because Drake's basketball skill in Degrassi got him to the rap game ) -

http://en.wikipedia..../James_Naismith

[dbadefense1990]

The most famous Canadian associated with the sport of basketball:

Or you know, Steve Nash.

But technically, Nash isn't full Canadian since he was born in Johannesburg. At least Aubrey "Jimmy" Graham was born within the GTA area.

[powersurge]

I love how us Americans are talking about how arrogant Canada is being putting leaves and red all over their jerseys etc. despite the fact that every all star/pro bowl/olympic jersey we have is all red, white, blue, and stripes and stars.

Big difference when you are talking about major sporting events or national sports. It would be expected in that case. This is totally different.