Who will be the winner in the Raptors run for the Title?

Photo courtesy of Frank Gunn, The Canadian Press

 

By Eduardo Harari

 

Toronto. - While the team is making magic moments on the floor of the Scotiabank Arena, just a few steps away the management of the organization is looking at the financials and determining how they can cash in more of the excitement.

 

For years now the product on the field has been improving minute to minute but last summer's move to exchange the beloved DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green was the icing on the cake.

 

The Raptors walked into the playoffs this season with more confidence than ever and showed it by getting rid of the Orlando Magic in an astonishing fashion in a franchise first 5 game wins. Now they just accomplished the ultimate show of strength and stamina by defeating Philadelphia in a courageous game 7 in the conference semifinals.

 

But why then is there more excitement outside the Arena than in previous years? Have the Raptors become another of MLSE's sports elite tickets?

 

The professional sporting leagues always said that Toronto didn't have what it took to become a major sports town but all that has been thrown out with the success of the Raptors,  the Reds, the Blue Jays and the Leafs.

 

In the NBA, Toronto has become a Top 5 city attraction for fans everywhere which brings great opportunities for great corporate sponsorships as we have seen in the change of powerhouses from Air Canada to Scotiabank.

 

Toronto sports play a vital part in the survival of the financial stability of the city and the Raptors are a major part of this puzzle. Both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Toronto FC are in a self-destruct or a rebuild stage whichever way the organizations want to look at it. The Maple Leafs which looked promising are still putting all their chips in the hands of a first-round coach that seems to be stock on his ways.

 

So the now the question for the Raptors is whether Kawhi Leonard will stay or go at the end of this miraculous ride has prompted a look at the increasing of ticket prices for the organization in a way to support a rebuild over the coming seasons.

 

In a new NBA of top tier teams with super lineups, the Raptors are brand new since they started in 2015. Are they forgetting who their hardcore fans are and the limited financial resources available?

 

Some might say that the Raptors are pricing themselves out of the reach of the true fans and making a play for the older and corporate types that can afford the game. In comparison to teams like the Lakers, Pacers, Celtics and others that have a sustained fanbase due to their time in the league, Toronto says it needs to raise prices to keep a competitive team on the floor and to make sure they can maintain through longevity for future generations of fans.

 

Young Fans will grow and their capacity to buy those high-priced tickets will arrive and once again the noise will return to the arena. Is this the cost the team wants to take considering the clear examples of other franchises in Canada like the Nordiques, Grizzlies, Expos, Jets are just some of them?

 

And although The Raptors are the new success story of an organization of a hot commodity in a Hockey mecca, MLSE should start looking closer at their fan base if they don't want to suffer as the Blue Jays have done over almost 20 years.        

 

Let’s remember that fanbases don't have ethnic, cultural, gender and segment boundaries when evaluating your audience. Sometimes we view the game from one strict point of view but just maybe it’s time to focus on the less obvious.