The NBA in Canada

THE NBA IN CANADA When the city of Toronto was granted an NBA franchise, the team was faced with a very unique challenge. How can a team, which plays a winter sport, effectively market itself in a hockey-crazed country? Although basketball was popular in small pockets around the province despite the lack of an NBA team, most sports fans were hockey fans first and foremost. Critics claimed that Canadian teams lacked the essential requirements to …

…shown a willingness to pay top dollars to keep players within Canada. When the Vancouver Grizzlies franchise floundered in a frenzy of debt and financial struggles, many echoed sentiments discouraging the expansion of the NBA into Canada. But as the Raptors franchise continues to flourish, it is evidently proven that a Canadian city holds the prerequisites of fan support, corporate partnership and backing, and the free agent signing ability to maintain a profitable NBA organization.