Basketball in Canada

[TorontoDrew]

While King James is in his prime whatever team he's on will be a winning team. Well except for team Hillary. I think this year they will beat the Raps in 5.

[Berklon]

Oh well. Soon Torontonians will put all their focus on the Blue Jays and TFC while waiting for the next hockey and basketball seasons to start.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Berklon

Oh well. Soon Torontonians will put all their focus on the Blue Jays and TFC while waiting for the next hockey and basketball seasons to start.

And the NFL season!

[Acajack]

I won't dispute that the Argos are low on the radar (hence their exclusion from the list) but I think there is a bit of selection bias re: TFC on here. They're every bit as much of a niche market as the Argos are. Only a different niche - albeit one that might be more present in the SSP Canada demographic.

I am almost positive that the NFL, which does not have a team in Toronto or Canada, has more eyeballs paying attention to it in the GTA than TFC-MLS do.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by Berklon

Oh well. Soon Torontonians will put all their focus on the Blue Jays and TFC while waiting for the next hockey and basketball seasons to start.

Well, TFC anyway.

Man, the Blue Jays have been atrocious this spring.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I won't dispute that the Argos are low on the radar (hence their exclusion from the list) but I think there is a bit of selection bias re: TFC on here. They're every bit as much of a niche market as the Argos are. Only a different niche - albeit one that might be more present in the SSP Canada demographic.

I am almost positive that the NFL, which does not have a team in Toronto or Canada, has more eyeballs paying attention to it in the GTA than TFC-MLS do.

I have to disagree. This may have been true upto last year, but there was a significant widening of the gap in 2016 which looks likely to be even more significant in 2017 if attendance growth, on-field quality and overall buzz ammong the general public is anything to go by. In terms of interest in Toronto, not only has TFC got the fastest growing fanbase, I would place its current position in the city's consciousness as:

Leafs
Blue Jays
...
Raptors
...
TFC
...
...
Argos
...
Toronto Rock
...
...
...
Marlies
...
...
Wolfpack

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

I have to disagree. This may have been true upto last year, but there was a significant widening of the gap in 2016 which looks likely to be even more significant in 2017 if attendance growth, on-field quality and overall buzz ammong the general public is anything to go by. In terms of interest in Toronto, not only has TFC got the fastest growing fanbase, I would place its current position in the cities consciousness as:

Leafs
Blue Jays
...
Raptors
...
TFC
...
...
Argos
...
Toronto Rock
...
...
Marlies
...
...
Wolfpack

I don't disagree with the pecking order there but I'd say the gaps between Raptors-TFC-Argos are tighter than that.

At least for the moment.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't disagree with the pecking order there but I'd say the gaps between Raptors-TFC-Argos are tighter than that.

At least for the moment.

TFC's attendance is more than 50% greater than the Argos, without even including playoff games, Season Seat tickets alone are greater than the Argos average for all ticket classes. In terms of buzz on the street its not even close, probably 10x more likely to spot someone sporting TFC gear than Argos. Admittedly, Argos have better TV numbers, but noone's pretending anymore that the bulk of those viewers come from the GTA.

The Toronto Rock have almost the same number of average attendees as the Argos, but they do this with many more games. I still gave the Argos an edge here since they still have a higher profile in terms of buzz than the Rock.

It's quite possible that the NFL has a huge fanbase in Toronto, but no individual NFL team is as popular as any of the top local teams regardless of sport. Once again, Im only describing the popularity of these teams in the GTA, not Ontario or Canada in general.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

TFC's attendance is more than 50% greater than the Argos, without even including playoff games, Season Seat tickets alone are greater than the Argos average for all ticket classes. In terms of buzz on the street its not even close, probably 10x more likely to spot someone sporting TFC gear than Argos. Admittedly, Argos have better TV numbers, but noone's pretending anymore that the bulk of those viewers come from the GTA.

The Toronto Rock have almost the same number of average attendees as the Argos, but they do this with many more games. I still gave the Argos an edge here since they still have a higher profile in terms of buzz than the Rock.

It's quite possible that the NFL has a huge fanbase in Toronto, but no individual NFL team is as popular as any of the top local teams regardless of sport. Once again, Im only describing the popularity of these teams in the GTA, not Ontario or Canada in general.

These are good points, but per game and total season attendance don't always tell the whole story.

MLB teams almost all have higher total season attendance than NFL teams in the same city, but the NFL team is top dog almost everywhere.

In most cities that have NHL and NBA teams attendance is about the same for both, but in most cities the NBA team has a much higher level of interest than the NHL club.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by Acajack

These are good points, but per game and total season attendance don't always tell the whole story.

MLB teams almost all have higher total season attendance than NFL teams in the same city, but the NFL team is top dog almost everywhere.

In most cities that have NHL and NBA teams attendance is about the same for both, but in most cities the NBA team has a much higher level of interest than the NHL club.

I was referring to average game attendance, NFL teams have higher per game attendance on average than mlb teams. The bigger pull you are referring to involves the fact that NFL bums in seats and viewership is more valuable per person due to having a younger demographic for advertisers and a sizable gambling/betting culture which further fuels large TV contracts. Also, since there are so few games, more people watch other teams, further making it bigger, particularly nationally.

Anyway, this is local popularity of Toronto teams we're talking about, not about the value of this benchmarking method in all circumstances in all sports. Bums in seats each game, and over many more games is just one set of metrics among many others pertinent to this comparison which I used to backup my hypothesis. I think my conclusion is quite defensible in this case.

[rousseau]

It's difficult to know the internal dynamics of a team, but I have a strong suspicion that Serge Ibaka is pissed off at the humiliating way the Raptors have been playing, and will probably jump at the chance of a big payday somewhere else after this season.

He and PJ Tucker were brought in to add some defensive meanness, but it looks like it wasn't enough to leaven the softness of the Raptors as a whole. They're shrinking violets right now. It's embarrassing.

Cleveland just looks mean. They set the tone right from the start with that showboating off the backboard alley-oop dunk, and Kyre Irving's been doing all his dipsy-doo dribbling like he's on a playground. I mean, one or both of those guys should have been knocked on to their keisters with a hard intentional foul by now, just as a show of self-respect, but it hasn't happened.

Charles Oakley must be absolutely cringing right now.

[samne]

Originally Posted by rousseau

It's difficult to know the internal dynamics of a team, but I have a strong suspicion that Serge Ibaka is pissed off at the humiliating way the Raptors have been playing, and will probably jump at the chance of a big payday somewhere else after this season.

He and PJ Tucker were brought in to add some defensive meanness, but it looks like it wasn't enough to leaven the softness of the Raptors as a whole. They're shrinking violets right now. It's embarrassing.

Cleveland just looks mean. They set the tone right from the start with that showboating off the backboard alley-oop dunk, and Kyre Irving's been doing all his dipsy-doo dribbling like he's on a playground. I mean, one or both of those guys should have been knocked on to their keisters with a hard intentional foul by now, just as a show of self-respect, but it hasn't happened.

Charles Oakley must be absolutely cringing right now.

This series is gonna get ugly. Raps have no intensity, energy or athleticism.

They just don't match up with the high power octane offence like Cavs, which is where the NBA is right now.

Casey's grind it out East Conference style might have got them barely past an inexperienced Bucks. But that style isn't gonna get you very far. You gotta score and score ALOT.

[GernB]

I didn't think this team could play any worse than they did in game one....but they continue to surprise me. While JV finally showed up, no on else up front did. And no idea why Derozan is handling the ball so much when he's never been much good at it, or why they're so slow moving up court when they're more successful when they push. And how can they miss so many open shots, then slog back on defence as Cleveland flies by in transition?

I have to agree with the previous poster on James' showboating. Ibaka, Patterson, someone needed to knock him on his ass a couple of times, flagrant or not.

Raptors are looking like they're ready for vacation. The way they're playing, and have been since January, some serious soul-searching needs to be done by the organization over the summer.

[rousseau]

Yeah, it's over. And this iteration of the team is probably over, too. The only interesting aspect of the Raptors now is which guys will be going and who will be coming in. Could, gulp, even DeRozan possibly be on the trade table?

Oh well. On the bright side, the Giro d'Italia started yesterday, officially marking the middle of spring, summer is just around the corner and it's 5 degrees and raining outside today and there's a chance of flurries...in May...just like last year...sigh...

[blueandgoldguy]

Grrrrrrrrrr. You would think the Raps would keep it close for at least one game. Ibaka has been completely embarrassed by Lebron, especially that one play in game 2. Series isn't over of course but I can't see the Raptors suddenly becoming competitive for tomorrow's game.

Regression from last season despite the influx of talent in 2016-17. What the heck happened to Carroll? And where do the Raps go from here?

[rousseau]

Maybe Canadians are too nice.



Bad picture resolution. It says: GO CAVS Jesus does say to love your enemies.

By the way, this is in Paris, Ontario. Of all places.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Maybe Canadians are too nice.



Bad picture resolution. It says: GO CAVS Jesus does say to love your enemies.

By the way, this is in Paris, Ontario. Of all places.

You seem to provide a good analysis of the Raptors in the past. What do you think they should do this off season and what do you think they will do?

[TorontoDrew]

Wow that priest must really love his NBA basketball.

[isaidso]

Canadian Roster Announced

- E. Akot
- R. Barrett
- J. Bediako
- I. Brazdeikis
- A. Christie
- N. Darling
- D. Djuricic
- L. Dort
- S. Gilgeous-Alexander
- J. Henry
- B. John
- A. Kigab
- N. Kirkwood
- A. Longpre
- T. Samuel
- G. Shephard
- N. Walker
- L. Wigginton

[isaidso]

That Canadian team is stacked. Anyone know why Simisola Shittu isn't on the squad heading to Egypt?