Raptors #10 in Forbes Franchise Value

[Raptoronto]

Is it the fans or the media?

Reading the fan comments/posts after the LeBron "contraction" comments was nauseating. I think the media feeds the perception by simply ignoring our existance at all costs (Canadian eyeballs don't make $ for the U.S. networks hence the snubs). I spend a fair bit of time down there and our teams rarely get any coverage. When Vince was here I could feel the resentment...they couldn't ignore us then.

[Joey]

Reading the fan comments/posts after the LeBron "contraction" comments was nauseating. I think the media feeds the perception by simply ignore our existance at all costs (Canadian eyeballs don't make $ for the U.S. networks hence the snubs). I spend a fair bit of time down there and our teams rarely get any coverage. When Vince was here I could feel the resentment...they couldn't ignore us then.

Exactly. And I think by being a, for lack of a better word, BAD team, it gives them a reason to shit all over us on ESPN.com etc.
When we won the Atlantic I'm not sure anyone saw it coming, but they had to accept we were better than teams in NY, Boston and Phili. Thats a TOUGH pill to swallow. That's like your kid sister beating you at something. hahaha

[Bendit]

Reading the fan comments/posts after the LeBron "contraction" comments was nauseating. I think the media feeds the perception by simply ignore our existance at all costs (Canadian eyeballs don't make $ for the U.S. networks hence the snubs). I spend a fair bit of time down there and our teams rarely get any coverage. When Vince was here I could feel the resentment...they couldn't ignore us then.

I as well have spent time to the south and understand the sentiment quite well. I have family there and they were quite flabbergasted at the BlueJays successes in the early 90s. Like, this could not/should not happen! Tweaking them was fun. In anycase, Stern and his band of merrymen will go to India if they can make a buck (or lots of them). Wait a minute. They have opened an office there I hear! Lebron may think he has cachet but its got nothing to do with him really. MJ knew this when he was playing. Toronto is just too large & wealthy a market area to ignore. "Follow the money" is still a viable business principle.

[Raptoronto]

Exactly. And I think by being a, for lack of a better word, BAD team, it gives them a reason to shit all over us on ESPN.com etc.
When we won the Atlantic I'm not sure anyone saw it coming, but they had to accept we were better than teams in NY, Boston and Phili. Thats a TOUGH pill to swallow. That's like your kid sister beating you at something. hahaha

Imagine if/when this team every becomes a true contender. NY, Boston and Philly fans will be on suicide watch and Toronto's population will skyrocket with fans running around like a puppy with two peckers.

[Joey]

hahahah well said.

[Raptoronto]

I as well have spent time to the south and understand the sentiment quite well. I have family there and they were quite flabbergasted at the BlueJays successes in the early 90s. Like, this could not/should not happen! Tweaking them was fun. In anycase, Stern and his band of merrymen will go to India if they can make a buck (or lots of them). Wait a minute. They have opened an office there I hear! Lebron may think he has cachet but its got nothing to do with him really. MJ knew this when he was playing. Toronto is just too large & wealthy a market area to ignore. "Follow the money" is still a viable business principle.

To add to that I'm convinced that Colangelo came here on a deal brokered by Stern. MLSE was desperate, Stern wanted to globalize and BC was sent here to make the Raptors "the worlds team" to build a case for Euro expansion. 10 years from now I'd bet my authentic NBA basketball that BC will be commissioner.

[Joey]

10 years from now I'd bet my authentic NBA basketball that BC will be commissioner.

Interesting idea... I wouldn't completely be against that actually. I think Stu Jackson will end up taking over and end up being Commish for a whiile though.
Or that Adam Silver guy. Deputy Commish. But I could see BC moving into NBA head office for suure.

[mcHAPPY]

http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/laz...ill-disappear/

Read the comments. St. Louis should have the Raps - if it wasn't so ignorant it would be comical.

[Tim W.]

http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/laz...ill-disappear/

Read the comments. St. Louis should have the Raps - if it wasn't so ignorant it would be comical.

The part about the Raptors being in St Louis is simply a comment from some moron, not the writer. Remember, half the country voted for Bush twice, so intelligence isn't exactly rampant down there.

[mcHAPPY]

The part about the Raptors being in St Louis is simply a comment from some moron, not the writer. Remember, half the country voted for Bush twice, so intelligence isn't exactly rampant down there.

I know, the article wasn't too bad. Nothing new. The comments were the intended direction of the link.

Bush, Obama - all the same. Hopefully Americans realize soon that voting for anyone with a (D) or an (R) after their name is voting for one in the same. They are all bought and paid for by corporate interests. And so ends my political commentary. Back to regularly scheduled Raptor drivel....

[charlz]

Given the shaky American economy I could see them climbing the "leader board". Wish I had $400M in spare change.

should be higher by now given the dollar is above US greenback.

... yet somewhere there is an insecure racist old white hockey guy trying to get press on how toronto can sustain an NBA franchise...