Toronto Raptors, commonly referred to as Raptors or simply Toronto, is one of the most iconic and successful basketball teams in the world. Founded in 1995 as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada, it is the only Canadian-based team in the league. The team is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and plays its home matches at the famous Scotiabank Arena, which has a seating capacity of over 19,000.
Toronto Raptors has a rich history, boasting 1 NBA Championship, 1 Conference title, and 6 Division titles. The team enjoyed its most successful era under the management of Masai Ujiri and the leadership of player Kawhi Leonard, who led the Raptors to their first NBA Championship in 2019.
Known for its defensive style of play, the team has nurtured some of basketball’s greatest talents, including Vince Carter, Chris Bosh, DeMar DeRozan, and Kawhi Leonard. Despite recent challenges and inconsistent performances post-Leonard, Toronto Raptors remains one of the world’s most valuable basketball teams, with a global fan base and a rich tradition that continues to influence Canadian and world basketball.
Toronto Raptors is one of the most popular basketball teams in the world, with one of the highest average home attendances in NBA. The team states that its worldwide fan base includes more than 200 officially recognised branches of the Toronto Raptors Supporters Club (TRSC), in at least 24 countries. The team takes advantage of this support through its worldwide summer tours. Accountancy firm and sports industry consultants Deloitte estimate that Toronto Raptors has 75 million fans worldwide. The team has the third highest social media following in the world among sports teams (after Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors), with over 82 million Facebook followers as of July 2023. A 2014 study showed that Toronto Raptors had the loudest fans in the NBA.
Toronto Raptors was formed in 1995 as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada. The team initially played games against other NBA teams, but on 3 November 1995, they competed in their first recorded match; wearing the colours of the team—red, purple and silver—they defeated New Jersey Nets.
In 2004, the Raptors selected Chris Bosh as their first draft pick, who demanded an unprecedented level of control over team selection, player transfers, and training sessions. Bosh led the team to several playoff appearances and became the franchise's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double-doubles, and free throws.
On July 2010, Bosh announced that he was to leave Raptors to join the Miami Heat, but would remain a significant figure in the club's history. He left as one of the most decorated players in the franchise history. The club announced the next day that Dwane Casey would replace him as the head coach, having signed a three-year contract. Kyle Lowry took over as the team's leader, when Casey was fired after a poor season in which the team failed to defend their NBA title and failed to qualify for the NBA Finals for the first time since 2015–16.
Originally funded by the Toronto businessmen, the club became a limited company in 1993 and sold shares to local supporters for $1 via an application form. In 1995, majority ownership passed to two local businessmen who invested $500,000 to save the club from bankruptcy, including future club president John Bitove. After his tenure in 1998, the club faced financial instability yet again but was saved in December 1998 by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, who assumed control of the club after an investment of $2,000,000. MLSE promoted their son, Larry Tanenbaum, to the board in 1998, but the organizational structure changed three years later; the ownership of the club remained with MLSE through Tanenbaum's chairmanship, but the position of chairman passed to former player Isiah Thomas.
Promoted to the board a few days after the 2002 NBA draft, Richard Peddie, a friend of Rob Babcock, began acquiring shares in the club; for an investment of approximately $40,000,000, he accumulated a 54 per cent shareholding and took control in January 2003. When the franchise restructured in 2006, the shares passed to Peddie who sold a percentage of his shares to Larry Tanenbaum's son, Kenneth, in 2006; Kenneth Tanenbaum went on to become chairman upon his father's retirement in 2012. Media tycoon George Cope attempted to buy the club in 2014, but did not meet Tanenbaum's asking price. In 2015, chairman Larry Tanenbaum attempted to sell the club to George Cope for $20 million, but the sale fell through and Cope joined the board of directors instead.
Toronto Raptors is one of the most successful clubs in North America in terms of trophies won. The club's first trophy was the Division Championships, which they won in 2007. In 2019, the club won their first NBA Championship and won the Eastern Conference title the same year. Since then, they have gone on to win a total of 7 Division Championships, and their appearance in the NBA Championship in 2019 was a first for any Canadian team. Those titles have meant the club has garnered significant recognition in the basketball world.
Domestic
Continental
Worldwide
Toronto Raptors - History & Facts: Detailed information about the Toronto Raptors, their history, achievements, and key players. https://www.nba.com/raptors/history
Toronto Raptors - NBA Championships: Specific information about Toronto Raptors' NBA Championship win, the role of Kawhi Leonard, and the team's overall performance in the league. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/TOR/
Becoming a leading global provider of digital solutions and services for the sports industry, enabling our clients to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
We aspire to be a trusted partner and advisor to our clients, leveraging our expertise and passion for sports to help them succeed in a rapidly changing market.
