Unfortunately, the Toronto Raptors won't be part of the NBA's Christmas Day schedule. And reports reveal that the city made a serious push to be part of the holiday festivities.
As reported by Josh Lewenberg of TSN, Toronto campaigned hard for a slot on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, the NBA decided to pass, which brings the tally to 17 years straight without the Raptors on Christmas.
For the 17th straight year the Raptors won't be playing on Christmas Day. Toronto management/ownership pushed hard, I’m told. The NBA has its reasons, all of them business-related, but that doesn’t mean it sits well with Canada’s team, or its fans.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) August 8, 2018
The NBA selects the best and most popular teams in the league to duel on Christmas. And the Raptors fit the mold. They've been one of the top teams in the league for the last few years and they have Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry — two of the most popular players in the league.
So, is the NBA passing up on Toronto? It is because of business concerns. The league gets a good chunk of its revenue from American TV viewership. Toronto, despite housing one of the better teams in the league, is a difficult market to cater to.
Check out NBA's Christmas Day schedule below:
Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks (12 p.m. ET)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets (3 p.m. ET)
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics (5:30 p.m. ET)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors (8 p.m. ET)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Utah Jazz (10:30 p.m. ET)
Do you agree that each team deserves to be part of the NBA's Christmas Day schedule? Or are the Raptors more deserving?
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