Is This Raptors Country?

I was stumped by a question that a listener asked me earlier this week. If the Toronto Raptors went to the NBA final, would there be as much interest in Saskatchewan as there was for the Blue Jays’ recent playoff appearances?

I had never thought about that, but if I had to guess, I would say, I doubt it. The Blue Jays are nearly twenty years older than the Raptors. A generation of fans who grew up watching the Blue Jays have now raised their children, and in some cases grand children, to cheer for the Blue Jays.

In Saskatchewan, where summers are short, many kids grew up playing ball. I think it’s safe to say that more of us migrated to the hockey rink than the gym in the winter time, which makes hockey our sport of choice to not just play, but watch.

Let’s hope Canada’s NBA team does well. Let’s not expect Saskatchewan to rally behind a basketball team in the spring, like we do a certain baseball team in the fall.