OT: Are the Leafs widely embraced by all demographics in Toronto or not?
- Thread starter TimStrickland
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Ulysses31
Registered User
I think they are. We have to remember, Toronto is statistically the most multicultural city in the entire world. So I think the fact the Leafs are embraced as much as they are is quite something.
Rob Brown
Way She Goes
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As an example, if you look at Maple Leaf Square in the playoffs, there's a lot more diversity at Raptors playoff games vs. Leafs playoff games, and that's the time of the season when most people come out of the woodwork and pay attention. I think this is reflective of the overall demographic mix between the two fanbases. Go to a game at the ACC and it's pretty much the same story.
On your point about the rest of Ontario, I think you're totally right. Anecdotally, my parents have a cottage near Parry Sound. A few years ago I drove up on a Friday night and stopped at a bar in the city for dinner before going to the cottage. They had a few NHL playoff games on (this is in 2016 - Leafs weren't in it), and the Raptors had a playoff game that night. A couple asked to put the Raptors game on one of the TVs, and the cries of outrage from the rest of the patrons was hilarious - "turn this shit off", "what is this nonsense?". I'd wager that this is the same in most of rural Ontario.
On your point about the rest of Ontario, I think you're totally right. Anecdotally, my parents have a cottage near Parry Sound. A few years ago I drove up on a Friday night and stopped at a bar in the city for dinner before going to the cottage. They had a few NHL playoff games on (this is in 2016 - Leafs weren't in it), and the Raptors had a playoff game that night. A couple asked to put the Raptors game on one of the TVs, and the cries of outrage from the rest of the patrons was hilarious - "turn this shit off", "what is this nonsense?". I'd wager that this is the same in most of rural Ontario.
Rob Brown
Way She Goes
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I agree that the Leafs are the big catch in Toronto, but I do think that the Raptors have a much more multicultural and diverse fanbase.
TimStrickland
Registered User
no, outside the actual city of toronto, raptors are more popular than blue jays. I went to some blue jays games between 2015-17 and a lot of people in the stands who were watching the games, actually were from the Prairies, lots of French-Canadians from Quebec, lots of southern ontario people from cities like Kingston or London. Not saying that blue jays dont have support from born and raised Torontonians, but in the rest of canada baseball has more appeal to the common folks than basketball. They enjoy and relate to baseball more. Its a summer sport and doesnt compete with hockey like basketball does in the fall/winter.
skacore
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- Nov 7, 2010
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I would say the Raptors are closing the gap on the Leafs even. Blue Jays clear cut #3. Leafs fans are Leafs fans through and through, but the Raps (and basketball in general) seems to be much more appealing to non-sports fans, and I see why. Hockey can be boring if you aren't really invested in it at all. Especially nowadays with no hitting/fighting/rivalries.
The Raptors will become more popular with each passing year based on continuing trend of demographics.
We'll see what happens if/when the Raptors face a down period. Right now, they are the best they have ever been so they are very popular.
Must be a perspective thing, or maybe even an age thing, but I find the exact opposite.
Now perhaps this is because I never really played Basketball and admittedly do not know the nuances of the game (or the rules), but I have tried a few times to watch the Raptors, but I usually can't last more than 5 or 10 minutes.
I feel right now Blue Jays/Raptors can swap given who is better.
Do people even care about the Jays right now is AA doesn't go nuts at the 2015 trade deadline?
Do people even care about the Jays right now is AA doesn't go nuts at the 2015 trade deadline?
Why do that? It makes me want to not take your thread seriously.
Where I live, the Raptors are easily as popular as the Leafs, if not more popular. Almost none of the kids here play organized hockey but then again few play any organized sports at all.
But still last I checked, the television ratings for hockey are higher than basketball. Personally I want every kid in the GTA to become a Leafs' fan. I'd love it in 20 years to see more children of parents from more corners of the globe become NHL players. As far as I'm concerned it's the perfect vehicle to connect Canada of the past with Canada of the future. I'd love to see the reversal of hockey becoming solely an upper middle class low density suburbia sport that it's rapidly becoming. I also have concerns that at some point in the near future ice hockey will be identified as a high carbon footprint pastime and it will be marginalized/taxed out of existence.
nsleaf
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- Oct 21, 2009
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Basketball is played in most countries in the world while hockey not so much. Toronto being a very multicultural place, would likely have more basketball fans than hockey but hockey history runs deep in TO so...........
BayStreetBully
Registered User
I seee plenty of love going around. Toronto is a great sports town. Plenty of support for the Leafs, Jays, Raptors and TFC.
But Leafs are still first. You have people with varying degrees of support and fanaticism, but come playoff time, it’s Leafs and not even close.
But Leafs are still first. You have people with varying degrees of support and fanaticism, but come playoff time, it’s Leafs and not even close.
Daisy Jane
everything is gonna be okay!
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well if you were just getting started, would you even know what the rivalries would be? Like, who is the Raptors Rival? any sport can be boring if you aren't invested in it. When I became a Leafs fan it was game one of the playoffs - but I had zero idea that was the case I had no idea that the leafs and the senators had this history (this was the year they swept them). It was just team A vs. team B and Sundin scored and i read up on the Leafs, and I became a fan.
all it takes is one good game. you don't need hitting or fighting (which i think is dumb, because there is hitting and fighting in the game) to like/not like hockey. in fact most people i talk to hate hockey because of the perceived notion that's all it is.
I tried several times to get into Basketball - even more when the raptors started to get good and I can't. basketball might be 'simple' to understand but it is slow it is grinding and regardless whatever issue i have with the NHL Reffing system, the NBA reffing system is eleventymillion times worse.
anyway to answer your question I think it just depends. It's more affordable (for the most part) to go to a Raptors game - and most ethnic people know the game. Generally speaking Hockey is a very white/North American/European sport so it wouldn't surprise me unless you are friends/dating/legitmatelly curious about hockey, how you can bypass the Leafs for a while. (again, lived here all my life but I didn't really 'know' about the Leafs until again the year the Leafs swept Ottawa. People think i am exagerating but i grew up in a multiculutral school (where they weren't talked about), my friends didn't like hockey (mostly baseball) and same in my house. I knew what hockey was coz my Olympic passion but the Leafs. nothin' nada' or nothing that's ever in the memorybanks.
I feel that while basketball could be 'as' popular as the Leafs - I don't think anything can over take the Leafs. like the only reason why Leafs fantacism dipped was the 10 years of crap - and the boiling point was the actual 10th year. (which 2 years later, the team is better than has been seen literally in franchise history, in the regular season, and have the potential to do other things). I feel like the Blue Jays - when they are popular, everyone loves the Raptors, plus they have the added bonus of being the only Canadian team where Toronto splits that pie six different ways. But if the Jays/Raptors have a down period, are they that popular? is Jurassic Park still a hot commodity? I honestly don't know (and for me it doesn't really matter because I don't really give a fig newton about basketball. if the Raptors win, i'll give a fist pump #TorontoGirl, but my focus is and will always be the Leafs).
Muggs
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- Oct 29, 2016
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Its inevitable the Raps will overtake the Leafs in popularity -in the GTA. The social and economic factors are heavily moving towards basketball. In 20 years don't be surprised if TFC is #1. Part of attracting young fans is getting them to play and/or participate in the sport. Soccer and Basketball are dirt cheap compared to hockey.
Outside the GTA I think hockey will hold on much longer.
I'm not certain at this point if the Raps have overtaken the Jays for #2 in the city, they certainly haven't across Canada if you go by ratings, but it's close in T.O.
Outside the GTA I think hockey will hold on much longer.
I'm not certain at this point if the Raps have overtaken the Jays for #2 in the city, they certainly haven't across Canada if you go by ratings, but it's close in T.O.
MSZ
Car guy
Raptors fans in general are much younger and many of those are Asians. I believe the Raptors facebook page has received 1 million more likes compare to the Leafs FB page.
But since Matthews started his career, I have seen many kids wearing #34 jerseys around the city, so I don't think Leafs' popularity in the six is going away anytime soon.
But since Matthews started his career, I have seen many kids wearing #34 jerseys around the city, so I don't think Leafs' popularity in the six is going away anytime soon.
IamruKusleaf
Registered User
I’m Torontomapleleafeese and I’m widely supported demographically!
ruKus Mapleleafian and he is also demographically supported
Go000 multicultural LEAFS Goooo !
ruKus Mapleleafian and he is also demographically supported
Go000 multicultural LEAFS Goooo !
White Shadow
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justafan22
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Jays are bigger for the casual fans.
There's more day to day leafs and raps fans that follow the team religiously.
There's more day to day leafs and raps fans that follow the team religiously.
lebdafor norris
sleepy
- Mar 14, 2011
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I doubt TFC will ever surpass the Jays, Leafs and Raps considering how its a much inferior league compare to the ones they have in Europe. Sports fans are generally attracted in watching the best players play at their respective sport and that is what the MLB, NHL and NBA offers.
Ratboy
I made a funny!
- Jul 15, 2009
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I can't. stand. baseball.
But that's just me. Every season when it starts up I'm reminded of this
Now of course we all have different tastes and perspectives as humans tend to, but that also changes over time.
For instance, I used to like football. I can't watch it anymore, unless it's the superbowl, or the grey cup, just can't.
Hockey is the only sport I can really get into, and I blame Doug Gilmour.
But that's just me. Every season when it starts up I'm reminded of this
Now of course we all have different tastes and perspectives as humans tend to, but that also changes over time.
For instance, I used to like football. I can't watch it anymore, unless it's the superbowl, or the grey cup, just can't.
Hockey is the only sport I can really get into, and I blame Doug Gilmour.
