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Fansided

Raptors pre-season schedule better for Toronto fans

By Brian Boake

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 1: C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers chats with General Manager Masai Ujiri of the Toronto Raptors during the Basketball Without Borders Africa program at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on August 1, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 1: C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers chats with General Manager Masai Ujiri of the Toronto Raptors during the Basketball Without Borders Africa program at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on August 1, 2017 in Gauteng province of Johannesburg, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Raptors pre-season games schedule has been released. The team’s attitude towards its fans through the years is reflected in the number of home games.

The Toronto Raptors have announced their pre-season slate of games. Those of us who want to assess Canada’s team up close and personal will have to wait a long time, then seize the chance. There’s one game in Toronto. The lucky people of Honolulu, Hawaii will see two.

I’m not complaining. As many of you know, I’m a season-seat holder since Game 1. In too many of those early years, we were forced to purchase four pre-season (or “exhibition”) games as part of our package – at full price.

As a result, those of us who were interested (about half the list, I’d guess; there were more empty seats than full ones) got to see pre-season games featuring(?) club teams from Europe and South America. There were also desultory games against NBA teams giving their training camp invitees a final look before the cuts came. Raptors top management behaved as if these expensive forced purchases were a feature, not a bug.

The new sheriff makes some changes

While Tim Leiweke flamed out quickly as the big dog at MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the Raptors’ owner), he deserves a shout-out for recognizing the inherent unfairness of hosing the team’s most loyal fans. He quickly announced the decrease in local pre-season games, and followed through.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 24: General Manager Bryan Colangelo, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, Owner Joshua Harris and Ben Simmons attend a press conference after being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft on June 24, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 24: General Manager Bryan Colangelo, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, Owner Joshua Harris and Ben Simmons attend a press conference after being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft on June 24, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

More significantly, Leiweke gets credit for deciding Bryan Colangelo’s tenure as the Raptors’ top man was finished. Leiweke knew who he wanted to take over, and pursued his man relentlessly. Masai Ujiri couldn’t resist Leiweke’s blandishments and returned to Toronto, hopefully for years to come.

Our favourite franchise has enjoyed relative stability ever since. Contrast the Raptors ownership & front office situation with that of ongoing train wrecks like the Knicks and Kings; we look robust.

To sum up…

The LA Clippers (the Raptors’ opponents in both Hawaii games) have made a long-overdue move, by removing Doc Rivers as General Manager. He continues as the team’s coach, while Lawrence Frank takes over the executive side. Whether that helps the Clippers, a perennial playoff disappointment, contend with the Warriors remains to be seen.

The early days of the Raptors were replete with ownership spats, management turnover and fired coaches. I won’t bore you with the details. Nor will you hear me waxing nostalgic about how everything was better in the past. Gone are too many unwanted, overpriced, half-hearted exhibition games; so is boardroom controversy to act as a distraction and disincentive for free agents…I’ll take today, thanks.

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