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Toronto Raptors Nominated Again for FanSided’s Fandom 250

By Paul Taylor

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 18: General view prior to the first half of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre on April 18, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. 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. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 18: General view prior to the first half of Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre on April 18, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. 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. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Raptors have been nominated again for FanSided’s Fandom 250, which ranks the world’s best fan bases, but is their inclusion deserved?

After the success of the inaugural Fandom 250, FanSided are running the competition for a second successive year. And once again, the Toronto Raptors get to be a part of the fun.

As per FanSided‘s Shea Corrigan, the Raptors are one of 12 NBA teams included on this year’s list, to find the top fan base in the world, in sports, entertainment, pop culture, fashion, politics, lifestyle and other areas.

Last year, the Toronto Raptors fan base ranked 187th, but they can do better than that! They question is, will they?

To some, the perception is it’s easy to be a Raptors fan. The rationale behind this is they are one of the best teams in the NBA, have averaged 51 regular season wins over the past four years, making the playoffs on each occasion.

Here’s the thing though, this level of success is only a recent occurrence. Prior to the 2013-14 campaign, the Toronto Raptors had only been to the playoffs in five of 18 seasons, with just one divisional title and only a single trip to the second round.

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This is important to note, because even during the tough times, the fans remained loyal to the franchise. And look no further than the 2005-06 season as a prime example.

The campaign represented the fourth successive year the Raptors had little to no hope of making the playoffs, as they finished with just 27 wins. Regardless, they still averaged more than 17,00 fans per game.

Now, Toronto is one of the top teams in the NBA, with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry leading the charge. With those two around, the Raps will remain a contender for the foreseeable future.

In that respect, the Raptors fan base deserve their team’s relatively new-found success, after sticking with them throughout the hard times. And that is why they deserve their place in FanSided’s Fandom 250.

Now, let’s do something to make sure the Toronto Raptors rank higher than last year. Click here to do you bit.

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What’s your take on the Toronto Raptors being nominated again for FanSided’s Fandom 250? Do they deserve to be included in the list or not, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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