Winnipeg Raptors fans gather at downtown arena to watch history

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/06/2019 (2611 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It wasn’t the Winnipeg Jets they were cheering, but about 3,500 Winnipeggers had crowded into Bell MTS Place by game time to cheer on the Toronto Raptors as they sought to win the first NBA championship for a Canadian team.

Minutes before the ball was tossed into the air Thursday night, Cody Letwinetz was sporting a Raptors cap, Raptors jersey with Kawhi Leonard’s name on the back, and a Raptors’ winning attitude.

“The Raptors will win tonight,” Letwinetz said before Game 6 of the best-of-seven series began. “But, if there is a Game 7, it will be exciting. But I hope it will end tonight.”

A few rows of seats over, brothers Connor Courtland, 10, and Graham Wild, 11, were doing two things they’d never done before: getting ready to watch the game in the north zone bar, and taking turns dressing in a large inflatable dinosaur, er, Raptor, suit.

“It feels really weird inside,” admitted Connor.

“It feels like being in a big bubble,” Graham said. “We got this for Christmas.

“I will be dancing tonight.”

Their mother, Crystal Courtland, with husband Nathan Wild and daughter Sydney, said they came to the arena’s free viewing party on the Jumbotron because “we took them to the viewing parties for the Jets and they loved it.”

“There’s nothing like feeling the energy from the crowd — it’s a great way to watch it,” Wild said.

True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd. senior vice-president of venues and entertainment Kevin Donnelly said organizers had no idea how many people would show up — because they had never opened up the arena for a Raptors game.

“It’s the basketball-draw crowd of 18 to 25 year olds,” he said, also noting there were many families in attendance. “It’s great because they can go anywhere in the city to see the game and they chose to come here.

“If there is a Game 7 (Sunday), we’ll be open again.”

Kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca