In February, it was reported that Toronto was preparing a bid for the 2016 All-Star Weekend. Now the Toronto Sun reports that effort was successful, and the All-Star Game is headed north of the border.
Multiple sources told the Toronto Sun Tuesday that the Raptors are on the verge of landing the 2016 NBA all-star weekend.
An official announcement is expected within a week that will reveal further details of how one of the sport’s biggest weekends will tie into Toronto’s 20th-anniversary season.
Tim Leiweke, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president and CEO, made it clear upon taking over the company that landing the prestigious event was one of his early goals.
via Toronto to host 2016 NBA All-Star Game | Raptors | Sports | Toronto Sun.
Big deal for Toronto if the report turns out as accurate after Raptors have taken on a massive overhaul since Leiweke took over MLSE.
It's a move towards moving Toronto away from the image as the NBA's Siberia, given how big a market it is and how sports-crazy the area is. Getting it an All-Star Weekend moves it into another league in terms of respectability as an NBA city.
After the NBA announced Wednesday the 2015 game will be held in New York, that's back-to-back years where you're going to need mittens to attend the game, after years in warmer climates like Houston, Dallas, LA, Vegas, Orlando, and New Orleans in 2014.
Get your "Oh, Canada" ready.
