Sports events in TO (english version)
It has been 4 months since I came to Toronto. I have been to some sports events, like: ice hockey, baseball, basketball and lacrosse.
The people who attend these events are visibly different. Some matches tend to attract more families, with children; others, more teenagers and young adults; others, more tourists or "non-Canadians" (between quotation marks because I meant 'people that are not originally Canadian, or don't have a heritage here, even though they are citizens)... Here, when you buy the ticket, you're not paying just to see the game. There is a whole program, with entertainments, during the time you spend inside the stadium/arena.
Baseball - Blue Jays (MLB)
The regular season started April 4th, against the New York Yankees, the most famous team of all time (obviously). The matches are played 3 days, in a row. This was the first sports event I attended this year. Blue Jays - home team - lost, but they almost won by the end of the game. Some people think baseball is boring. Indeed, sometimes it is. I went (and I go) because I like sports, in general. However, I have to admit I don't quite understand all the rules yet.
During the breaks between the match times, the sponsors are presented and, along with this, they make promotions; it can be a quiz or a random giveaway among the seats (section 100, row D, seat 13, for example). The Blue Jays also has his own promotions, like hats, posters and bobble-heads giveaways in some game days. For a limited amount of spectators, of course.
Hockey - Marlies (AHL)
The most expected! I wanted to see a hockey match since the first time I planned my trip to Canada (in 2012). But, as I came in the summer, the season had ended already. The regular season goes from October to April.
I should confess that I wanted to see the Maple Leafs play, but the tickets were expensive. The most cheap costed around $100. In addition, the team wasn't so good in this season... So, we went to see the Toronto Marlies (Maple Leaf's farm team).
They did very well. Even played the playoffs, but they couldn't go through Texas Stars. After 7 hard matches, the Marlies lost and was eliminated from the competition.
The attractions are: the mascots, the children's teams, who play a mini-match, and interaction with the audience, showing them on the big screens. Also, promotions for the sponsors and brands.
Basketball - Raptors (NBA)
The most dynamic! Did you stop paying attention? Took a quick look at you smartphone? At least 10 points were done. Yeah, this is a sport that attracts both, natives and foreigners. Every age, group of friends, couples, people who just left their workplace (and go even wearing a suit and tie), etc.
The Raptors went pretty far this year. They made until the playoffs, against the Brooklyn Nets. Seven matches, very hard to be played for both teams. I should remind you that Toronto Raptors is a VERY young team; it was founded in 1995.
The main attractions are the cheerleaders and the mascots, for sure! They have 3 people dressed as dinosaurs, running inside and outside the court. Pizza Pizza is one of the biggest sponsors. The company had a promotion that depended directly on the scoreboard. If the Raptors had win for 100 points or more, you just had to take your ticket to any of the Pizza Pizza restaurants around Toronto to win the offer (2 pizza slices + soda) for free. But it was just valid on the day after the match.
Lacrosse - Rock (NLL)
"What is that?", "It's like ice hockey, but without the skates and the sticks have nets on the top.", "aaaah, okay then...". This was, basically, the conversation every time I talked about this sport.
This one I really don't get the rules. I just have been to 2 matches. It's violent, like hockey. Because, while one of the players has the ball and he is running, the others (from the rival team) can beat him with the sticks, to destabilize him and make the ball fall. The audience here has its majority of natives.
What about the music/soundtracks?
Hockey and Lacrosse had more Rock songs in their setlists, like AC DC, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Green Day and even Blink-182. Basketball had more Hip Hop, Rap and electronic music (pieces of mixed sets). Baseball, more Latin music; I heard some famous Rock and Pop bands too.
But there's something that all the sports have in common: a host (narrator), to make the spectators go crazy and support the teams, clap their hands, stand up from the seats and make noise.
Baseball - Blue Jays (MLB)
The regular season started April 4th, against the New York Yankees, the most famous team of all time (obviously). The matches are played 3 days, in a row. This was the first sports event I attended this year. Blue Jays - home team - lost, but they almost won by the end of the game. Some people think baseball is boring. Indeed, sometimes it is. I went (and I go) because I like sports, in general. However, I have to admit I don't quite understand all the rules yet.
During the breaks between the match times, the sponsors are presented and, along with this, they make promotions; it can be a quiz or a random giveaway among the seats (section 100, row D, seat 13, for example). The Blue Jays also has his own promotions, like hats, posters and bobble-heads giveaways in some game days. For a limited amount of spectators, of course.
Hockey - Marlies (AHL)
The most expected! I wanted to see a hockey match since the first time I planned my trip to Canada (in 2012). But, as I came in the summer, the season had ended already. The regular season goes from October to April.
I should confess that I wanted to see the Maple Leafs play, but the tickets were expensive. The most cheap costed around $100. In addition, the team wasn't so good in this season... So, we went to see the Toronto Marlies (Maple Leaf's farm team).
They did very well. Even played the playoffs, but they couldn't go through Texas Stars. After 7 hard matches, the Marlies lost and was eliminated from the competition.
The attractions are: the mascots, the children's teams, who play a mini-match, and interaction with the audience, showing them on the big screens. Also, promotions for the sponsors and brands.
Basketball - Raptors (NBA)
The most dynamic! Did you stop paying attention? Took a quick look at you smartphone? At least 10 points were done. Yeah, this is a sport that attracts both, natives and foreigners. Every age, group of friends, couples, people who just left their workplace (and go even wearing a suit and tie), etc.
The Raptors went pretty far this year. They made until the playoffs, against the Brooklyn Nets. Seven matches, very hard to be played for both teams. I should remind you that Toronto Raptors is a VERY young team; it was founded in 1995.
The main attractions are the cheerleaders and the mascots, for sure! They have 3 people dressed as dinosaurs, running inside and outside the court. Pizza Pizza is one of the biggest sponsors. The company had a promotion that depended directly on the scoreboard. If the Raptors had win for 100 points or more, you just had to take your ticket to any of the Pizza Pizza restaurants around Toronto to win the offer (2 pizza slices + soda) for free. But it was just valid on the day after the match.
Lacrosse - Rock (NLL)
"What is that?", "It's like ice hockey, but without the skates and the sticks have nets on the top.", "aaaah, okay then...". This was, basically, the conversation every time I talked about this sport.
This one I really don't get the rules. I just have been to 2 matches. It's violent, like hockey. Because, while one of the players has the ball and he is running, the others (from the rival team) can beat him with the sticks, to destabilize him and make the ball fall. The audience here has its majority of natives.
What about the music/soundtracks?
Hockey and Lacrosse had more Rock songs in their setlists, like AC DC, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Green Day and even Blink-182. Basketball had more Hip Hop, Rap and electronic music (pieces of mixed sets). Baseball, more Latin music; I heard some famous Rock and Pop bands too.
But there's something that all the sports have in common: a host (narrator), to make the spectators go crazy and support the teams, clap their hands, stand up from the seats and make noise.
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