Raptors: Rebranded practice facility deepens franchise’s ties to Drake
Started from the bottom now OVO is here.
The Raptors have renamed their practice facility the OVO Athletic Centre, as their partnership with Drake continues to grow.
The two-storey, 68,000square foot venue on the Exhibition Grounds opened just before NBA all-star weekend in 2016 and was originally called BioSteel Centre.
The Raptors value their association with the Toronto rapper because it’s a strong connection to the area and there’s nothing bad from having your franchise associated with a globally famous entertainer and a man whose business acumen is far understated.
And it’s not like Drake is a pushy outside party trying to put his mark on the team.
The rapper is a fan and avid supporter, he is an unpaid “global ambassador” who will help if needed but who never insinuates himself into the organization.
“He supports the team in any way he and we wanted to do something with him because he’s so heavily involved in the community, the team, our fanbase and the history,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a telephone interview.
“Drake is in the fabric of our community.”
The facility will feature Drake’s OVO branding throughout, and the Raptors practice jerseys will have the OVO owl logo.
The rapper has been the Raptors’ Global Ambassador since September 2013 and the annual “Drake Night” has been one of the season’s hottest tickets. The team also started wearing an OVO-inspired alternate uniform last season.
In January 2018, Drake and the NBA club announced six “Welcome Toronto” and OVOthemed home games each season, with the Raptors wearing their OVO-edition uniforms and a new black and gold home court for each game.
The team’s game Thursday against LeBron James and the Lakers is a “Welcome Toronto” night.