Toronto Raptors fans upset after NBA schedules team's playoff games for the afternoon
The NBA just released its schedule for the first round of playoffs in 2020, and let me just say: "Woooooow."
Does the New York-based league happen to think that Toronto is in a different time zone? One where fans aren't actually working at 1:30 p.m. on a weekday afternoon?
One where it's okay to disrespect their reigning world champions with a complete and utter lack of prime-time exposure?
Poppycock!
The Raptors playoff games are all scheduled on weekday afternoons, when most people are at work. Wake up @NBA! We are the defending Champions, show some damn respect #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/HdrFKx5X5K
— Johnny Toronto (@johnnytoronto99) August 14, 2020
Raptors fans are understandably annoyed with the NBA right now in light of when Toronto's games are scheduled during the upcoming playoff season in Orlando, Florida.
With the exception of one game on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m., every game scheduled for the Raps to date falls on a workday afternoon.
My mother messaging with some urgency this am about the @Raptors TV schedule... how do I explain this one to her and reconcile her feelings? @NBA @NBAonTNT @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/C4611xdLoZ
— Liz Lee (@LizLeeNP) August 14, 2020
On Monday, Aug. 17, Toronto plays Brooklyn at 4 p.m. Two days later, they face off against the Nets again at 1:30 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon. Then, on Friday, Aug. 19, it's another 1:30 p.m. game for Toronto and Brooklyn.
The fourth game in the series is the aforementioned Sunday evening match-up at 6:30 p.m. — better than 1:30 p.m. on a weekday but still... not a single prime-time TV slot for the defending NBA champs? It's ludicrous.
Looking at the western and eastern conference schedule
— Let's go Raptors! 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 (@ARaptorsFan07) August 14, 2020
Am i the only one who feels indignant?
Afternoon games mostly for the east...the latest was 6:30.
Cmon...our conference is not worth prime time???
After Game 4, the tip-off times are all TBD, because who knows if they're actually going to happen? The Raptors might sweep the first round of playoffs with four straight wins right off the bat.
Sadly, many Canadian fans wouldn't be able to watch that happen as they will be working, albeit some of them from home, during the first three games.
Wtf? The defending champs and 2nd seed get 3 afternoon games??? This is bullshit! #Raptors #Toronto @Raptors @LeoRautins #WeTheNorth #WeTheChamps https://t.co/OLBcQL8sfC
— Jamie (@budski11) August 14, 2020
While some people are blaming the NBA for this early game business, others are pointing out on Twitter that it's not necessarily the league's fault.
Rather, it's the doing of evil American television networks that don't want Raptors games on during prime time because Canadian eyeballs are worth nothing to their advertisers.
"Canadian viewers are not counted by American TV networks so the fact that Toronto is one of the biggest markets in the NBA means nothing," noted one fan. "We are treated by U.S. TV as the smallest market in the NBA and always will be."
*grumble grumble*
