By Hayley Ferguson

Raptor fever hits Medicine Hat

Jun 10, 2019 | 5:08 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – While Medicine Hat hasn’t traditionally been a basketball town, a new wave of Raptors fans have gotten behind Canada’s lone basketball team.

The Silver Buckle, a sport’s bar in Medicine Hat, says they are seeing quite a few fans come out to watch the games.

According to owner Devon Potvin, the venue’s stadium seating has filled right up.

“There’s been some really big games and close games. That make it really exciting. And nail biting finishes. Obviously the deeper you go the more exciting it is. You’re playing for more and it’s definitely spurred a lot more excitement as it’s gotten deeper.” Potvin said.

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Potvin thinks that this will encourage people in Medicine Hat to watch more NBA in the future.

“It’s definitely something that I don’t think has had a lot of attention as other sports and it should,” he said. “And I think this will definitely get a lot of fans. Young fans, new fans, old fans, everybody is on the wagon.”

Potvin also said that they have been getting better numbers for the NBA finals then the Stanley Cup finals.

Browns Social House is also experiencing.

“Definitely the Toronto Raptors is way higher than the NHL.” Said Brown’s general manager Larissa Woding.

Woding says that they’ve had fans fill the bar, especially during Game Four on Friday night. Which set a new record for the most watched NBA game in Canadian history with an average audience of over 4.6 million.

Like Potvin, she believes this will have a long lasting effect on basketball fandom in the area.

“I think it helps the whole community, it doesn’t just help us. It’s great for us and it’s great for the guests as well,” she said.