33 Toronto Raptors Fandom: Participatory Culture of One Fandom at Different Time
33 Toronto Raptors Fandom: Participatory Culture of One Fandom at Different Times
Brayden Reinbrecht
Introduction
The 2018-2019 finals of the NBA is a time that most fans of the Toronto Raptors will never forget. While the Toronto Raptors are still the Toronto Raptors, this paper will examine the change in participatory culture from the 2018-2019 NBA finals compared to the beginning of the 2023-2024 season. In order to examine this change, it is necessary to look at the subjects associated with participatory culture.
First, it is important to examine the fans of the Toronto Raptors and how they are a part of a fandom, seeing them as produsers and prosumers, and the participatory culture as a whole as it has changed over the years. Next, sport fandom will be analyzed to point out the different kinds of fans during these two time periods and the different concepts surrounding sport fandom that may affect how people consume the Toronto Raptors. Finally, it will be interesting to see the aspects of anti-fandom during the 2018-2019 NBA finals and how time, affect, and emotion can play into the change of that anti-fandom.
It is crucial for this paper to take into consideration all variables when studying the change in the participatory culture of the Toronto Raptors. The 2018-2019 season is a time where the team was one of the best in the NBA, they were in the finals, and one step closer to winning the championship for the first time. This would have been an extremely exciting time for long-time fans and would have introduced a large amount of new viewers. Comparing that to today though, it is evident that the Raptors are a mediocre team at best and not in the running for the championship. Although this is true, “all cultures are participatory to some degree, but different configurations of culture invite or facilitate different degrees of participation (Jenkins, 2018, p.21).
The Toronto Raptor’s 2018-2019 Finals Fandom
The goal of this paper is to examine the change in the participatory culture when it comes to the Toronto Raptors. In order to do this, it is necessary to understand the fandom and the circumstances in which why things may change. First, it is important to look at where the Toronto Raptors were at in the 2018-2019 finals. Fans were on top of the world as their team was close to winning the championship. These fans were not only seeing it as the Raptors winning the championship, but seen it as themselves winning the championship. During this 2018-2019 run, one fan even tweeted “We Did It!! Toronto Raptors Eastern Conference Champions!! (See Appendix A). This is where we begin to see fans as produsers and prosumers. Fans are tweeting about the games and bringing engagement to them. They are also tweeting as if they themselves have won the game because they identify so much with the Toronto Raptors. People are identifying with this team and feel like they win when the team wins.
“The concept of produser foregrounds the agency and creativi