Toronto Raptors Turn to Drake to Establish Relevance

The Toronto Raptors have signed rapper Drake to be their global ambassador as the team looks to invigorate its brand ahead of hosting the 2016 NBA All-Star Game. Drake follows the line of rappers, such as Jay-Z, who have become involved with major NBA franchises in an effort to increase the club’s visibility and profitability.

Drake, a Toronto native, is supremely popular in the hip-hop world, and the Raptors are hoping that he can use his popularity with players and fans to help build the team’s following. The Raptors will use Drake as the non-official host of the 2016 All-Star Game festivities as the team looks to capitalize on the event as an opportunity to establish itself as one of the premier franchises in the NBA.

Drake will also launch a clothing line in conjunction with the team and has been asked to consult on the complete redesign of the club’s image. The 20th anniversary of the Toronto Raptors franchise is the 2014-15 season and the ownership group is leaving everything but the name as open for change. This is certainly a bold move by the Raptors ownership, who are looking to change the narrative about the team which only has one playoff series win in its history.