Canadian cities set up ‘Jurassic Parks’ for fans to watch Raptors playoff run

Several Canadian cities say they’re setting up public spaces where fans caught up in Raptors fever can watch the Toronto team fight for the NBA championship.

The Ontario cities of Mississauga, Brampton, Burlington and Kingston say they’ve received permission from Raptors’ owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to set up outdoor viewing areas during the series against the Golden State Warriors.

They are trying to create local versions of Jurassic Park, the tailgate zone outside the Raptor’s home arena in downtown Toronto that’s been the scene of massive celebrations during the team’s historic playoff run.

Maple Leaf Sports says it’s received applications from a number of cities looking to host public viewings, but did not immediately provide a list of those that have been approved to go ahead.

The City of Vancouver is bucking the trend by announcing that it opted not to offer public viewings, citing a lack of suitable venues available during the series.

Vancouver’s city council backed off the idea on Tuesday, a week after it was reported the city had been talking about possible locations for a family-friendly event.

Game 1 between the Raptors and Warriors will get underway in Toronto on Thursday night.

The Raptors’ last game reached an average audience of 3.1 million people on Sportsnet, making it the most-watched NBA game ever in Canada.

-With files from Taran Parmar and Jon Szekeres