John Bitove Jr. on the origin story of the Raptors

Alex sits down with former Raptors owner John Bitove Jr. to discuss the franchise’s early days, from securing an NBA team for Toronto to shaping its identity. They dive into the original branding process—including how close the team came to a lime-green Raptor logo—the challenges of hosting games at the SkyDome, and his biggest argument with David Stern. Bitove also shares stories about launching the Dance Pak, the opening-night “thunderstick” fiasco, and the lasting influence of the first-year Raptors.Reach out to the show by leaving a voicemail at hellowelcome.show or email the guys [email protected] out our merch! Visit hellowelcome.show and click on the merch link.Original Music by DIVISION 88.Hello and Welcome is presented by Betway. https://betway.ca- Only Available In Ontario, must be 19+. Please play responsibly.Download the Betway app: https://betway.onelink.me/3010529547/0mx1y6wbTangerine: www.tangerine.caGreta Bar YYZ: https://www.gretabar.com/locations/torontoReach out to [email protected] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.