Friday, March 29, 2024

Drake & Toronto Raptors Launch Expansive ‘Welcome Toronto’ Initiative to Give Back to the City (Watch)

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Canadian rap star Drake looks on as Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri speaks during a press conference where his OVO uniforms were unveiled ahead of NBA basketball action between the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons in Toronto on Wednesday, January 17, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Canadian rap star Drake looks on as Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri speaks during a press conference where his OVO uniforms were unveiled ahead of NBA basketball action between the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons in Toronto on Wednesday, January 17, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

*Drake has deepened his relationship with the Toronto Raptors with the launch of a new joint initiative designed to fund two basketball initiatives in the Canadian city, reports Billboard.

Before the Raptors played the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre, Drake and Raptors President Masai Ujiri held a press conference in the arena atrium to announce their $3 million (USD $2.4M) donation toward the “Welcome Toronto” project “an immersive brand experience focused on art, community and ball,” according to the franchise. (Watch the press conference above.)

A million Canadian dollars will go to refurbishing 12 local community basketball courts over the next three years, while $2 million will go to the nearly century-old nonprofit federation Canada Basketball to develop the sport from the grassroots to pro.

The effort also includes six themed nights per year for the next three years, new OVO-edition uniforms and an OVO-designed black and gold home court — but it’s the charity donation that makes it most important to Drake.

“It’s nice to have the uniforms and the fancy court and the merchandise and stuff like that, but what was most important to me was just the call to action,” Drake said. “In this day and age, it’s really easy to go on social media and talk about things that we’d like to see change or things that we think are wrong, then there’s an opportunity, when you’re presented with one, to be able to do something about it.

The rapper, whom Ujiri introduced as “the King of Toronto,” became the Raptors’ global ambassador in 2013. Not only is he frequently seen courtside cheering on his beloved hometown team, but he’s also brought his October’s Very Own brand prominently into the franchise with its gold and black color scheme and owl logo.

“The biggest thing I’m most proud of with this partnership is the million dollars that we’re going to be giving to the city to redo these courts and, hopefully, to create an amazing atmosphere for anyone in that community to come out and either play casual basketball or potentially breed the next generation of Canadian basketball superstars, which goes to our other donation of 2 million dollars to Canada Basketball who have produced incredible talent.”

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), which owns the Raptors, is also involving its MLSE LaunchPad, a nonprofit 43,000-square-foot space in Toronto for “youth facing barriers to use sport to recognize and reach their potential.” One of Drake’s favorite nonprofits, the Remix Project — which teaches kids from disadvantaged home lives or communities the recording arts — is also onboard.

The Welcome Toronto OVO-Raptors partnership kicks off Jan. 26 against the Utah Jazz and Jan. 28 against the L.A. Lakers, for which the Raps will wear the new OVO uniforms and debut the home court. The other games are Feb. 2 (vs. Portland Trail Blazers), March 9 (vs. Houston Rockets), March 23 (vs. Brooklyn Nets) and April 6 (vs. Indiana Pacers).

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