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Tim BontempsESPN
The Raptors will continue to play at home in Tampa, Florida for the remainder of the 2020-21 NBA season, citing border restrictions and “watch out for public safety measures” in Toronto as factors that prevent them from returning home to play at any time this season.
“Florida has been very welcoming to us and we are very grateful for the hospitality we found in Tampa and Amalie [Arena] – we are living in a city of champions and we intend to continue the tradition of winning for our new friends and fans here, “said Raptors President Masai Ujiri in a statement on Thursday.
“But home is where the heart is, and our hearts are in Toronto. We often think about our fans, our Scotiabank Arena family and everyone we miss at home, and we can’t wait until we can all be together. again.”
The Raptors spent weeks ahead of the season working with the city of Toronto to try to find a way to play at home, only to eventually have to move to the United States.
At the time, the Raptors said they expected to be able to return to Toronto at some point in the season, and said the decision to move to Tampa was set in stone only in the first half of the season.
It became official for the entire season on Thursday.
Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays went through a similar process last summer, negotiating to play at home before moving to Buffalo, New York, for the 2020 season.
After starting season 2-8, the Raptors have been 10-5 since then, and they have a 6-5 mark at Amalie Arena. They have a chance to reach 0.500 on Thursday night when they visit the Boston Celtics.