Fifty lucky Raptors fans are touching down in Cleveland on an all-expenses paid trip to see the Raptors take the Cavaliers in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The group of fans won ‘North Side Pride,’ a Raptors super-fan contest held in conjunction with Air Canada.
Raptors fans were encouraged to share their team pride through photos, videos, songs and just about anything else they could think of in hopes of winning a chance to see the team play.
For the second year in a row, the contest’s top prize was a VIP road trip to a Raptors playoff game.
Thousands of Raptors fans tried their hand at winning the contest, but it took a few die-hard fans to hit the jackpot.
“I’m so excited. This is such a big deal for me, especially since we’re from such a small town, so far away,” contest winner Alissa LaFlamme, of Thunder Bay, said.
“Oh my gosh, you don’t even understand,” Ashley Valera, another winner, said.
“I ditched Beyoncé for tonight. I know she’s in town so I gave up my tickets to my mom and just got packed up and ready to go.”
One fan constructed a massive sign that read ‘RAPTORS,’ installed it on her front lawn and submitted it to the contest.
“It’s attracted a lot of attention,” she said of her winning submission. “Everybody’s stopping and posing in front of it and honking, which I don’t think all of my neighbours are too thrilled about.”
The VIP experience prize included a private Air Canada charter jet to Cleveland.
“We’ve sent fans to Indianapolis, fans to Miami and now we’re stepping it up a notch today and we’re sending fans on a private jet charter just to support the team,” Air Canada spokesperson Veronique Poulin told CTV Toronto.
Mark McCarthy’s 2-year-old son, Scotty, was the star of the video he submitted to the contest, but it was McCarthy who ultimately claimed the prize. In McCarthy's submission, Scotty is seen sitting on a toy wearing a miniature Raptors jersey and baseball hat repeating after his dad who is chanting "Kyle Lowry" and "DeMar DeRozan."
“I told him he won daddy a trip and he asked me where we were going, but he’s not going. He’s not allowed to.”
The Raptors are set to play the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the Eastern Conference finals tonight at 8:30 p.m.
With files from Janice Golding.
