There are some long faces in Yellowknife this morning after it was announced that the NBA Championship Trophy, won by the Toronto Raptors last year, will not be making it to Yellowknife after all.
Charzie Abendanio, spokesperson for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) the parent company of the Raptors and hockey’s Maple Leafs, made the disappointing announcement this morning.
She says MLSE staffers, the Raptor mascot and the Larry O’Brien trophy were to have hitched a ride with the Canadian Armed Forces on one of its planes – but she adds that for operational reasons it’s not going to happen.
The trophy was to go out on a dog sled this evening and make an appearance at St. Joseph’s School on Range Lake Road tomorrow morning.
It was part of an initiative by the Raptors to take the trophy to all Canadians no matter where they live.
Abendanio says she feels bad and understands how excited people, particularly youngsters, were about having the trophy and the mascot here in town.
She adds there are no current plans to reschedule the visit.
