Raptors named NBA Team of the Year thanks in part to the Future of Sport Lab

The 2019 NBA Champions, Toronto Raptors, have added to their hardware by receiving the team’s first NBA Team of the Year Award, and the Future of Sport Lab, a collaboration between Ryerson University and MLSE, was outlined in the list of innovative programs developed by the entertainment and sports organization. 

The Raptors beat out 29 other teams to receive the award for their strong business performance and innovative marketing programs.  The Future of Sport Lab (FSL) (external link)  is an initiative for aspiring business startups in the sports space.

Launched in Fall 2018, FSL is a leader in North American sport business education as a collaborative lab and incubator for sport innovation and research. FSL is one of Ted Rogers School of Management’s (TRSM) 15 research centres, institutes and labs. 

“This is a wonderful honour for our partners at MLSE. The Raptors’ success both on and off the court has set an incredible foundation that will leave a legacy in the city and country for decades,” says Dr. Cheri Bradish, Director of the Future of Sport Lab and TRSM’s Ted Rogers Director of Sport Business Initiatives. “MLSE’s commitment to business excellence is second to none and we are thrilled to be supporting their drive for innovation in sport through Future of Sport Lab.”

Students in TRSM’s Sport Business-focused MBA have the unique opportunity to be connected to the Future of Sport Lab where they can work with a sport start-up.

The Ted Rogers MBA with a Sport Business focus gives students deeper insight into areas such as sport marketing, strategy, media and analytics, and better equips them with the skills most sought by industry.  It also has the advantage of being located in downtown Toronto, which is home to every major sports league in the country and leading sport organizations.