Just a couple days ago I was able to experience my first ever game from COURTSIDE, and what made it even more special was that it involved two things that I grew up on, Basketball and Degrassi! This was a dope experience and I knew I had to write a post for it. However, I am going to do it a bit differently this time around and combine two categories. The first half will be the recap while the second will be #TFBD (The Fit Break Down).

Recap

The game was a good experience and I am happy that I finally got the chance to go to a 905 game. For those of you who are not familiar, The Raptors 905 are the G-League affiliate team for the Toronto Raptors.  The team is comprised of developing talent who can hopefully one day make it on the roster for the Toronto Raptors. A notable alumni is the top candidate for this year’s Most Improved Award, Pascal Siakam.

Unfortunately, we lost the game, matter of fact, we never had a lead. Nonetheless, there was some good effort from Montreal Native Chris Boucher, Jordan Howard, Jordan Lloyd and Malcolm Miller.

Arena & Atmosphere

For those of you who haven’t been to a 905 game, they play at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre. This is located in Mississauga, so prepare in advance for your commute. The arena itself is interesting and has its pros and cons. I may have submitted my survey response early but here are some pros and cons to consider.

Firstly, there is free parking, that’s a plus. This is probably the case because I believe the arena itself is a community centre which must be really cool for the locals. There is nothing wrong with the internet connection, and the actual concession stands are fast. I also found the entertainment during the game really good with the Sauga City Dancers and the kid dancers were absolutely adorable.

However, there are things that they can improve on. The food is quite limited and slightly overpriced. That being said, I saw one table outside for ticket sales but I didn’t see any booths or tables to purchase any 905 merchandise which is unfortunate. Also, more specific to the court side experience, I found that the in seat experience was slow.

Price

Like I said this is the first time I have ever experienced court side seating but that is mainly because of the price of the tickets. Therefore, you can enjoy it too! With a promotional discount the tickets were only $55 CAD each! 905 tickets are really cheap so might as well enjoy the low prices while you can. Visit their website for more info, especially when they have themed games or any promotional events. Check it out here and check out the pricing here.

Prior to discussing the overall experience, let’s get into The Fit Break Down…

The Fit Break Down

T-Shirt

Besides the cool jerseys and nostalgic admiration for Degrassi, I also really wanted to go to this game because I know they were giving out a free Degrassi Jersey shirt for the first 2,500 people in attendance! Therefore, I was happy to grab this nice souvenir which features Toronto native, Duane Notice. I also knew that I was just going to wear an undershirt and hoodie, so this fit would be revolved around this tee.

Place of Purchase: At The 905 Game!

Price: FREE

Kicks

I wasn’t too sure which kicks to rock for this experience and game so I decided to go with a pair I’ve been wearing recently that not actually fits perfectly.

I went with the Kyle Lowry’s PE (you can see all the details above) of the Adidas Pro Bounce 2018. This was a beautiful piece to the fit because Kyle Lowry is a Raptors All-Star, Leader and one of the best to suit up for The 6ix and his PE which features a maple leaf camo pattern also takes influence from another popular Canadian brand, October’s Very Own (OVO). OVO of course, is the brand of none other than Drake, who is also known for his role as Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi!

One thing I absolutely regret about this is not copping these when they first dropped. Yes, these released twice. The first time was a surprise drop, the shoes sat and I could’ve used a discount. Therefore, I thought I could let it sit for a bit while I purchase. Turns out they completely took down the shoe form Adidas (not sold out) and re-released them a couple months later. Unfortunately, they were not eligible for discount and my true size sold out immediately which led me going size down. They are now completely sold out on Adidas.ca but there is one size left at Footlocker Canada but check your local Footlocker store for more sizes!

I really do like these shoes, they’ve grown on me and I’ve been wearing it a lot recently. Whether it’s for casual use, at the gym or shooting hoops, these kicks are getting a good wear. Therefore, stay tuned for a review coming soon!

Place of Purchase:

Price: $160 CAD + Tax

Socks

Going with the Raptors theme I had to rock Raptors socks. However, like the kicks I wanted to tie in some Degrassi inspiration so I went with this argyle sock I like to use for Monday to Thursday. It’s a really nice pair where you can dress it up and down.

Place of Purchase: Real Sports Toronto (Physical Store)

Price: $14.99 CAD

Jeans

Lastly, I was thinking about rocking a denim jacket because the Degrassi generation I grew up on and first started watching had the opening credits end with the back of Marco’s jean jacket. However, it was still cold so I decided to settle for some worn denim with a similar dye. If this looks familiar, it is because this is the same jeans I wore in the #TFBD for Parc Olympique/Olympic Park.

Place of Purchase: Bluenotes (In-Store). Fun Fact the Undershirt was also bought at Bluenotes the same time. 

Price: I believe these were BOGO 50% but should be $29.99 to $39.99 CAD

Overall Experience

All in all, it is an experience I am thankful for. For the price, it was definitely worth it! It was pretty cool to see Principal Snake/Simpson only two rows in front of me, but more importantly to see some awesome dunks and plays so close up. I also liked the Degrassi themes incorporated throughout the game from the intro, dances and the games in between. However, I do wish the jerseys were available to purchase or more interaction from the players post-game. Nonetheless, the Raptors 905 is doing a good job with their promotional efforts and hope they can continue to play well and increase their overall awareness!

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