The National Basketball Association (NBA) will be in Montreal for the second time in three years tonight as the New York Knicks take on the Toronto Raptors in a preseason game. In 2010, the Bell Centre had sold out and we expect a crowd as large this year. Basketball it would be more popular in Quebec that would be led to believe, or is it just a successful event?

For the president of Canada Basketball, Wayne Parrish, there is no sport more inclusive as it reaches audiences varied. "Basketball is more accessible, since it is very cheap to play. People from diverse cultural communities to different socio-economic profiles can be located on the same lot or in the same crowd. Basketball brings us to stand out in a country dominated by hockey. "He admits, however, that the arrival of two teams in the NBA in 1995 changed everything. "Canadians can now discover the players personally and focus on a team."

Montreal has had professional clubs: the Dragons, the Matrix, the Sasquatch ... all dismal failures. The Quebec City Kebs are now in Laval in the new National Basketball League of Canada. Maybe this circuit will be more successful. The Director General of the Basketball Federation of Quebec, Daniel Grimard, wishes, because according to him, a true culture is to develop basketball."The number of players in schools continues and there has never been much of leagues for 18 years and over, while the interest is there. We must follow the model of college football. Laval, UOM, Sherbrooke have managed to make their games events. People of all ages who have never played attend. It is clear that the diffusion of the parties to the TV also helps ... "

To read the entire article by Pascal Leblanc from La Presse, click here.

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