The Raptors will have to wait a few days before they get a chance to close out the Golden State Warriors and win their first NBA title but believe it or not the line to get into Jurassic Park for the potentially historic occasion has already begun to form.
Two basketball fans from Cambridge, Ontario began lining up outside the Scotiabank Arena at around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday morning; less than an hour after the Raptors defeated the Warriors to go ahead 3-1 in the NBA Finals.
The fans have set up a tent outside the arena and say that they are determined to make sure that they are the first ones to be let inside Jurassic Park for Game 5.
“It is history in Ontario and Canada and I want to be there to witness it first-hand because it will probably never happen again,” one of the fans, Angie, told CP24.
“It is surreal. You have seen the lineups day in and day out for games and to be actually number one (in line) for this, it’s breathtaking,” the other fan, Tyler, told CP24.
Jurassic Park has been at capacity throughout the NBA Finals and fans have taken to lining up as early 24 hours ahead of time to get a good spot.
With Game 5 not taking place until 9 p.m. on Monday, though, this of course takes it to a whole other level.
The two fans have set up a tent to sleep in over the next two nights and also have a cooler filled with food and a butane stove that they plan to cook on during the long wait. They say that they will be using washrooms that have been set up near the lineup area by the team.
“We got three pounds of bacon, a dozen eggs, hot dogs if we really get hungry – those are a last resort, some steaks we picked up from Walmart, a kettle to make coffee and water bottles. We are good to go,” Tyler told CP24.
The Raptors have added additional video screens along Bremner Boulevard for the NBA Finals but the open-air viewing areas known as Jurassic Park have still hit capacity with thousands of fans taking in each game from outside the arena.
