Toronto Raptors fans have caused a stir on social media after finding out they’ll need to win the team’s tailgate viewing tickets through a lottery system to be able to attend.
The Toronto Raptors posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s playoff start, informing fans that they will need to lock in a spot to the “Jurassic Park” watch party through a lottery system on the Raptors Fan Access app.
Fans must obtain their free mobile passes with QR Codes ahead of time in order to secure a spot, as capacity at Maple Leaf Square, outside gate 6 of Scotiabank Arena, is limited.
To enter the draw, anyone interested in trying their luck must sign up through the same Raptors’ app. Fans are able to attempt to secure up to two free, non-transferable passes per game. The sign up begins at 9 a.m. the day before each confirmed game, and will close at 12 p.m. the day of the game selected. Fans chosen will be notified at 1 p.m. the same day.
Fans under the Raptors’ X post were not happy to hear about the lengths they had to go to attend the tailgate.
“It’s bad to require a pass to stand on the sidewalk outside in the cold,” one X user wrote.
Others agreed, saying the experience loses its charm when fans have to sign up for raffles to obtain tickets.
“Anybody [used to be able to] show up and be a part of the atmosphere. No app needed,” one X user said. “This is lame. What about the fans who don’t see this…and just assume they can be at JP…and are denied access? Crummy.”
Many threw blame at the Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) corporation for making this choice.
“Can’t even enjoy the team in Jurassic park anymore, f-ck you MLSE,” one disgruntled X user wrote.
“Fans who were there for the height of it [when the Raptors’ won the playoffs] in 2019, don’t want MLSE corporate bullsh-t ruining the Jurassic Park experience,” another X user agreed.
Other Raptors fans reminisced when the mobile tickets weren’t the case for the team’s 2019 run, before they became mandatory starting with Toronto Maple Leaf games in 2023.
“What happened to just line up early and first come first serve @Raptors, like the good old days,” one fan said on X.
“Remember the days when we would just queue up… not everything needs to be through an app,” another fan on X agreed.
A MLSE representative confirmed the tickets had been implemented in the past before the 2026 NBA season, and that anyone without a pass would be turned away.
“…Mobile passes have been implemented for playoff tailgates for the past few years for crowd control and safety & security standards,” they stated in part in an email to Now Toronto.
With space in each tailgate limited, fans are not able to select their spots to watch the game from. MLSE will fill viewing zones closest to Scotiabank Arena first.
Entrance to the Jurassic Park Raptors tailgates can be found on York St. and Bremner Blvd, with gates opening two hours ahead of each game, and closing at the end of halftime.
See y’all tonight 👀 #WeTheNorth
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) April 20, 2026
⌚️: Raptors Tailgate opens at 5pm pic.twitter.com/yFHhcXnsBx
Fans have already been chosen for Monday’s tailgate but will have another opportunity to sign up ahead of Thursday’s home game.
