Will #WeTheNorth get lost in midst of NHL playoffs?

Lots has been written on the rise of basketball in Canada.

Some of it is hype. Some of it is real. Like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Yes, the fan visuals from Jurassic Park are impressive, #WeTheNorth is often seen and heard in visiting arenas (I’ve cheered on the Raps in NYC, Chicago and Cleveland!), and the volume levels at the ACC is among the best atmospheres in all of the NBA.

But, viewership numbers on Canadian TV have always been a struggle for hoops in Canada

Here are the average TV numbers from last year’s Raptors/Pacers First Round playoff series (no Canadian hockey teams were in the playoffs challenging for eyeballs):

Game 1: 603,000

Game 2: 624,000

Game 3: 438,000

Game 4: 379,000

Game 5: 767,000

Game 6: 822,000

Game 7: 1.53 million

Game seven aside, these are not great playoff numbers compared to other pro sport properties in this country.

Admittedly, living in Toronto, it’s sometimes hard to remember that what happens on the streets of The Six, is not always a reflection of what’s going on in the rest of the nation.

If you’re involved in the sports business, it’s a lesson worth learning.

So, with five Canadian NHL teams currently on a playoff run (including the Toronto Maple Leafs who share its home with the Raptors), how pan-Canadian will this Raptors playoff push be?

This month marks the three year anniversary of the #WeTheNorth brand launch. This may be its biggest test yet.

It’ll be interesting to see how many of us Canadians tune in or change the channel on Lowry, DeRozen and company.

The NBA playoffs begin today.