Nav Bhatia
{{Short description|Canadian businessman and superfan}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nav Bhatia
| image = Nav Bhatia 2023FBWC 6-58.jpg
| alt = Portrait photograph of Bhatia wearing red at the Serbia vs. Canada 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup game
| caption = Bhatia in 2023
| children = 1
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|7|9|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = New Delhi, Delhi, India
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| nationality = Canadian
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| education = Mechanical engineering{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsb.com/speakers/nav-bhatia/|title=Diversity Speaker Nav Bhatia {{!}} Raptors Superfan|website=National Speakers Bureau|language=en|access-date=December 22, 2019}}
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| years_active = 1984–present
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| known_for = Superfan of the Toronto Raptors
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| awards =Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award
| website = {{URL|navbhatiasuperfan.com}}
}}
Nav Bhatia (born July 9, 1951),{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/opinion/2019/10/22/the-masai-ujiri-way-raises-the-bar-for-nba-championship-entry.html|title=The Masai Ujiri way raises the bar for NBA championship entry |work= The Star|date=October 22, 2019 |language=en|access-date=December 1, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/the-world-is-falling-in-love-with-raptors-superfan-nav-bhatia-here-s-why-1.4441973|title=The world is falling in love with Raptors 'Superfan' Nav Bhatia, here's why|date=May 29, 2019|website=Toronto|language=en|access-date=December 1, 2019}} nicknamed the Raptors Superfan, is a Canadian businessman and superfan of the Toronto Raptors basketball team. He founded and currently runs the Superfan Foundation to help unite people through the love of the sport.
Bhatia has attended every Toronto Raptors home game since 1995, temporarily ending in 2020 when he could no longer attend home games in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Raptors' temporary relocation to Tampa, Florida. His 26-year 100 per cent Toronto home game attendance streak ended on December 10, 2021, when he was forced into isolation following a COVID-19 outbreak at an event he attended.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors-new-york-knicks-nba-recap-dec-10-1.6281913|title=Trent Jr., Barnes help Raptors hang on to beat Knicks in 1st absence of 'Superfan'|date=December 10, 2021|website=CBC.ca|language=en|access-date=December 11, 2021}} On June 19, 2018, Bhatia was named a recipient of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award.Rosella, Louie. (July 13, 2018).[https://www.mississauga.com/news-story/8727514-car-dealership-owner-raptors-superfan-recognized-as-top-canadian-immigrant/ "Car dealership owner, Raptors ‘superfan’ recognized as top Canadian immigrant"]. Mississauga.com. Retrieved on January 27, 2020
Early life and career
Bhatia was born in New Delhi and moved to Toronto in 1984 amid anti-Sikh riots in India.{{cite news|first=Scott|last=Cacciola|title=Raptors Fan in Bad Times Tastes the Good|date=April 20, 2014|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/sports/basketball/a-die-hard-fan-is-loving-the-raptors-success.html|access-date=May 22, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsb.com/speakers/nav-bhatia/#/!|title=Nav Bhatia: Raptors Superfan & Top Auto Dealer|website=NSB.com|language=en|access-date=May 17, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2018/nav-bhatia|title=Nav Bhatia: Superfan, super Canadian|website=CanadianImmigrant.ca|language=en|access-date=May 17, 2021}} He struggled to find work as a mechanical engineer and decided to work as a car salesman.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/playoffs/2019/05/29/raptors-superfan-nav-bhatia-nba-finals/1276969001/|title=Meet Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia: 'I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't womanize. I just Raptorize.'|website=USA Today|language=en|access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nav-bhatia-speaks-to-st-john-s-board-of-trade-1.5321036|title=Raptors superfan brings story of success and diversity to St. John's|website=CBC News|language=en|access-date=December 20, 2019}} He achieved a record 127 car sales in three months and bought the dealership two years later.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/raptors-superfan-nav-bhatia-used-sports-acclimate-canada/|title=How Raptors Superfan Nav Bhatia used sports to acclimate to Canada – Sportsnet.ca|website=www.sportsnet.ca|access-date=June 2, 2019}} Bhatia is the owner of one of the top-selling Hyundai car dealerships in Canada.{{Cite web|url=https://canada.autonews.com/article/20180118/CANADA/180119685/meet-the-famous-raptors-superfan-who-happens-to-be-a-top-hyundai-dealer|title=Meet the 'famous' Raptors superfan who happens to be a top Hyundai dealer|date=January 18, 2018|website=Automotive News Canada|language=en|access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://heavy.com/sports/2019/05/nav-bhatia-net-worth-raptors-superfan/|title=Nav Bhatia, Raptors Superfan's Net Worth: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|last=Dodge|first=Sam|date=May 30, 2019|website=Heavy.com|language=en|access-date=June 2, 2019}}
Toronto Raptors superfan
Bhatia is known for being the Raptors’ biggest fan,{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-48476301/nba-finals-the-toronto-raptor-superfan-who-s-not-drake|title=One of these guys is basketball's biggest superfan|website=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=June 2, 2019}} having attended every Raptors home game in the franchise's 25-year history from 1995 to 2020,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03flv6z|title=BBC Asian Network – Nihal, Nav Bhatia – Toronto Raptors Superfan|website=BBC|date=January 15, 2016 |language=en-GB|access-date=June 2, 2019}} until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Raptors to temporarily play their 2020–2021 season in Tampa, Florida. His 26-year 100 per cent Toronto home game attendance streak finally ended on December 10, 2021, when he was forced into isolation due to an outbreak of COVID-19 at Masai Ujiri's Giants of Africa Gala, which he attended.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors-new-york-knicks-nba-recap-dec-10-1.6281913|title=Trent Jr., Barnes help Raptors hang on to beat Knicks in 1st absence of 'Superfan'|date=December 10, 2021|website=CBC.ca|language=en|access-date=December 11, 2021}}
After the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championship during the 2018–2019 season, he became the first fan to receive an official NBA Championship ring.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/toronto-raptors-nba-championship-rings_ca_5db04933e4b08cfcc32566cd|title=Toronto Raptors Superfan Nav Bhatia Receives NBA Championship Ring|website=Huffington Post|author=Jon Rumley|language=en-US|date=October 24, 2019}}
In 2020, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Bhatia would be one of the first fans memorialized in its new superfan gallery for their 2020 induction class.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/15/us/nav-bhatia-superfan-basketball-hall-of-fame-trnd/index.html|title=Toronto Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia to be in new gallery at the Basketball Hall of Fame|website=CNN|author=Amir Vera|language=en-US|date=February 15, 2020}} He was officially honoured by the Hall of Fame on May 15, 2021, as part of their ceremonial induction weekend.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-superfan-nav-bhatia-inducted-into-hall-of-fame?fbclid=IwAR0MsmTtlCEvj85hgsxw7-a_4RDxz9dsVeHFZXyocFVGKdNYLAAGE1L0CBs|title=Raptors Superfan Becomes 1st Fan Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame|magazine=SI.com|author=Aaron Rose|language=en-US|date=May 17, 2020}}
In 2021, Bhatia was announced as the subject of both Superfan: The Nav Bhatia Story, a CBC Television documentary film which aired on December 3, 2021,Jenna Benchetrit, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/raptors-superfan-documentary-1.6271344 "Nav Bhatia's journey from newcomer to Raptors Superfan chronicled in new CBC doc"]. CBC News, December 3, 2021. and Superfan, an upcoming Hollywood studio biopic slated to star Kal Penn as Bhatia.Matt Grobar, [https://deadline.com/2021/12/kal-penn-to-produce-star-in-nav-bhatia-biopic-superfan-from-stampede-ventures-1234883852/ "Kal Penn To Produce & Star In Nav Bhatia Biopic ‘Superfan’ From Stampede Ventures"]. Deadline Hollywood, December 2, 2021.
In 2023, the city of Mississauga awarded Bhatia the Key to the City.{{cite web |url=https://www.mississauga.ca/city-of-mississauga-news/news/mississauga-mayor-bonnie-crombie-presents-nav-bhatia-with-the-key-to-the-city/ |url-status=live |title=Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie presents Nav Bhatia with the Key to the City |author= |date=December 14, 2023 |website= |publisher=City of Mississauga |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127190900/https://www.mississauga.ca/city-of-mississauga-news/news/mississauga-mayor-bonnie-crombie-presents-nav-bhatia-with-the-key-to-the-city/ |archive-date=January 27, 2024 |access-date=June 24, 2024 |quote=}}
Bhatia is frequently invited to talk about basketball in the media.{{Citation|title='Superfan' Nav Bhatia on the Raptors' success|date=May 17, 2019|url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/canada/video/superfan-nav-bhatia-on-the-raptors-success~1686100|access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{Citation|last=NBA TV Canada|title=Superfan Nav Bhatia Interviews The NBA's Rising Stars I NBA XL|date=February 28, 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0buzg8ZE0fg|access-date=June 2, 2019}}
Philanthropy
Bhatia founded the Superfan Foundation in 2018 as a way to bring people in Canada and around the world together through sport.{{Cite news|url=https://torontosun.com/sponsored/sponsored-sports/nav-bhatia-launches-the-superfan-foundation|title=Nav Bhatia launches the Superfan Foundation |newspaper= Toronto Sun |date=July 12, 2018|language=en-CA|access-date=June 2, 2019}} He spends $300K every year to send thousands of children to Raptors games.{{Cite web|url=https://mwsn.net/archives/6444|title=LISTEN: Touching Story of Raptors Superfan Nav Bhatia and Toronto|last=Schray|first=Gabriel|date=May 27, 2019|website=Midwest Sports Network|language=en-US|access-date=June 2, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://canadianimmigrant.ca/canadas-top-25-immigrants/canadas-top-25-immigrants-2018/nav-bhatia|title=Nav Bhatia|website=Canadian Immigrant|language=en-US|access-date=June 2, 2019}}
References
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{{Toronto Raptors}}
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Category:20th-century Canadian businesspeople
Category:21st-century Canadian businesspeople
Category:Automobile salespeople
Category:21st-century Indian businesspeople
Category:Indian emigrants to Canada
Category:People from Mississauga