JimmiJaiswal at 22:36, 14 September 2023

2023-09-14T22:36:26Z

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{{Short description|Canadian businessman and superfan}}
{{Use Canadian English}}
{{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
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|7|9|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[New Delhi]], [[Delhi]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| resting_place =
| nationality = Canadian
| other_names =
| education = Mechanical engineering<ref>{{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}}</ref>
| alma_mater =
| occupation = [[Businessman]]
| years_active = 1984–present
| employer =
| organization =
| agent =
| known_for = Superfan of the [[Toronto Raptors]]
| notable_works =
| party =
| boards =
| awards = [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] inductee<br>[[Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award]]
| website = {{URL|navbhatiasuperfan.com}}
}}

'''Nav Bhatia''' (born July 9, 1951),<ref>{{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|language=en|access-date=December 1, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> 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 [[2020–21 Toronto Raptors season|Raptors' temporary relocation to Tampa, Florida]]. His 26-years 100 percent Toronto home game attendance streak finally ended on December 10, 2021, when he was forced into isolation following a COVID-19 outbreak at an event he attended.<ref>{{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}}</ref> On June 19, 2018, Bhatia was named a recipient of the [[Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award]].<ref>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</ref>

== Career ==
Bhatia moved to [[Toronto]] in 1984 in the midst of [[1984 anti-Sikh riots|anti-Sikh riots in India]].<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> He struggled to find work as a mechanical engineer and decided to work as a car salesman.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> He achieved a record 127 car sales in 3 months and bought the dealership 2 years later.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Bhatia is the owner of one of the top-selling [[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]] car dealerships in Canada.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

He founded the Superfan Foundation in 2018 as a way to bring diverse people in Canada and around the world together through sport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/sponsored/sponsored-sports/nav-bhatia-launches-the-superfan-foundation|title=Nav Bhatia launches the Superfan Foundation |work= Toronto Sun |date=July 12, 2018|language=en-CA|access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref> He spends $300K every year to send thousands of kids to Raptors games.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

After the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championship during the [[2019 NBA playoffs|2018–2019 season]], he became the first ever fan to receive an official [[NBA Championship ring]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> He was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame on May 15, 2021, as part of their ceremonial induction weekend.<ref>{{Cite web|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|website=[[Sports Illustrated|SI.com]]|author=Aaron Rose|language=en-US|date=May 17, 2020}}</ref>

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,<ref>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.</ref> and ''Superfan'', an upcoming Hollywood studio biopic slated to star [[Kal Penn]] as Bhatia.<ref>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.</ref>

== Personal life ==
Bhatia is known for being the Raptors’ biggest fan,<ref>{{Cite web|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}}</ref> having attended every Raptors home game in the franchise's 25-year history from 1995 to 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03flv6z|title=BBC Asian Network – Nihal, Nav Bhatia – Toronto Raptors Superfan|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=June 2, 2019}}</ref> until the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] forced the Raptors to temporarily play their [[2020–21 Toronto Raptors season|2020–2021 season]] in [[Tampa]], Florida. His 26-year 100% Toronto home game attendance streak finally ended on December 10, 2021, when he was forced into isolation due to attending an outbreak of COVID-19 at [[Masai Ujiri]]'s Giants of Africa Gala, which he attended.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

He is frequently invited to talk about basketball in the media.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> He has an adopted daughter, Tia Bhatia, who is a YouTuber.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Toronto Raptors}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhatia, Nav}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Automobile salespeople]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Canadian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:People from Mississauga]]
[[Category:People from New Delhi]]
[[Category:Sports spectators]]
[[Category:Toronto Raptors]]

Nav Bhatia - Revision history

JimmiJaiswal at 22:36, 14 September 2023