When the Toronto Raptors joined the NBA in 1995, the original owners were given a six-month window to reap 100 percent of merchandise profits sold in their region to help cover the cost of the franchise. To maximize those initial sales the choice was made to break with Toronto traditions and adopt a name and colour that would appeal to kids between the ages of six and ten with a focus on becoming an international brand. After a name the team contest narrowed the list down to ten names, the name Raptors with a base colour of purple was chosen after inspiration of the eight year old son of owner John Bitove. In 2006, the Raptors re-branded with red as their new base colour to market themselves beyond Toronto as "Canada's Team" with their national colour as the only Canadian NBA team after the Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 2001.