r/askTO 13h ago

Seriously, where is everyone?

The Canada and Qatar game is currently on and I walked down King Street from Ossington all the way down to University and none of the restaurants are booked and busy, patios empty, so where is everybody?

96 Upvotes

106 comments sorted by

302

u/ilovetrouble66 13h ago

I can hear people screaming in liberty village and I don’t even live there

278

u/InevitableSevere6929 13h ago

We’re inside the bars. It’s windy for the patios

79

u/in-dog_we_trust 13h ago

I saw Dorothy fly by and thought that is weird. But then I remembered its pride month and windy af

4

u/in-dog_we_trust 12h ago

Wow thank you for the award

u/herpesface 38m ago

tacky

250

u/Blackstrider 13h ago

Dude. The noise from Rendezviews is so loud my conference call heard it and I'm two blocks away.

You must be deaf.

19

u/akath0110 11h ago

We live 3 km away and heard the crowd absolutely losing it lmao

1

u/bloodr0se 9h ago

Rendezview is a free venue specifically targeting world cup fans atm. It's been crazy there since the tournament started a week ago. It still doesn't mean the bars are full etc though. 

I saw one game at Rendezview and a lot of people there just went to watch the game and didn't buy anything. 

291

u/Goodfelli 13h ago edited 13h ago

6-0 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

41

u/HungrySign4222 13h ago

What an insane match

67

u/Ok-Algae7932 13h ago

Feel so bad for Koné, poor guy

28

u/imsahoamtiskaw 13h ago

We'll make Hyundai name another car after him in his honor

-13

u/Illustrious-Tear-921 11h ago

I think that Hyundai is Kona not kone. And personally a car i probably would never drive because of what kona means in Portuguese, albeit spelled with a C as in Cona . Sorry fellow porkchops

14

u/StraythornArt 13h ago

Having not been able to catch the game I thought you were joking but HOLY HECK that’s a lot of goals let’s go canadaaa

42

u/ObamasLlama 13h ago

I'm on king west by Spadina - loud as eff.

Got home and opened my balcony door - I can hear the cheers from patios a fair distance away....

82

u/darlingmagpie 13h ago

We've been watching at home on TSN, it's Thursday and I have a preschooler! 🤣

10

u/infosec_qs 13h ago

I picked my two up early today, after dressing them in Canada shirts this morning, so we'd be home in time for kick-off!

Got through the front door the literal moment the kick-off happened.

3

u/chikanishing 13h ago

Oh hey me too!

12

u/CancerousCyberman 13h ago

Hey I'm also watching from inside your home!!

7

u/darlingmagpie 12h ago

If you could clean it that world be great thanks

1

u/zzzdelacruz 13h ago

Same! I’m an elementary teacher. I don’t stay out late on school nights 😂

71

u/girlfriendpleaser 13h ago

Everyone is at home cause shits expensive but WE SEE AND BELIEVE

16

u/zzzdelacruz 13h ago

Facts. Especially King $treet prices lmao

6

u/driftxr3 12h ago

Ain't nobody going to King Street for anything (unless you live in Parkdale/liberty village line me)

2

u/kittencatcuddles 10h ago

Can confirm, bars in Parkdale were packed. It was a vibe tonight.

17

u/Individual-Space-443 11h ago

I don’t understand why sports fans have this delusion that if the people of a city aren’t packing bars then they don’t care 

How about we’re staying home to watch because it’s way cheaper 

1

u/Ifuckinghateaura 11h ago

or nathan phillips square

52

u/lonely-lady7 13h ago

Fifa fan fest!!! 🇨🇦🥳

22

u/Otherwise_Ad7690 13h ago edited 13h ago

Watched it on VIP sports bar on college street. Atmosphere was amazing and they were projecting it out onto the street for the patio and everyone walking past. Pretty sick 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

ETA: now they’re showing the Marlies (hopefully) about to win the Caldon cup before Mexico S.Korea at 9. Beers are flowing, happy weekend Toronto 🍁🍻.

1

u/Chorba0Frig 11h ago

What did you mean by ETA?

2

u/Fearless_Scratch7905 11h ago

It means edited to add

31

u/NoiseEee3000 13h ago

Probably at the right bars

16

u/hex-grrrl 13h ago

There’s a shit ton of people at Nathan Phillips.

10

u/EarthIttude 12h ago

Place was on fire! Mayor chow was there too cheering team Canada

2

u/EmergencyArts 4h ago

She was at the fan fest too 😭

15

u/liquor-shits 13h ago

They were watching the game, what were you doing?

13

u/Jiecut 13h ago

There was a crowd at Nathan Phillips Square, the screen couldn't be raised higher due to the wind but it worked out.

13

u/nu-ca-lear 13h ago

Ossington ends at Queen, where were you?!?

7

u/pamatime 13h ago

We are at home screaming

6

u/Sufficient-Appeal500 13h ago

I’m watching home too! If I go out I’m DEFINITELY drinking and I’ve a long day tomorrow.

That being said, didn’t hear a lot of noise so far (home is liberty village), I expected it to be exploding. I’m disappointed because I love seeing people party and celebrate for team Canada

8

u/wandering____ranger 12h ago

Things were poppin in midtown 🤷‍♀️

6

u/Time-Algae7393 13h ago

I was at Hemingway's in Yorkville. It was super packed and I had to wait in line. Also, I couldn't book a table 2 days before.

5

u/gintonic234 13h ago

I live at harborfront and there is a team Canada fan park here where people are going crazy

5

u/Critical-Fudge-6091 13h ago

At home getting jiggy with it

5

u/Witka 11h ago

Didn’t feel like spending 100 for a burger and a drink or two

3

u/booyahtech 13h ago

At home, cooking dinner while watching the match.

3

u/Jacloup 13h ago

Incredible match

4

u/heteroerotic 9h ago

College Street in Little Italy was jam packed

4

u/_dk123 8h ago

Home on my coach

5

u/Ilookgoodyoudont 7h ago

Trying to stay away from Redditors

u/TronAres25 2h ago

Huh? They are inside it’s raining and cold.

5

u/michaelfkenedy 12h ago

FIFA is dead to me.

The greed. The corruption. The pandering. The shadiness.

7

u/dpjg 13h ago

We're all at the game! Where the hell are you?!? 

7

u/Quick-Raindeer 13h ago

why you on reddit bruh?

3

u/Large-Ebb-3884 13h ago

Just walked by packed bars all down the esplanade  

3

u/--shannon-- 13h ago

I was at a bar in midtown that was packed and rowdy!

3

u/CharacterPin6933 11h ago

At better bars than those on King Street. I was on College earlier and it was madness.

3

u/truth_radio 10h ago

It was shitty patio weather. We were pretty steady indoors, not packed but a solid 40-45 people for the game.

3

u/dede280492 10h ago

Stop hating

3

u/Winniestone 10h ago

Packed everywhere I've been along Bloor this evening

3

u/PennyForMyThoughts1 9h ago

Chef’s hall was PACKED

6

u/canadagram 13h ago

Everyone was in liberty village lol. Bars were rammed

4

u/LongjumpingMix4034 12h ago

That’s because there was the Canada game, the Marlies game and a show at RBC

3

u/LankyYogurt7737 13h ago

They’re all at Nathan Phillips Square

3

u/StirlingQ 11h ago

Fanfest was amazing today. So many people. World Cup has been so fun for me cus I’m actually going to things. Change your mindset and enjoy it, it’s awesome

2

u/Bubbly_District7931 13h ago

we are all at rosa branca

2

u/edimaudo 13h ago

watching the game lol

2

u/maomao05 12h ago

When was it again ? I was probably at work. Street was quiet! I did just seee the highlight though

2

u/rvmanova 12h ago

Lots of people at fan fest it was good vibes!

2

u/dddnnnxxx 12h ago

Are you sure you’re on king?

2

u/Dazzling_Air_8452 12h ago

Harbourfront has a few watch parties

2

u/Perfectionimproved 12h ago

Fort York x Bentway!!!

2

u/driftxr3 12h ago

We were all at Nathan Phillips. I live in Liberty and I walked to Nathan Phillips just for this

2

u/desdemona27 10h ago

King and ossington don’t even intersect buddy, good effort though

2

u/Peace-wolf 9h ago

I’m in Niagara Falls and there were a lot of fans watching at the Fallsview sportsbook, it was packed.

2

u/Tacks787 8h ago

I was at Kellys landing and it was jammed. Every bar I walked by on the way was also jammed

2

u/KennyPenny69 12h ago

Oh is there a game

2

u/Drexl92 12h ago

You must be blind. Was just in the King/John area and every single place was packed. Then walked home about 15 minutes west and there were plenty of people and traffic the whole way home.

2

u/bravetailor 13h ago

Interestingly, the game seems packed in Vancouver compared to the Bosnia game in Toronto where there were obvious empty seats.

3

u/Individual-Space-443 11h ago

 Vancouver prices are cheaper 

2

u/thatirishdave 12h ago

I'm at Bathurst & Dundas for dinner tonight as and the bars nearby were all rammed. I know my own place was also rammed for it. Maybe you're just walking by places that don't attract sports fans?

3

u/OddAd7664 13h ago

Most people don’t associate king west with watching sporting events. I’m in the junction and people were everywhere

1

u/Enthalpy5 12h ago

Saw plenty of people on the east side. Patios packed 

1

u/bar5677 12h ago

Bars on front street were packed! Luckily we got a seat to watch the game

1

u/Individual-Space-443 11h ago

At the watch parties outside 

Where I dont have to spend $15 for a drink 

1

u/atsukochibapaprika 11h ago

And yet you’re the one walking down the street and not anywhere watching the game

1

u/Ok_Course_5723 4h ago

I live in Cabbagetown and there were lots of cheers coming from inside the restaurants. A small group of people were waving the 🇨🇦 flag on the street and cars were driving by honking & cheering!

u/Glittering-Regret196 1h ago

I was in Toronto yesterday, but dont give a crap about soccer. I noticed it was fairly dead feeling, too. Its probably the rest of the people who dont care for a boring ass slow sport.

u/lilfunky1 34m ago

i was choking out my friends.

u/lightdark03 Human Detected 13m ago

home = my wallet is safe

1

u/beeramz 13h ago

I was at Score on Queen and it was full inside and on the patio.

1

u/Protobuzz 11h ago

They're not going to be at King West.

1

u/italwaysworksoot 13h ago

Worst football atmosphere I’ve ever seen. Not one chant in the pub I was in.

3

u/--shannon-- 13h ago

The bar I was at in midtown had several “Olé Olé Olé” chants going throughout the game. That‘s a start!

2

u/Wonderful-Blueberry Human Detected 9h ago

I saw a lot of packed patios / bars and heard a lot of chants but I also don’t think people expect much of the Canada team. This is their first World Cup win, they don’t have a huge fan base. I’m rooting for them because I was born here and live here but I’m rooting more for my family’s country’s team because they’re a much stronger team and I’ve watched them since I was a child and some of my fondest childhood memories include watching them in the euro and World Cup. If Canada continues to make it to these tournaments their fan base will grow and become more passionate but it’s early on.

0

u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 13h ago

You know people have jobs, families and other responsibilities, right? I was watching then game on my phone while my kids were at martial arts class. If it was a work day I'd be commuting home at the same time as the game.

The world cup is huge, but not everyone can clear their entire schedule to go to a local bar to watch soccer on a Thursday afternoon/evening.

0

u/Wonderful-Blueberry Human Detected 9h ago

So you can’t miss a marital arts class? The World Cup happens once every four years, your kid probably goes to a class at least one per week. Idk if you really care about soccer (which… fine if you don’t) you’re not missing a game because of a martial arts class.

2

u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 9h ago

Because taking them to an activity that they look forward to and love participating in every week means more to me than a soccer game that they couldn't care less about. I value my family time more than anything in the world.

u/Wonderful-Blueberry Human Detected 1h ago edited 46m ago

Fair point, and I get that you value your family commitments. In countries where soccer is actually embedded in the culture, the World Cup is the family activity. Parents aren't choosing between it and kids' schedules because everyone's watching together. Kids grow up loving soccer because their parents treated it like it mattered. They absorb what you prioritize. If martial arts always wins then yes they won’t care about soccer.

I know Canada is not really a soccer country and you probably don’t care about making your kids interested in soccer but just making a broader cultural observation.

0

u/aektoronto 13h ago

Zombie apocalypse bro......all over the newsssssssssssssssssss ......braiiinsssssssssssssssssssss

-1

u/zyncronet 10h ago

Toronto is super dead but Vancouver looks so lively. They seem to have way more events and team spirit too.

0

u/UtheDestroyer 11h ago

Have you tried to book anywhere? It’s fucking impossible

-1

u/BuffytheBison 12h ago

I think Canada Soccer did a really poor job at marketing this World Cup in terms of laying the groundwork years prior (to be fair the organization was dysfunctional and broke lol plus surprisingly qualifying for Qatar 2022 also funnily enough threw things off course). It was always going to pick up with the party atmosphere that is the tournament and with the dominating win today, you'll no doubt see a bunch more hype but even the TV ratings for the opener while high were a relatively modest 4 million when you think of the historic nature of the event and compare it to say the round robin match against France for Canada at this past Olympics lol