By Canadian Press

Toronto businesses hopeful as sports fans return for first time since pandemic

Apr 9, 2022 | 12:07 PM

TORONTO — Downtown Toronto businesses are buzzing with anticipation as the city’s three main sports franchises welcome thousands of fans to games for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

After nearly two years of pain that included forced closures and layoffs, restaurants and bars are bracing for full houses as the Toronto Blue Jays’ baseball season gets underway and the Maple Leafs and Raptors prepare for playoff runs.

Natalia de Carvalho, manager of the Fox and Fiddle bar a short walk from the Rogers Centre says she’s emotional that things are getting back to normal after the business plunged by more than half.

She says the bar was so full for Friday’s home opener of the Jays that it had a security guard to control the crowd.

A sea of blue game jerseys were on display as an excited crowd waited to enter the stadium for a rematch with the Texas Rangers after coming from behind to beat the team 10-8 in front of a sold-out crowd in Toronto’s first home opener since 2019.

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Just blocks away, the Scotiabank Centre is hosting the final games of the NHL and NBA seasons before the respective teams begin playoff runs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2022.

The Canadian Press