Local sports bars prepare for afternoon rush of Blue Jays fans eager to watch wild-card games

Sports bars in Waterloo region are preparing for some pretty busy afternoons this week as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Minnesota Twins in a best-of-three baseball American League wild-card series.

The games will be starting at 4:38 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and, if needed, Thursday.

Shaina Schlegel is the general manager of Bobby O'Brien's in downtown Kitchener, which is known for its large outdoor screen that has been used for community events including watching NBA games when Kitchener's Jamal Murray won the NBA title with the Denver Nuggets in June and when the Toronto Raptors won the title in 2019.

She says the Jays in the wild-card series pairs nicely with the warm weather Waterloo region is expecting to see this week. Environment Canada says Tuesday's high is expected to reach 27 C, but the humidex will make it feel more like 32.

"I hope that brings out a really great after-work crowd. We could use it — especially going into the winter weather and the slower season for us here, we could use the final push," Schlegel said.

She says the vibe on the patio when a large sporting event is on the big screen is "such a good atmosphere."

"It's just fun. It's really cool to sit here and be able to watch on a jumbo screen your team, hopefully, pull a win," she said.

Expect sound on

Jeremy Rollins is the manager at Strykerz Kitchen and Bar in Kitchener and said he's not sure what to expect in terms of a crowd, but they've been busy with people watching the last games of the regular season.

"We will definitely be showing the games with sound on," Rollins said, adding it's a smart move for people to make reservations ahead of time.

Player's Indoor Golf and Sports Bar in Kitchener normally isn't open on Tuesdays, but general manager Mariah Gallarza said they received so many calls and emails about the Jays game, that they now plan to open.

"The excitement and anticipation for these games definitely seems out of the park," Gallarza said.

Beertown locations, including those in Waterloo region and in Guelph, also have a "sound on" policy for whenever a Toronto sports team makes it into the playoffs, meaning the broadcast will be pumped through speakers in the restaurant, says Megan Stover, vice president of people and culture with Charcoal Group of Restaurants.

"We tend to to see a lot of guests wearing jerseys as well and it being very obvious that they're there to watch the game, which of course we love," she said.

She said in the spring when the Toronto Maple Leafs made the playoffs, there was "just a mountain of positivity" in the restaurants when the games were on.

"It was just absolute excitement. So even those who came and weren't necessarily there to watch the game, they couldn't help but be brought into the excitement of what was happening," Stover said. "It's as exciting for our team as it is for the guests. So we get really into it as well."

She noted some Beertown locations have TVs on the patios so people can enjoy the weather and the game at the same time. Reservations are a good idea, but not necessary, she said.

Stover said these kinds of playoff games can also be a huge boon for the restaurant industry — even when the games are taking place earlier than usual.

"It's not always every day of the week that a Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. would be a super busy time," she said.

"No matter what time of year or what day of the week, when the playoffs are going, it is always a positive thing for us. So we're super excited to be experiencing this again this year."