Fans of the Toronto Raptors were overjoyed when the team won the NBA Finals last month.
And happy people tend to spend more.
At least that’s what data from MonerisMetrics would lead you to believe.
During the final hours of games one through six, businesses in downtown Toronto saw increased spending of 101%, according to MonerisMetrics.
The trend is consistent across the nation as well. During the same peak time in cities like Vancouver, Edmonton, and Montreal, spending increased by 94%, 97%, and 216% respectively.
That information speaks to the degree Canadians from coast to coast came together to watch and support the Raptors in their historic playoff run.
The Raptors’ championship parade was an incredible spectacle, as hundreds of thousands of ravenous Raptors fans packed the streets in the heat, waiting to catch a glimpse of the players and team staff along the route.
During the parade, spending in bars across the GTA and Toronto was down 30% while spending on fast food and in restaurants was up 17% and 23%.
With so many people in the downtown core, once the parade passed by and fans began to leave, restaurants in downtown Toronto were swamped, as data shows spending in restaurants spiked at 150% around 4 p.m.
The entire basketball world now waits for Kawhi Leonard’s free agency decision. If he decides to re-sign with Toronto, its likely Raps fans will continue to spend celebrating the NBA finals MVP.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
