Businesses in Toronto and Vancouver are trying to turn World Cup crowds into revenue and loyalty, though many small firms doubt the tournament will lift sales.
Businesses in Toronto and Vancouver are rolling out watch parties, brand activations and special menus as the FIFA World Cup begins Thursday, hoping the tournament’s crowds and attention can deliver more than a short burst of excitement.
The push is visible across restaurants, hotels and public spaces in the two host cities. Ink Entertainment restaurants in Toronto, including Vinny’s Bar, Daphne and Beso, plan to screen matches and serve tournament-themed cocktails. Four Seasons is hosting watch parties and offering a special appetizer menu.
The business case is not simply about immediate sales. Some operators are treating the World Cup as a marketing platform, using events to build recognition, customer loyalty and future bookings. Kristi Grotsch, who manages Four Seasons’ Toronto location, told CBC the tournament is “an opportunity for us … to see growth in hotel occupancy” and to welcome international travellers. The hotel expects room revenue during the World Cup to rise 30 per cent compared with the same period last year.
For hospitality and entertainment companies, some of the spending is being underwritten by brands that use private events as advertising. Charles Khabouth, CEO of Ink Entertainment, said companies can spend about $300 per person on World Cup-related activations, turning a 300-person event into a roughly $90,000 to $100,000 marketing play.
“It doesn’t need to be monetary,” Khabouth said of the return. “The return is people believing in the brand.”
The opportunity also comes with limits. FIFA’s tournament logos, trademarks and official branding are tightly controlled, and unauthorized promotions can expose businesses to legal risk. Ink Entertainment and Four Seasons have avoided overt World Cup references and signage for that reason, according to the CBC report.
Major companies are also moving to attach themselves to the tournament. Coca-Cola is setting up fan zones in host cities, including Toronto’s Fort York neighbourhood and Vancouver’s Hastings Park, while Visa installed small soccer fields outside Toronto city hall with prominent branding. David Soberman, a marketing professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, said brands are chasing “top-of-mind awareness” — the advantage of being the first name consumers think of in a category.
Soberman told CBC that even a gain of a few market-share points in Toronto and Vancouver could be worth millions of dollars for a company such as Coca-Cola. But he also cautioned that the tournament’s marketing glow may fade quickly as consumers shift attention back to other sports and summer priorities.
Small businesses are more skeptical. A Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey found 83 per cent of small businesses in Toronto and Vancouver do not expect the World Cup to increase sales. Seventy-two per cent said they expect no revenue impact, while 11 per cent said sales could decrease. Kalith Nanayakkara, a CFIB senior policy analyst for British Columbia, said consumers already stretched financially may have less to spend at local shops and restaurants after paying for event-related costs such as tickets.
Still, public agencies and business groups are leaning into the tournament. Toronto has invested $1.7 million in more than 60 community events, including music festivals, art showcases and multicultural fairs. Destination Vancouver is highlighting more than 140 venues, businesses and community organizations hosting FIFA-related events and experiences.
Whether that activity translates into lasting gains remains the central question. For now, businesses are betting that the World Cup can bring them attention, new customers and a place in the tournament’s wider economic orbit — even if the final return is not yet clear.
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