Last night was an exciting one for hockey fans as the Toronto Maple Leafs hosted their first home opener with a packed arena since the pandemic started. With capacity restrictions now lifted for sporting events in Ontario, nearly every seat was filled at Wednesday’s game. But according to the viewers at home, the crowd’s low energy didn’t match the occasion.
Despite the Leafs kicking the season off on a high note with a 2-1 win over their Montreal rivals, Toronto fans are getting called out on social media for their lack of enthusiasm. Some even say that the Habs fans’ cheers were louder than the home team’s supporters.
The 2500 fans in Montreal were considerably louder than a “Full” Scotiabank Arena. #GoHabsGo
— Chris (@HabsArchive) October 13, 2021
ngl, super disappointed at how quiet leafs fans were last night at the home opener
raptors fans, don’t disappoint me on wednesday’s home opener 😌
— mj ✨ || klow. (@mjgsese) October 14, 2021
Man there’s a bunch of casual fans in the arena, it’s so quiet it’s almost depressing
— Nylander Is Essential (@AllHailLeafs) October 13, 2021
ANNOUNCER: AAAAAND NOW…YOUR TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS!
FANS: [smoking a cigarette and staring into the middle distance like an alienated French cafe rat in the 60s] woo
— Acting the Fulemin (@ATFulemin) October 13, 2021
Masks are still mandatory for fans in their seats unless they’re eating or drinking, so we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that their face coverings muffled their cheers. Nevertheless, the silence was a disappointment for many.
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It was great to see fans again but my only issue with Leaf fans, being one myself, is that we are too damn quiet and reserved! We need to wake up and make some damn noise the entire game, it’s not a movie theatre for Pete’s sake so make some damn noise lol! Go Leafs go!
— 🇨🇦🇨🇦TrueNorthStrong🇨🇦🇨🇦 (@Mikepayne1973) October 14, 2021
Might as well be empty with how quiet leaf fans are in general
— Afshin (@Afshin18_) October 13, 2021
People have even taken their complaints to the Leafs’ Instagram comments on a photo of Wednesday’s packed arena. “By the sound of it the building is still empty,” one person wrote. “Someone want to wake the fans up that haven’t been there in 2 years? My god make some god damn noise. Embarrassing,” says another.
Maybe the fans are still feeling the sting of the team’s devastating 3-1 loss to the Habs in Game 7 of the playoffs, after an emotional rollercoaster of a season for the players. At least the Raptors are feeling optimistic for their fellow athletes.
Go get ‘er done, Buds! @MapleLeafs #WeTheNorth | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/eSdROTPFbk
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 13, 2021
It’s worth mentioning that the crowd did get louder as the game went on. We’ll chalk it up to jitters — after going at least 18 months without attending a single Leafs game, we’d forget what to do with ourselves too.
