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Geography fail: ESPN Mobile names tavern in Toronto 'Best Sports Bar in America'

Sep 4, 2010, 11:00 AM EST

4 Comments

Real Sports Bar & Grill.jpgSigh.
To be fair, as Homer Simpson once said, “Anyone can miss Canada, all tucked away down there,” so the fact that ESPN Mobile decreed that Real Sports Bar & Grill, a sports bar located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, beat out seven other establishments to assume the title of “Best Sports Bar in America.”
Realizing their snafu, ESPN Mobile has since changed the designation to “Best Sports Bar in (North) America.” Well played. They really dodged a bullet with that quick-thinking.


Despite the oversight, Michael Doyle, the vice-president of food and beverage for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, the entity who also owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, is nevertheless thrilled with the designation. Via the Toronto Sun:

“It’s fantastic. (Real Sports) has been an instant hit with the World Cup starting it off and we’ve gone from there.”

“We opened Real Sports with the goal of being the best sports bar anywhere and now its humbling to know that our patrons have made it official.”

Ultimately, it was a minor error of omission and hopefully, Real Sports Bar & Grill is indeed the best sports bar in North America and has received the recognition that is much-deserved. Just as long as they don’t serve poutine, those crazy gravy-and-cheese-loving Canuckistanis. We put ketchup on our fries in America, dammit! Or is it catsup? Whatever, as long as you’re not putting mayo on them, like them dirty Dutch. Yeah, I got a problem with them, too, wanna fight about it?
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Toronto bar named best sports bar in America [Toronto Sun]

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  1. Mick McCarthy - Sep 9, 2010 at 7:59 PM

    As a native Torontonian I was happy to hear our establishment had won this distinction untill I visited on opening Saturday of college football to watch my beloved Texas Longhorns and was disgusted to find out they had not subscribed to our local cable operator’s college football package and when I asked if it was something they would consider was met with a stern No. ESPN was obviously smitten with the aesthetics of the place. The (un)real sports bar is all style and no substance. It is a paper lion. I will apologize in advance to any Americans who go there thinkin they can have a great college football Saturday. It wont happen. Mick McCarthy Toronto

  2. mezzie - Sep 10, 2010 at 10:15 AM

    Mick, I sympathize with you, but that’s like expecting to catch major league baseball or NHL hockey at a sports bar in Belgium… Or bemoaning that you can’t get the live sumo wrestling stream at a sports bar in Argentina.
    Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the general point stands. If you want to go watch a hockey game or a CFL game (or even NFL), you really can’t beat the atmosphere there. (American) college football? Meh. Not enough people care to make it worth their while.

  3. Pretty Toney - Oct 7, 2010 at 9:36 AM

    If you don;t like poutine, something is wrong with you.
    Real Sports is unbelievable by the way.

  4. pattersc - Oct 18, 2010 at 3:58 PM

    I was there yesterday and the NFL coverage was fantastic; and if Bell can figure a relatively good college football package for Canadians (aside from some games not being broadcast in HD), the best sports bar in North America should be able to do so as well. Real Sports is a great bar, but I think once they figure out what Saturdays are all about, then it will be amazing.
    Hook ‘em Horns!

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