Kingston sports bars not seeing spike in business this Winter Olympics

The Olympics tend to bring out big crowds to sports bars and restaurants, but this time round the bars are out of luck.

The Winter Olympics games are currently happening in South Korea but the issue is that while the games are going on, this side of the world is still asleep.

CKWS spoke with Kingston sports bar The Iron Duke and they didn’t see a large rise in patrons as the games officially began Friday.

“Basically a usual Friday, the regular lunch crowd” says Rhiannon Williams, general manager at The Iron Duke on Wellington.

Sports bars normally see an increase in reservations for tables days ahead of a big game.

“Usually, especially hockey and big games, we’re usually very busy, we’re packed with reservations” says Williams.

The opening of the Winter Olympics in South Korea was at 6 a.m. ET, when most people were just getting out of bed and getting ready for work and school.

“I woke up this morning and at 6:30 to go to work and the opening ceremonies were on and I was like oh my God, I think everyone is missing this,” says hockey fan Alesha Drew.

For some others, the day was nothing special.

Vanessa Martin says “to be honest I don’t really watch sports in general, I mean I enjoy playing sports.”

Bars in other cities like Toronto have made arrangements to open early, even serving alcohol at 7 a.m. That plan goes into effect for the hockey semi-finals and then the gold medal taking place on February 19, 23 and 24.

But so far there isn’t a similar plan here in Kingston

“We haven’t really looked into it too much, in terms of extending the liquor licence” says Williams.

Many people that CKWS spoke to say they will wake up early to watch the Games.

From now until the end of the winter Olympics on February 25, we can count on fans like that to cheer on Canada — even if it is at odd times of the day and night — and show Canadian spirit.