To be a fan and passionate paying customer of a professional sports team in any city is a significant emotional and financial investment.
But how can fans invest when they don’t know what restrictions might lurk just around the corner?
So even with the Maple Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC back in business — able to sell all their seats and all the beer they want — it’s going to take a while to re-establish the connections that have been diminished or severed over the past two years of COVID.
The fact that all three clubs were surrounded by varying clouds of doubt as they were able to again welcome full audiences over the past seven days doesn’t make it any easier.