Beer-drinking Maple Leafs fan says he is facing legal action

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All this guy wanted to do was cheer for his favourite team and crack “nother beer.”

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But he said his choice of beverage doesn’t sit well with the Buds.

A Toronto Maple Leafs fan from Alberta, who is known for making videos about the team while drinking beer, said that he received a call threatening legal action regarding his social media clips.

Kurtis Stevenson, the X user better known as Kurtis From Alberta posted on Tuesday afternoon that he has “essentially been forced to shut down my social media” after receiving a call earlier in the day.

While Stevenson said that he wouldn’t “name names” over fear of further legal action, he added that it was the “team that I love” that contacted him.

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“I got a call today … that I can’t make videos anymore unless I drink the beer of the sponsor of that team,” he says in the video.

“The beer company has flagged me, were going to send a ceased-and-desist order, or something, with legal action if I continue.”

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“This is crazy, I can’t even drink a certain beer – it’s not even about my beer, I can’t drink any beer other than that beer with a certain team’s logo anywhere in the background,” he says, while looking upset and frustrated.

“I can’t wear a jersey, I can’t wear a helmet or anything unless I drink that certain beer.”

While Molson is the official beer sponsor of the Maple Leafs, Stevenson typically drinks Clock Out Lager from S.Y.C. Brewing Co., based in Edmonton.

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Stevenson, who has more than 25,000 followers on X, expresses his frustration in the video by essentially being forced to shut down.

“This is madness” he says. “I’ve done nothing but support this team through and through.

“This is the little guy gets kicked in the teeth again … by all these big corporations and I won’t stand for it, so I’m not going to be bullied into drinking that beer because I’m told I have to. That’s the most ridiculous thing. I’m in the comfort of my own home in my basement doing nothing but celebrating this team.”

A Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment spokesperson would not comment when contacted by the Sun.

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But the company and the team have not had a problem in the past helping such “superfans” — Stevenson was invited to one of the COVID-19 restricted games by the Leafs in 2020 when they learned the pandemic cancelled his highly publicized trip from Alberta — but are mindful of infringement on their sponsors when widely circulated videos are posted and will usually send a mild warning.

A request for a comment from Molson Coors was not immediately returned.

He signed off by thanking his followers and saying it might not be the end of the road for him.

“I want to thank everybody … we’re going to have a hell of a season,” he said.

“It’s not goodbye … but take care.”

— With files from Lance Hornby.

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