One of the best parts about this site has always been the community aspect it has created. The comments section can often be just as valuable and enlightening as the articles, and proof that intelligent conversation can still exist on the internet.

As such, we are very appreciative of you, the Waking the Red readers. We’d like to show that appreciating by offering you free tickets to this Thursday (May 3)’s Footy Talks live event at the Rivoli in Toronto.

Footy Talks is a live panel event which lets soccer fans interact with some of the best and brightest in the soccer industry. Think Ted-talks, for soccer, but far more casual and with beer and great food. It’s a winning combination. For more information, visit the website.

Myself and site manager Charlie O’Connor-Clarke, and potentially other writers you know and love from the site, will be at the event and would love to meet some of you there. You can claim your free ticket by following this link. There is a limited supply, so if you can come make sure to get yours as quickly as possible.

This edition of Footy Talks will feature three panels. The first will discuss Toronto FC with Sportsnet’s John Molinaro, The Toronto Star’s Laura Armstrong and The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke. Former Toronto FC captain Steven Caldwell will also be on a later panel. Make sure to come with questions as there will be a Q & A period. Below is a full lineup for the night:

The Rivoli is located at 334 Queen St., we would suggest taking the subway to Osgoode Station and then walking over. Head towards the back of the restaurant to find the event.



Thanks again for reading and supporting the work that we do here at the site. We look forward to seeing many of you at the event and putting faces to online names that we have known and interacted with for a long time.

Footy Talks Live Podcast taping at next edition of the show

By now many of you may be familiar with the Footy Talks Live podcast that I host, featured on this site. The next edition of Footy Talks, date TBA, will feature a live taping of one of the episodes of the show.

It will be pretty exciting to have Waking the Red featured at an event alongside some of the most well-known people in the soccer industry in this country, so make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for details on that event.