Yahoo Sports Raptors, Kawhi Leonard put McDonald's on the hook for $5.4 million and counting in free fries
The Toronto Raptors’ successful run to the NBA Finals — where they lead the Golden State Warriors 2-1 in the series — has put a significant dent in the fry baskets at the area McDonald’s.
McDonald’s franchises in Eastern Canada finalized a sponsorship deal with the team for a free fry program 18 days before Demar DeRozan was traded to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
The result, per the Toronto-based Financial Post: 2 million orders of medium-size french fries clocking in at $5.4 million worth of free fries.
“We believe it will pay off in the future,” McDonald’s franchisee Mike Forman told the Financial Post.
Raptors run brings out fry enthusiasts
The free deal is available in Ontario the day after the Raptors make 12 or more 3-pointers in a game. They based the number on the 11.8 average 3-pointers the Raptors made in 2017-18, per the Post.
The head of McDonald’s marketing for Eastern Canada, Chuck Coolen, said he was worried about “the fate of the Raptors” and his free fry program when the trade happened. Instead, it’s created renewed enthusiasm around the team and a run on free fries even though the regular season numbers are about the same.
Coolen said the company could have changed the number after the trade since there was time before the season began. They stuck with it and gave away 2 million fries, which at an average menu price of $2.89 in the area comes to $5.4 million fries.
And counting. They agreed to keep doing it through the playoffs.
The playoffs are a big push. McDonald’s gave away a record 80,000 free orders after Game 1, per the Financial Post.
Raptors stats even year over year
The Raptors made 12 or more from behind the arc in 43 of 82 regular season games and five in the playoffs last year, per the Post.
They reached the threshold 44 times in the ’18-19 regular season, including seven of the final eight games of the year. They blew past the threshold in those games, averaging 15.6 made 3-pointers.
Overall they averaged 12.4 per game with Leonard and Green combining to average 4.4. DeRozan averaged 1.1 for the Raptors last year.
Kyle Lowry is the consistent 3-point presence for them at a team-high 3.1 last year and 2.4 this year, second only to Green.
In 21 playoff games so far the Raptors have passed it 10 times.
More from Yahoo Sports:
