Rogers Centre Drawing Record Crowds

 

Canadian baseball fans from across the country are attending more baseball games in Toronto than in recent years.

The Toronto Blue Jays are currently in the midst of their first MLB playoff appearance since the 1993 season, a season in which they won their second consecutive World Series. For some lifelong Blue Jays fans, this season is reminiscent of years ago. For the younger demographic of fans, this is the first time experiencing a Blue Jays playoff run. While the team has struggled in years past, both in the standings and in attendance, fans from all over Canada are filling the Rogers Centre this season.

The 2015 Blue Jays season saw the team draw in close to 2.8 million fans over the course of the year ranking them in the top 10 in attendance in the league for the first time since 1997. For some Blue Jays players this is their first time playing in front of large crowds and in meaningful games.

Windsorite and Blue Jays radio play-by-play commentator Joe Siddall, 47, said the players recognize they are representing far more than just a city and are feeding off the energy they feel from the fans across the nation.

“They feel like they’ve got a whole country behind them and it’s really a unique situation for a major league baseball player if you think about it,” said Siddall.

The team moved up from their 17 ranked spot in league attendance last season by drawing in 419, 366 more fans this season. While the fans across Canada support their team from other provinces, the Blue Jays were able to spike attendance at the Rogers Centre by an unpecidented 75.2 per cent in the two months after the July 31 trade deadline.

Long time local Blue Jays fan Nick Tonita, 37, has been a Blue Jays fan for 20 years. Tonita attends Blue Jays games annually but felt a different atmosphere and culture at the Rogers Centre when he attended Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Friday.

“The people that were seated around us were introducing themselves to us and saying who they were, making new friends, taking photos with people and high fiving complete strangers made the experience that much more enjoyable,” said Tonita.

While the acquisition of talent has helped the team win games, it has also helped the team’s merchandising sales. During the week after acquiring shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Rockies, the Blue Jays reported the sale of 700 player t-shirts and 300 jerseys with Tulowitzki’s name on them.

Not only do fans want the players merchandise, they also enjoy hearing from them according to Siddall, who feels the players are embracing the culture of the city.

“You’re also hearing from Marcus Stroman with just his second year in the major leagues after his knee injury but he is relishing this and he was the first one I think I heard referring to Toronto as The Six.”

The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Texas Rangers in five games in the American League Division Series and now look to take on the Kansas City Royals in a best of seven series beginning Oct. 16. For tickets to home games call 416-341-1234 or visit BlueJays.com