Canada Day and baseball used to go hand-in-hand for me.
I can remember back in 1997 when I was supposed to see Roger Clemens go up against the Montreal Expos on Canada Day. My dad tore his ACL the week before so we couldn't go, but the All-Canadian matchup was something that was meaningful to everyone watching game.
There weren't displaced fans of the Cubs, Red Sox, or Yankees there, but fans who wanted to drink in the heritage and enjoy the two clubs who displayed the Maple Leaf so proudly, squaring off in Toronto.
The following year, the New York Mets came to town and the fireworks came early. It was a 15-10 Jays win, featuring an offensive explosion against the Mets relievers. Dan Pleasac picked up the win for the Jays, while the Expos took a trip to Boston.
Since then, however, the Jays have only played at home three times (this is since 1999) on Canada's birthday. Even with all of those away games though, not one was spent in Montreal against the Expos up to 2004 when the team folded and moved to Washington.
In the same time frame, the Expos only received three home games on the first as well. They didn't even get to spend their final Canada Day game in franchise history at home though, as they were in Pittsburgh.
You'd think that those who schedule the season would at least let Canada have its lone team on one of the biggest days of the year.
By the same account, the only teams to miss playing in America on the Fourth of July were the Florida Marlins in 2001 against the Expos and the 1999 Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Granted it's easier to schedule 15 American home games on a single day when there are 28 American-based teams. But by all accounts couldn't it have been easier to schedule two Canadian teams to play each other on the first day of the seventh month each season?
And since the Expos have left, it's become worse.
In 2004 the Jays were in Tampa Bay, followed by a trip to Boston in 2005. The next year, the Jays hosted the Philadelphia Phillies in the first Canada Day home game seen in Toronto since 2001. In the past two years they've played the late game in Seattle.
More and more it seems like Major League Baseball and Bud Selig care as much about the Jays as I do about Dr. Phil's crumbling marriage, Oprah Winfrey, and Ken Armer's Anaheim Duck suspenders—in other words not at all.
Would it be so difficult to toss a game Canada's way on the most historic day in our calendar year?
What's even worse is what the Jays organization has allowed this to become.
Years ago, they'd design specific jerseys to be worn on Canada Day. The jerseys would sport a more dynamic color scheme that featured extra red and white, or perhaps the word "Canada
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6 months ago
I'm not sure the Jays deserve a game on this holiday, or any real preferential treatment. Not only do they have a pathetic fan base (as per a pathetic attendance, especially in consideration of the metropolitan population) but they have a terrible management system in place. This is not a slight on JP, rather those involved in the promotional aspect of the game and other planning.
Additionally, the Jays are so unoccupied with what is going on in the rest of baseball. The scoreboards in the outfield seem to be updated less frequently then a glam rocker's clothing. You can see a player with 1 ball, 2 strikes, 2 outs, a runner on third in the top of the 7th, down by one for 30 minutes!
Unfortunately, the Jays have to earn prime dates and times. They currently haven't any ESPN prime time games scheduled, despite playing the best and most popular teams in baseball. This is not because the Jays are not much of a ballclub, rather, its because the organization does not deserve the promotional airtime.
As for the hats, I kind of like them. While I can understand not being enamored with them, it won't come as a surprise to me to see them as one of the most popular hats around Toronto by seasons end. Furthermore, the hats are baseball wide. The Jays are the only ones with the Canadian Flag, but the other 29 teams have the stars and stripes. Its a clever idea by professional sports most creative marketing team.
from 6 months ago
PS-For MOST Canadians, Canada Day and Baseball DO NOT go hand in hand.
from 6 months ago
Unfortunately Brandon, I agree on most all accounts—Ted Rogers has done nothing but juvenillize the market and make the team seem to be more of a sideshow. Back in the mid-90's though, I'd have to say that there were a lot more people who were passionate about the team, and it was a legitimate passion, not this fair-weather crap. The mid-90's attitude is where I was really coming from with this attitude, as I can't stand what's become of the team.
The Canada Day Game used to have a kind of mystique about it (at least for me), and the specialized jersey's are what set the team apart. To be honest, last night's hat is the ugliest thing I have seen in a long time. I agree that it's a good idea, but it could have been designed much better than it was in my opinion.
And as for most Canadians, NHL Free Agency and an Alexander Keiths are more likely to go hand-in-hand than themselves and baseball. An unfortunate and sad truth.
from 6 months ago
Bryan,
Haha, good one. Canadians hate baseball!
I think you might be confusing the mid-90's attitude with that of a team that was fresh off of back to back world series' and had an extraordinarily strong team. In fact, I would say today's Jays fans are much more passionate and aware of the teams reality then was the mid 90's fans.
from 6 months ago
So what if baseball isn't the first choice for many, the Jays still average just as many fans as most teams and that is with a team that has underachieved big time in the last couple of seasons. Look at teams like the Royals and Mariners, last place teams and are they drawing well? No, I didn't think so. Every team will have less fans when they aren't winning and Wesley Johnson actually just wrote an article on it: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/34534-every-city-is-fair-weather-please-stop-accusing
I found this example interesting: Sunday September 15th, 1991. Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees. Both teams were out of the playoff hunt by then. How much did the "Best Rivalry in Baseball" draw? 22,303.
So basically every team will draw less when losing and last I checked even the Jays had better average attendance then 22,303. If the Jays could fire JP and get back to winning, the fans would start rolling in, every team draws like this, even the Yankees and Red Sox as the example shows. Don't forget the records set by the Jays in 1991 and 1992 for attendance. The Jays should most definitely be at home for Canada Day.
from 6 months ago
"The Jays still average just as many fans as most teams"
Really? How about the fact that they are 21st in the league in attendance? According to the 2000 US Census and Toronto.ca, the 2.48 million residents of Toronto would but the GTA as a top 5 populated city in the United States. Would you like to wager what the next highest populated city is that rates below Toronto in attendance? Texas! At just over half a million residents.
By comparison, the Mariners are drawing more and have a population of nearly 2 million fewer residents. I don't even want to find KC's population, as being even within 10,000 fans would be laughable!
RE: Yanks v. Sox. That was 'the best rivalry in baseball' in 1991? Really? How about the fact that the Yanks and Sox had been competitive at the same time only once in the previous decade? You think that makes for baseball's best rivalry?
Additionally, do you have the fact regarding attendance at that time? Is it not true that baseball is having more success at the gates now, then ANY season before?
The winning team formula is cute, I will grant you that. It is, however, inaccurate. In 2006 the Jays won nearly 90 games. How many fans started 'rolling in'? How about fewer then 30,000! Ranking #18 in baseball. By your account, given the Jays were in the top 10 in ML victories, should they not have been in the top 10 in attendance?
A couple other things to take into account...
-The Sky Dome is one of baseballs largest parks. So IF the Jays can sell out a game, they increase their attendance by a decent amount of the rest of ML ballpark.
-The Canadian dollar was substantially weaker in 2006 and Red Sox and Yankee fans who couldn't get tickets at their stadium would make the trek here. My guess, is every Red Sox/Yanks game drew well over 34,000 where as the remainder of the games, the games FOR Jays fans would be in the low 20's.
So Toronto's attendance is, pathetic. Torontonians, for the most part, are not baseball fans. Because of all of this, MLB should not grant the Jays any handouts. You want prime slotted games, you earn them!
6 months ago
Baseball back in Toronto on Canada Day would be great, it's too bad the Expos are no longer around, but there is still one Canadian team left and MLB should schedule a game on the 1st of July in Toronto. Not only will it be great for Canada (who have a fan base from coast to coast) it would also be great for tickets sales. I agree, bring back baseball on Canada Day!
PS Canadian’s do love baseball in the summer, 3 Canadians are in the All Star game this year with 1 representative from the Canadian Team…..
6 months ago
To Brandon
Most Canadians do not get ESPN, we have TSN and SportsNet, who carry most games.
PS Atlanta play on ESPN Sunday Night on August 10th, so Atlanta deserves to be on ESPN Sunday Night this year???? Atlanta’s record (42-47) Toronto Record (42-47) so there goes your theory on Toronto needs to earn a spot on prime time....
PSS Enjoy your (40-55) AAA Buffalo Bison games!!!
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