Blue Jays’ deadline deals creating huge buzz in Toronto and across Canada
Can you blame Toronto Blue Jays fans for being charged up at the moment?
Last week the team added Troy Tulowitzki and David Price and are now being talked about as a legitimate World Series contender in the American League. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the buzz around the Blue Jays has fans buying in.
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Sportsnet, the regional sports network that broadcasts Toronto’s games, revealed that Saturday’s 7-6 loss to the Royals drew 1.08 million viewers across Canada, making it the most-watched Blue Jays game this season after the home opener It’s still unknown how many people tuned in to watch Price’s pitching debut in a day game on a holiday Monday, a 5-1 win over the Twins in which Price dominated, but it’s expected to be a big number as well.
That’s because it was tough to get a ticket. Sunday and Monday’s games were announced as sellouts, with over 45,000 people packing the Rogers Centre. And those in attendance probably forked over more than a few dollars to be there. The Toronto Star reports that ticket prices on the secondary market over the weekend were the highest they’d been in years according to Stubhub.
Of course, if you’re going to the game, you’re going to need some gear. Stephen Brooks, the Blue Jays’ Senior Vice President of Business Operations, says team apparel is being sold at an unprecedented rate right now:
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There’s a lot at play here. Blue Jays fans haven’t seen playoff baseball since 1993 and are desperate to support a winner. Since Tulowitzki made his first start at shortstop last Wednesday, the Jays have gone 6-1. The big trades have definitely helped rejuvenate passion for the team and given hope that the 22-year drought will end in October. If that dream becomes a reality – Toronto currently holds the second wild-card spot in the AL – just imagine the amount of t-shirts they’ll sell then.
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Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr
