Jays are 22nd in avg attendance

[Maahfaace]

I remember in season's past there were actually some extremely nice days in May, and early June and they didn't open the roof. It was odd to say the least, and I was sitting on my couch and infuriated for the fans who paid good money to watch the team.

 

Didnt the jays have the roof open for the home opener 2 years ago? I think it was close to 25 outside that day, maybe it was 3 years ago....alcohol is ruining me

[shortstop]

I can see it going both ways...one hand, if this team stays competitive/in the hunt, attendance will naturally improve as we get into the thick of summer...combination of better weather & hopes of playoffs...

 

same time, and stating the obvious, if this team gets X games below .500 and the whatever luster has worn off, could see attendance lower/stay where it is currently at...

[AngryBird]

Is that true? I'm actually getting a bit worried now. I have no clue why it wasn't open on Mother's day, that would have made the fan experience a lot better on one of the better early season draws. Maybe something is up... in honesty I haven't bought tickets yet but if they don't open it this weekend I am not wasting my money watching a game at Tropicana 2.0.

 

I'm honestly not sure what the protocol is to be honest. I have no idea if they "seal it" a certain way for the winter where they need to "unseal it" in the spring. But I do know that there have been some extremely nice days early in the season where they have refused to open the roof. Whether the pitchers or manager had input, or the stadium ops makes the decisions, I'm not too sure about.

[flafson]

You can't disagree that we are quickly destroying our planet though..

 

The thing is, you'd need the whole world to go back to stone age for the next 100 years to maybe affect 1 degree in the world temperature. Meaning all the political stuff is completely meaningless. You would kill the economy over something that is out of your control. If you kill the Canadian economy, the "climate change" benefit that you will get is probably a tiny fraction of a degree.

If you look at the protesters who go to these events (climate change, anti big oil etc...) you will see it's always the same core of people without a job and get funded by foreign competitors. A nice example would be protesting against Alberta oil but not protesting against importing Saudi oil (which is what you get if you don't use the Alberta oil).

[jaysblue]

I don't know if this is a factor, but if you try to buy advance tickets, almost all the good seats are gone if you try and go through the Blue Jays website.

You can only get decent seats through stubhub and at a higher price.

 

You can get excellent seats on StubHub for either the same price or a lot cheaper. I buy all my Jays tickets off Stubhub, never from the box office anymore.

[JJippidy]

Well, we're only 1 game out of 1st and 0.5 back of a wild card, if that helps.

 

There's always been a lag.

 

You can see it in other markets as well.

 

Especially true here, not just after last year but after the last decades, people need more than 1 game above .500 in May before they put aside their scepticism.

 

Play off race come mid summer and attendance concerns are gone.

 

Team has to win, do that and everything is fine.

[JJippidy]

Didnt the jays have the roof open for the home opener 2 years ago? I think it was close to 25 outside that day, maybe it was 3 years ago....alcohol is ruining me

 

I can't remember a time when it was open for the opener, unless we go way back.

 

The issue generally isn't just the weather outside on that day but all the work and checks they have to go through after a winter to ensure the mechanics and structure of the roof is ready to go.

[TheHurl]

Team has to win, do that and everything is fine.

 

Walk up sales still only really happen on weekends. They proved one thing last off-season...hype in the off-season does way more for ticket sales than winning. It's an interesting formula that as a fan I hate but still interesting. If they can get some June hype (a big winning streak) then maybe September sales will increase with anticipation (mostly by scalpers of course). I still don't trust this team to win consistently...but I don't think anyone in the division does.

[AngryBird]

Walk up sales still only really happen on weekends. They proved one thing last off-season...hype in the off-season does way more for ticket sales than winning. It's an interesting formula that as a fan I hate but still interesting. If they can get some June hype (a big winning streak) then maybe September sales will increase with anticipation (mostly by scalpers of course). I still don't trust this team to win consistently...but I don't think anyone in the division does.

 

How can you say that when the team hasn't won in 20 years? We have no idea what a consistent play-off team(or in it every September) would do attendance wise in this city because the team has been in the dumps for two decades.

[scottishbluejay]

On a selfish level I'm actually enjoying the slight apathy towards the Jays.

As I mentioned before I'm new to Canada and Toronto so going to a game is still a huge novelty. I work Adelaide and John and love the fact I can go online at 6.30pm and snag a stubhub ticket for a few dollars.

By the time you go to a game and buy an overpriced beer and a dog, you've dropped a chunk of change. Without the cheap seats sold by guys who get season tickets and no show, I doubt I'd be able to go.

 

Just bought myself my first Jays book. "Great expectations" basically the failures of the last season or so. Maybe after reading I'll not want to go to the games either ;-)

[JJippidy]

Walk up sales still only really happen on weekends. They proved one thing last off-season...hype in the off-season does way more for ticket sales than winning. It's an interesting formula that as a fan I hate but still interesting. If they can get some June hype (a big winning streak) then maybe September sales will increase with anticipation (mostly by scalpers of course). I still don't trust this team to win consistently...but I don't think anyone in the division does.

 

Hype does more than winning on the very short term only, that's not applicable here since the Jays only produced hype and failed to win.

 

I don't see any examples in the game where hype beats out success long term, it's just the nature of the timeline, you can manufacture hype and sales all winter long, you can only produce winning once a season gets significantly underway.

 

It's easier to pump ticket sales all winter long after big splashes than it is to sellout a stadium in May after a good April etc.

 

In most places the lag is just a reflection of that.

 

Toronto is a little different than the average, but if anything the nature of this market (large, good following but success starved) leads me to believe that if the Jays win the attendance spike will be swifter than most, fans want a winner here, the Jays just have to plow their way through the sour taste of the past 20 years of broken goals.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Rabid fanbase

[GeorgiaPeach]

That just shows that fans in this city are willing to support a competitive team. I'm sure a playoff berth would gain us at least 30,000 per game next year.

 

It also shows there's not many baseball fans in the GTA.

[reedjohnsonfan]

It also shows there's not many baseball fans in the GTA.

 

There's not a lot of any fans except hockey. The Raptors drew a ton for their "feel good" story but lets be honest a high proportion of those fans were immigrants (specifically Asian or Middle Eastern), not surprising as the GTA has about 50% of their population being born in another country.

[BluejayEd]

It also shows there's not many baseball fans in the GTA.

 

Or maybe fans of baseball like to see it being played by a team with some knowledge of ....fundamentals. I didn't enjoy watching every single throw from the outfield result in an error last season. So perhaps fans of the game of baseball just want to see it played with ...some skill.

[Art Vandelay]

It will be hard for this team to replicate the type of attendance during the glory days when they were drawing 50 thousand a game. It was sort of a perfect storm. In 1989, the new stadium opened, and it was an attraction in itself. They also added new jerseys that season. The team had also been to the playoffs in '85, and should have gone to the playoffs in '87. The team then went on to win the division championship that in '89, then again in '91, '92, and '93. Games were practically sold out every night. So, winning team, new identity, new stadium. Now, all you would have is a winning team, and I think that might take a while to draw fans back in, especially after how last season turned out.

[GeorgiaPeach]

How can you say that when the team hasn't won in 20 years? We have no idea what a consistent play-off team(or in it every September) would do attendance wise in this city because the team has been in the dumps for two decades.

 

It just goes to show everyone that Toronto/Canada isn't as baseball crazy as people like to make it out to be.

[shortstop]

Moogy, that's a good post re: attendance/game over the years...

 

I think one factor underlying those 2 outlier seasons including last year is this: this city/this country is aching for a competitive team into August/September - forget playoffs for now - we just want to be in the legitimate discussion and playing meaningful baseball...with signings/increase salary, the expectation amongst the general fan is this team will be competing for a playoff spot...I think only reason last years avg was 14th was b/c they probably sold so many flex packs/season tickets before opening day, otherwise unlikely so many would have showed up...I recall going to games in August, wildly out of the hunt & the place was packed for a weekend game against a non-red sox/Yankees opponent...

 

give the fans some real competitive years, perhaps even a wildcard/playoff spot, and the culture of the fanbase will be, imo, to support this team when the team is 5-8 games from .500 by June...the culture in some cities, like Pittsburgh, is very likely the belief amongst the fans that despite their slow start, the pirates will turn it around, not the oh no, not another season like the last 10...

 

as much as I had a hate on for Lind those times when he's been useless at the plate, always have had a soft spot for the guy - he wants to win here and be here in Toronto - and I respect that a lot...whether he's part of the core, I think he's on the fringe only b/c he's a specialist hitter only hitting righties...with the right mix, I think he is part of this core as, to his credit, he has performed...

[flafson]

If i learned something from the Raptors this year is that if you give the city a competitive team, the fans will be there. Until then, gotta live with it.

For almost half the season you could get Raptors tickets from Groupon, they thought they were going to tank and offered cheap tickets.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Or maybe fans of baseball like to see it being played by a team with some knowledge of ....fundamentals. I didn't enjoy watching every single throw from the outfield result in an error last season. So perhaps fans of the game of baseball just want to see it played with ...some skill.

 

Maybe I'm missing something then. The Leafs have been s*** for what, 30-40 years and still filled the Gardens and the ACC on a nightly basis. But god forbid the baseball team is bad.

 

The same applies to all the weather talk on here. Some fans won't go to Jays games if the roof is closed, some won't go to games if its too cold out and the roof is open. But if it was the Leafs playing outside, the fans are there lined up in minus 50 weather.

 

People need to realize the Jays have a mediocre fanbase when the times are good or bad. The crowds of 4+ million back in the early 90's proved nothing about baseball fans in Toronto.

[shortstop]

Georgia, I don't think the jays have had good times since the early '90s...sure, we've had some winning seasons above .500, but did the jays have any season where they were legitimately competing for a playoff spot/playing meaningful baseball from mid-August?

 

I think the fanbase across the city/country is aching for a competitive team, year in & year out...then the people imo will come & consistently raise the avg attendance from where it has been on average over the past 10-20 yrs...

[Bunchedundies]

Walk up sales still only really happen on weekends. They proved one thing last off-season...hype in the off-season does way more for ticket sales than winning. It's an interesting formula that as a fan I hate but still interesting. If they can get some June hype (a big winning streak) then maybe September sales will increase with anticipation (mostly by scalpers of course). I still don't trust this team to win consistently...but I don't think anyone in the division does.

 

What? No just no, if this team was first in the division in July, august the dome would be close to full most nights.

[Bunchedundies]

Maybe I'm missing something then. The Leafs have been s*** for what, 30-40 years and still filled the Gardens and the ACC on a nightly basis. But god forbid the baseball team is bad.

 

The same applies to all the weather talk on here. Some fans won't go to Jays games if the roof is closed, some won't go to games if its too cold out and the roof is open. But if it was the Leafs playing outside, the fans are there lined up in minus 50 weather.

 

People need to realize the Jays have a mediocre fanbase when the times are good or bad. The crowds of 4+ million back in the early 90's proved nothing about baseball fans in Toronto.

 

Agree, toronto fanbase in TO is not good. There are some great players to watch on this team, there should be more attending games.

[BlueJayWay]

It just goes to show everyone that Toronto/Canada isn't as baseball crazy as people like to make it out to be.

Does anyone make it out to be?

[AngryBird]

Maybe I'm missing something then. The Leafs have been s*** for what, 30-40 years and still filled the Gardens and the ACC on a nightly basis. But god forbid the baseball team is bad.

 

The same applies to all the weather talk on here. Some fans won't go to Jays games if the roof is closed, some won't go to games if its too cold out and the roof is open. But if it was the Leafs playing outside, the fans are there lined up in minus 50 weather.

 

People need to realize the Jays have a mediocre fanbase when the times are good or bad. The crowds of 4+ million back in the early 90's proved nothing about baseball fans in Toronto.

 

The Leafs have been s*** for the last 10 years. They were good in the early 2000's and 90's, up and down in the 80's and consistent in the 70's after the last cup in '67(going by their season history at least.) Hockey will always sell in this city because it's ingrained in the culture, and there will always be rich old people ready to fill up the arena. Hell, the average waiting time for season tickets is 20 years. What I think people are failing to realize is that you cannot even begin to compare the Jays attendance to Leaf/Raptors games because they play twice as many games at home in a stadium more than twice the size of the building the Raptors/Leafs play in. Yes, tickets are cheaper, but that is still a ton of seats to fill for a ton of dates for a team that hasn't done anything in 20 years, in a non-traditional baseball market like Chicago or New York. And when you're playing in a non-traditional baseball market, and have a bad team and bring clubs like the Orioles, Rays, Royals, Indians, etc. to town, the casual fan could care less. Hence why some of those teams only draw 18,000 people a game. Oh, and the fact that no one with a brain thinks the Rogers Centre is a great baseball stadium. If you've been to places like PNC Park, New Yankees Stadium, Citi Field, etc. You realize how good those fans of it when you compare it to the hulking dump known as the Rogers Centre.

[shortstop]

haven't visited too many ball parks but my fav so far is PNC park in Pittsburgh...what an experience...Rogers Centre, not so much

[GeorgiaPeach]

Georgia, I don't think the jays have had good times since the early '90s...sure, we've had some winning seasons above .500, but did the jays have any season where they were legitimately competing for a playoff spot/playing meaningful baseball from mid-August?

 

I think the fanbase across the city/country is aching for a competitive team, year in & year out...then the people imo will come & consistently raise the avg attendance from where it has been on average over the past 10-20 yrs...

 

The Jays had very good teams from 83'ish, 84-93. The fanbase climaxed in 93 and it didn't take too long for it to all be for naught. The fans left in droves.

 

If you're a true fan of the Jays or baseball, you just don't up and leave.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Does anyone make it out to be?

 

People talked about how many viewers are watching on TV, and how big the draw is from all of Canada....but its a huge misrepresentation of what's really going on out there.

 

The Jays fanbase is weak.

[reedjohnsonfan]

People talked about how many viewers are watching on TV, and how big the draw is from all of Canada....but its a huge misrepresentation of what's really going on out there.

 

The Jays fanbase is weak.

 

Actually it seems to be a trendy thing to do lately (not just last year) in the summer months. They'll draw nice crowds on the weekends when the weather gets warmer. Not because people are big baseball fans, just because it's something to do during the summer. The good thing about that is the supposed fanbase is getting younger, the dinosaurs can only support the team for so long.

[BlueJayWay]

People talked about how many viewers are watching on TV, and how big the draw is from all of Canada....but its a huge misrepresentation of what's really going on out there.

 

The Jays fanbase is weak.

Yeah people will come out and watch on tv if the team is winning or it seems they're poised to. But I've never heard anybody say Canada is baseball crazy, though.