Let’s face it, in Canada hockey is the number one sport. It has been the case for many, many years and will continue to be so for even more years to come. After that you get a mix of football, soccer, curling, lacrosse, basketball and baseball. Yes there are more sports out there, but this isn’t about naming how many sports are popular in Canada. Instead, this story starts with something that I witnessed a few weeks ago while in Toronto around the sport of baseball.
While sitting in the stands for two games against the Boston Red Sox (which the Jays managed to lose both) I was in awe by all the different groups of fans in their late teens and twenties, male and female enjoying the game as well as the many large families there as well.
Toronto Blue Jays Family Atmosphere
The Blue Jays have done a great job at marketing the team, first off by bringing back the blue to the uniform, getting many likable and good on field players and of course not forcing people to break the bank to come and watch the Jays. While hockey might be the most popular it is very expensive to see a Leafs game even though that team has been garbage for years now, the prices of their tickets keep climbing.
That’s not to say that they aren’t the only expensive ticket in Canada the Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets and other Canadian teams are very expensive as well. This forces many families to not go to hockey games, because it’s just to expensive to buy tickets for a family of three, or more. Hockey will always promote and target families and grassroots areas to gain more fans, but unfortunately they are slowly out pricing the markets and families who don’t have a high incomes and this leads to them not being able to go to the arenas and enjoy the games live.
This is where the Blue Jays have taken advantage of this this situation in Toronto and the surrounding areas. They have Jr Jays Saturdays, kids get to run the bases, they have giveaways for children and other giveaways for everyone at different games, food combos, different kind of drinks and many souvenir stands. Let’s not forget the people who work at the Rogers Center and try their hardest to make everyone feel comfortable and happy, there is a nice welcoming and family feeling to it.
Originally I was supposed to go to only one game, but I enjoyed myself so much that I went again the next game, even though it was disappointing to see them lose, there was a fantastic atmosphere which made you want to be there.
The Jays have marketed the team really well families, students, people young and old were wearing all their Blue Jays gear from head to toe in the stadium and were going to the games in droves, many fans were hanging out around the stadium hours before the game started.
Baseball is alive and vibrant in Toronto and is clearly one of the best family events around and they have targeted every market around to come out and enjoy some Major League baseball. All baseball teams and cities who want a team (looking at you Montreal) need to continue to promote baseball as a family Sport and they will never have to worry about not bringing in new fans. Baseball is in the right position to grow the game and as long as they keep the game cheap, they target every audience and not neglect lower income familes and of course keep up the welcoming atmosphere the sport will have a strong following for years.
