Pacing nervously in my room, searching for inspiration, I paused at the sight of an old baseball sitting on the top shelf of my bookcase, surrounded by years of sports memorabilia. I began to trace the unending stitch across the leather surface when I noticed a faint signature. It was that of Devon White, All-Star, Gold Glove Award winner, World Series Champion and my favourite Blue Jays CF. ‘Devo’s’ famous catch in Game 3 of the 1992 World Series, oft compared to "The Catch", will not only be remembered for starting what would have been a triple play, but also as an example of his sublime athleticism. Continuing on, I passed by RHP Dave Stewart, also an All-Star, World Series Champion and ALCS MVP during the Jays’ 1993 championship run. While some will remember ‘Smoke’ for his off-field conduct, he was an ace for the Jays. Finally, I came across Cito Gaston, the preeminent player’s manager, All-Star and member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He was not only the manager of the first non-American team to win the World Series, but also the first African-American to manage a World Series winning team.
My parents gave this ball to me sometime in 1993, after they attended a charity dinner hosted by the Blue Jays. After placing it among my trophies and collectibles, it faded into obscurity, epitomizing the once famed franchise. I had all the inspiration I would need and the story was beginning to write itself.
The Jays were a good team in the early 90’s, but it was not until 1992, when they beat Atlanta in 6 games to win the World Series, that I began to take notice. In 1993 I was seven and the two most vivid memories I can summon are the epic food fight at my birthday party and Joe Carter's walk-off home run against the Phillies’ Mitch Williams in the bottom of the ninth of Game 6. Down 6-5, with one out and Ricky Henderson and Paul Molitor on base, Carter hit the 2-2 offering over the left field wall. I hadn’t a clue that this team and that moment would be the pinnacle of the franchise. I only knew that I wanted to experience it for myself. My parents signed me up next spring.
With high hopes in 1994 for a three-peat, the Jays struggled and were in third place in the AL East when the league announced the work stoppage that cancelled the 1994 playoffs, a day that will live in infamy for former Montreal Expos fans. When play resumed in 1995, the Jays were floundering and attendance began to decline steadily, from which it has never recovered. I’ll admit, my passion for the game waned as I got older, with hockey becoming more important. By the time I quit ball I had lost complete interest in the Jays. I would watch the highlights but I was indifferent as to the outcome.
Still, I’ve seen improvement in the last two seasons. Some will say that failing to make the playoffs are no improvement but when you are in the toughest division in baseball, things can progress slowly. The Red Sox and Yankees have licenses to print money and have won a combined 7 World Series since the Jays last won. The Rays have emerged as a powerhouse in recent years and made it to the finals in 2008.
So what I want to know is why hasn’t the new energy and excitement surrounding the young Jays translated into increased attendance?
In no particular order, here is my list of possible reasons:
1) The cost of tickets and concessions in tough economic times
Partly, if at all to blame. Nothing in life is free and the laws of supply and demand will decide ticket prices. Prices have dropped since the Jays were in their prime and even for ‘Premium’ games against teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, you can still get good seats for as little as $30, less for non-premium games. Of course, good is subjective and some people are hard to please. Besides, this theory doesn’t explain how the basement dwellers that play at the ACC manage to sell-out consistently. I’ll admit that concessions are expensive but if food and drinks are your primary concern then stay home.
2) Emergence of the Raptors and TFC
Torontonians are sports fans. Period. So of course competition from other franchises has not helped the Jays boost attendance. However, the Raptors haven’t made the playoffs in two seasons and with the exit of Chris Bosh, the future is uncertain. TFC has only been around for three seasons and Jays attendance has been dropping from well before the soccer team started playing.
3) The tarnished image of the MLB due to league-wide steroid allegations
While no Blue Jay has been found to have taken any PED’s to my knowledge, the impact on the sport had been huge. However, I don’t believe that it would be enough to precipitate the league-wide drop in attendance, because purists are few and far between and the average fan still likes their dingers.
4) Rogers Communications Inc.
When Rogers purchased the franchise from Belgian brewer, Interbrew SA (who previously purchased Labatt Breweries), the corporation took on a losing franchise that was hemorrhaging money. After the lockout, player’s salaries ballooned into ludicrous amounts and the Jays could not compete in a market dominated by the almighty American dollar. If anything, Rogers, after acquiring Sportsnet, gave Torontonians more chances to watch and despite the name change of the SkyDome, the refurbished Rogers Center gave fans a new reason to attend the games.
5) No marquee players
When the Jays traded Roy Halladay, they traded their biggest ticket draw as well. ‘Doc’ is well known for his arsenal of pitches and his durability, having 57 complete games under his belt for his career. It definitely hurt when he left but you can’t rebuild without tearing down. The Jays have a solid roster but no one player really stands out, besides maybe Jose Bautista. The Dominican leads the league in home runs with 37 and ranks 3rd in RBI’s with 90. He may not be marquee yet but in my opinion, winning is more attractive than stats. But in the day of the celebrity/athlete, talent seems to count for less than it used to.
6) America’s pastime
Ozzie Guillen, manager of the White Sox, suggested that Toronto needs a couple of hockey players in its lineup to draw a larger crowd. If you remember Dany Heatley failing to make it to home plate on a ceremonial first pitch at a Giants game, Guillen might need to rethink his idea. It does however bring up an interesting notion, that Canadians love their hockey and that baseball is America’s pastime. I don’t disagree completely but franchises like the Marlins, Pirates and Indians, are all in worse shape than the Jays as far as attendance is concerned.
7) Controversy behind home plate and sheer boredom
All games have referees, and the fallibility of human nature invariably leads to blown calls. I won’t get into the debate of whether or not the league needs to utilize video replay but the oldest professional sport in North America is bound to adapt to change slowly. Be patient and hopefully Bud Selig will make one right decision. Most sports can also be frustrating to watch at times, simply because reality is not always exciting. Have you ever watched the pre-lockout New Jersey Devils play the trap? What about the last 30 seconds of a basketball game drag on for 5 minutes? If you want pure excitement watch a demolition derby. As I mentioned, purists seem to be getting replaced by rabid fans waiting for their idols next Twitter post. Baseball is a thinking sport, an athletic chess match that has been around officially since the mid 19th century. Try playing it before you call it boring.
I’ve not written this to detail the careers of three former Blue Jays, to dredge up nostalgia, or to convince you that you should go watch a game, but rather to establish a link between the franchise that was and the current state of affairs in Toronto as a microcosm of the entire MLB. On average, attendance and TV ratings have been declining league-wide for several years, and the Jays are not the only franchise in jeopardy. Major league sports are businesses and in a league without a salary cap, only the richest survive. But the Blue Jays are my team, the team I grew up following and the reason I started playing. I refuse to believe that baseball is dead in Toronto and I hope there are readers out there who share my sentiment.
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