The Toronto Blue Jays have called Toronto home since 1977 when they were established as an expansion team in the American League East. After playing their home games at Exhibition Stadium for 10 years, they moved to the SkyDome (now known as Rogers Centre) in 1989, where they have remained for over 30 seasons.
However, there has been ongoing speculation that the Blue Jays may consider relocating, potentially back to their original home city of Buffalo, New York. Here is a look at some of the key questions around whether the Blue Jays might actually leave Toronto.
Why would the Blue Jays consider moving?
There are a few reasons why relocation could be on the table for the Blue Jays:
- The Rogers Centre is aging – Opened in 1989, the facility is now over 30 years old. While it has undergone some renovations, the Blue Jays may want a more modern ballpark.
- Desire for a dedicated baseball stadium – The Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose facility built originally for baseball and football. The Blue Jays may want their own dedicated baseball park.
- Buffalo offers a new stadium – The Blue Jays played home games in Buffalo in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city recently built a new ballpark that the Blue Jays could potentially move into.
- US expansion – With new teams beginning play in Nashville and Las Vegas, the Blue Jays may see relocating to the US as a way to grow their fanbase.
A new stadium in Buffalo could provide the Blue Jays with a more tailored fan experience, opportunity to expand their brand in the US, and access to a new facility.
What has ownership said?
Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro has left the door open to relocation in recent comments:
“We’re open to alternatives. But they would have to be clearly better for our fans and our brand.” – Mark Shapiro in 2021 interview
While not fully committing to a move, Shapiro’s comments indicate the team is at least considering options beyond Toronto. Key factors would be improving the experience for fans and growing the Blue Jays brand.
What are the odds the Blue Jays actually relocate?
While speculation about a Blue Jays move has increased, the odds of them actually leaving Toronto remain low in the near future. Some factors that suggest they will stay put include:
- Long history in Toronto – The team has played in Toronto for over 45 seasons now and has a deep connection with the city and fanbase.
- Lucrative Toronto market – As Canada’s largest metro area, Toronto offers strong corporate backing and marketing opportunities.
- No imminent stadium plan – There are no concrete plans in place yet for a new stadium in Buffalo or elsewhere.
- Political resistance – There would likely be pushback from local government in Toronto against losing the team.
Barring a sudden development like a formal stadium proposal, the Blue Jays appear poised to remain in Toronto through at least the next few seasons.
What would need to happen for the Blue Jays to move?
For a Blue Jays relocation to become a real possibility, a few things would need to align:
- A formal stadium plan – Whether in Buffalo or elsewhere, a tangible stadium proposal with funding in place would be a major catalyst.
- Political support – Local governments would need to negotiate and offer attractive incentives for the team to relocate.
- Fan support – There would need to be a sense that a move would be embraced by a substantial portion of the Blue Jays fanbase.
- Weakening Toronto market – Fading corporate sponsorship and ticket sales in Toronto could spur looking elsewhere.
While various cities may try to court the Blue Jays, actually pulling off a relocation would require these key pieces to be in motion. Otherwise, the hurdles and costs of a move may be too high to seriously consider.
What are the potential relocation sites?
If the Blue Jays did decide to relocate, what cities could emerge as possible destination spots?
Buffalo
Buffalo would likely be the front-runner, given the Blue Jays’ history there and the presence of a new stadium. The city could position itself as a cross-border landing spot still relatively close to the Toronto media market.
Montreal
Montreal just had an exhibition series and could try to position itself as a unique Canadian market for the Jays. However, the loss of the Expos could make this a tough political sell.
Nashville
Nashville is set to debut as an MLB city in 2024 so could look to court an established team. However, its focus is likely to remain on launching its expansion franchise.
Charlotte
Charlotte has been rumored as an expansion city and could offer an appealing southern metro area for the Jays. But launching two new teams in North Carolina simultaneously seems like a long shot.
San Antonio
South Texas continues to grow as a major US market and San Antonio could try to position itself as a second regional hub after Houston. Lightning may not strike twice in Texas though.
How would a move impact the AL East rivalry?
The Blue Jays have been a pillar of the AL East for decades, helping to fuel intense rivalries with the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Orioles. If they relocated, it would dramatically impact these long-standing divisions matchups.
Here is how a Blue Jays relocation could alter key AL East rivalries:
Yankees
The Yankees and Blue Jays have battled for division supremacy for nearly 50 years. Toronto’s departure would remove key games and dilute the rivalry.
Red Sox
Red Sox and Blue Jays fans have relished in the teams competing 18-19 times per season. This special rivalry matchup would disappear with a move.
Rays
The upstart Rays have recently challenged the traditional powers in the AL East, including memorable recent showdowns with Toronto.
Orioles
While lacking the intensity of other rivalries, the Orioles would still lose a long-time divisional foe.
In summary, the Blue Jays relocating would deal a major blow to the competitiveness and rich history of baseball’s deepest division.
How would the move impact Blue Jays fans?
Here is an overview of how different groups of Blue Jays fans could be impacted if the team relocated:
| Fan Group | Potential Impact |
|---|---|
| Season Ticket Holders | – Loss of seat licenses and perks – Potentially no access to new stadium |
| Toronto Residents | – Loss of ability to attend games locally – Damage to civic pride |
| National Fans | – No change in ability to follow team – Loss of team tied to Canadian identity |
| Buffalo/New City Residents | – Gain local team to follow – Increase in related economic activity |
A move would create a mix of benefits for any new host city gained, and detrimental impacts on the dedicated fans in the Toronto area who would lose access to home games.
Conclusion
While the Toronto Blue Jays continue to be linked to relocation rumors, the likelihood of them actually leaving Toronto remains fairly low in the near term. Barring a formal stadium proposal and attractive incentives from another city emerging, the Jays appear poised to stay put for at least the foreseeable future.
That said, the team mentioning being “open to alternatives” means a move can’t be ruled out long-term. If issues like stadium age or market size continue mounting, Blue Jays leadership could more aggressively pursue relocation options down the road.
For now expect the Blue Jays to continue pursuing World Series glory representing Toronto and Canada. But their future home city will remain a discussion point around the team in the years ahead.
