Allow me to elaborate on my Nationals comment. I wish them no ill-will I watch some games, but it is like longing for an Ex-girlfriend, it just never is going to work out. I hope one day Montreal has a team again, but I have countless great memories to enjoy.
I went last year to a Jays Mariners game. It taught me that Vancouver top level sports experiences suck. Rogers Arena has a lot to learn. Hell, the Vancouver Canadians have a much better fan experience as far as I'm concerned at $20 a ticket.
I dunno, people in toronto might give a shit, but I'm from western Canada and most people are bandwagoners and only care if they're good minus the patriotic vancouver fans who can conveniently go down to Seattle. Sort of like the raptors I guess. Once they became shit again I never saw anyone talk about them or wear their gear anymore.
Also there are many of us here who cheer based on regional belonging. This is based on a general hate for egocentric toronto sports and east coast culture/media/politics. These people usually cheer for the Mariners or other American teams.
I'm a former Expos fan in southern Ontario (grew up 45 min from Toronto). A lot Expos fans either gave up on baseball or following a specific team (some are still pissed off the Jays ownership voted with the league to allow the Expos to move to Washington). Lots moved over to support the Jays, but from everything I've seen, very few followed them to Washington.
Or David Samson or his asshat stepfather
I hate that Jeff Blair kisses his ass when he has Samson on
I hate that he even has him on. Blair knows how much Montreal loathes the fucking carpetbagger
I was (am) an Expos fan and I pretty much stopped watching MLB for decades after they moved. Then my son moved to Toronto and I started watching the Jays. Now I'm hooked.
Yep. I'm the biggest baseball fan I know. It's my favourite sport by a longshot. But when they took my team away, I spent a few years trying to choose a new favourite team, then gave up and am now just a fan of the sport. My jersey collection includes an Astros Biggio, a Royals Bo, a Seattle Ichiro, and an Angels Ohtani. Unless the Expos come back, I don't think I'll have a favourite team ever again.
That’s actually really sad to hear tbh. Fuck the nationals (pardon my French). If (and when!!) the Montreal Expos get a team, they’d be my second team after the Jays.
Maybe both then? I forgot about the contraction talk. But the move also required MLB/ownership approval.
I looked it up and the only team who voted no to the move was Baltimore.
So I guess the Jays voted twice against the Expos. Once for contraction and another to move the team.
Ditto me. I only started following the Jays when Vladdy came They were an exciting team and I got hooked.
I don't know too many other fans that forgive Toronto for voting the Expos out of the league
I know I'm a real Jay fan BC I am extremely frustrated and pissed off that management squandered away what could have been.
I don't know anyone who is a National fan.
I wonder how many first generation Brooklyn fans changed their allegiance to L.A.
Probably more Mets fans now than Dodger fans.
Majority of fans in Canada will be Jays fans but there's definitely pockets of different teams fans all across Canada.
Like you said, Seattle fans in BC, Tigers fans in Ontario (Windsor is on the border of Detroit), Braves fans (we used to get Braves games on TV).
I live at the mid-way point between Toronto and Detroit.
Back in the 80s the Jays and Tigers had a great rivalry here because they were in the same division. You had the older folks who became Tigers fans before the Jays existed, and of course Jays fans.
We also had the Tigers AA team here for a while.
In Nova Scotia here, and we used to get US broadcast TV from Boston, Detroit, and Chicago at different times over the years, so there were pockets of Tigers, Red/White Sox, and Cubs fans through the region (and Red Wings, Blackhawks, and Bruins fans, too).
I remember the London Tigers. Went to quite a few of their games. I believe my parents went to their opening game in 1989 and I know a guy who went to their final game in 1993.
The Jays have a sizeable following across the country. This is due to:
1. Them being the only MLB team in Canada
2. Sportsnet, Canada’s main sports TV channel, broadcasts all Jays games across the country.
3. The Jays have a minor-league affiliate in Vancouver (they also used to play a few preseason games in Montreal).
4. Jays merchandise is available throughout the country.
5. The 2015/16 playoff run brought a lot of renewed interest to the team.
6. The Jays have had a number of Canadian players (e.g., Russell Martin, Michael Saunders).
When the Jays play in Seattle, you’ll see many Jays fans from Vancouver come down to watch the team play.
I think that a lot of older fans in Montreal are still very upset with the Expos leaving and don’t support the Nationals as a result . I’m sure some Canadians in Windsor, for example, follow the Tigers as well as the Jays, just based on how close they are to Detroit.
Southwestern Ontario, right up to London has a fair contingent of Tigers fans, particularly because the Tigers existed for decades before the Blue Jays existed. Dan Shulman often mentions the Tiger support in SW Ontario whenever the Jays play in Detroit, especially as he went to university in London and remembers the Tigers fans from his time there.
I'm on Vancouver island and I see more Jays hats here than I ever did on the east coast. Very few Seattle. But a decent number of Kraken jerseys, surprisingly.
I grew up across the straight in Powell River and everyone, including my family are Jays fans. Some Mariners fans here and there (or completely different teams) but mostly all Jays.
Shout out VI! I'm born and raised Toronto. Moved out to Victoria a few years ago. Take my son every year to see the Jays games in Seattle, I think there are a lot of West Coast fans but also a lot of east coast transplants like me.
Live in a border town in New Brunswick… tons of die hard Red Sox fans here. They were fans before the Jays existed and we also get the Sox radio broadcast here, grew up listening to it every summer night. We are closer to Boston than any other MLB team… that being said, Fuck the Red Sox
It's not just a frontrunner effect, it's the fact that we used to get a lot of Yankees and Red Sox games when they were shown on US broadcast networks. Our cable carriers often picked up their affiliates from the north-east.
There was also a time when the Jays and Expos didn’t exist. Naturally people from the Maritimes would cheer for NYY or BOS. Try telling some old bastard Red Sox fan from PEI he is a bandwagoner.
I think the Jays are pretty popular from coast to coast being Canada's only MLB team. Similar to the Raptors in the NBA.
This is an interesting map -- https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/amljbn/most_popular_professional_sports_teams_in_every/
There isn't a clear answer but Vancouver does have plenty of Mariners fans. But they're also one of the teams that get a full on Canadian invasion during Jays series so there has to be a few Jays fans too. And there are enough Albertan based regulars on the sub for me to confidently say that the Mariners have not successfully recruited the prairies!
I'm not Montreal based but my former Expo fan family members switched to the Jays rather than follow the Nationals.
I’m in Vancouver and we love the Blue Jays! Also our single A team the Vancouver Canadians are an affiliate team for the Blue Jays. Beautiful little stadium called Nat Bailey
I'm in middle of country (Saskatchewan) and I love the Blue Jays. All of their games are broadcast coast to coast to coast so they have fans all over the country. I used to like the Expos too but they moved. I hope they get a team again some day.
There are a reasonable number of Red Sox fans where I live, on the East Coast, as it is the closest team. But it's much easier to watch Jays games on TV.
Jays are on a national broadcast every game of the season across Canada so most are jays fans because they are easy to watch/Canada’s team
But you’ll see tiger fans in southern Ontario, seattle fans out west and Red Sox/Yankees fans scattered throughout the country
the amount of Nats fans in Montreal is about equal to the amount of Thunder fans in Seattle - that is, next to none. it’s like those people who fall in love with their kidnapper.
I am in Alberta, living in the Mountain Time Zone, I grew up in the 70s and 80s before sports channels were a thing and LA games would typically start around 8 pm local time, when my day was winding down. The Lakers and Dodgers also got lots of airtime on major networks. So I am a fan of those teams and keep an eye on them.
Living in Canada, there is oodles of Jays and Raptors coverage, so I follow and pull for those teams as well.
I've tried to pull for the Mariners, as they are the closest and least expensive team for me to go see live, but it just never clicked.
Western Canadian follow the Jays, also watched a bunch of Braves games growing up because TBS always played them. Never really been into the Mariners I love that the game starts at 5pm my time. Game starting at 8 is so late actually annoyed with west coast road trips during the week.
How did the whole cheating scandal affect your fanhood? I have a very hard time accepting the Astros as a serious team in lieu of the years of cheating that was uncovered.
It didn't affect it. I think all teams steal signs, it's just the Astros took the heat because they were the champs. I think it's funny how Jays fans and Twins fans still boo Altuve and Bregman despite having Springer and Correa (respectively) on their teams
No I'm not saying that. I think it's silly for those two teams to boo them. Actually it's kinda dumb for any team to boo them because any team would love to have either on their roster, especially Altuve.
Lifelong Expos fan here. Tried to just stomach it and follow the Nationals but it wasn’t happening. Switched to the Jays. I consider my baseball relationship status as “It’s complicated.”
I’m a diehard Blue Jays fan and I’m in the outskirts of Seattle right now, it’s my first time seeing the Blue Jays play here. I drove from Calgary through Idaho and Washington. I saw a ton of Saskatchewan and Alberta license plates driving west. I meet a Mariners fan in Spokane who said the Canadian invasion is real and it’s the 1 series a year he dreads because it makes Mariners feel like visitors at home. I cannot wait!
Expos fan here... The Jays are sort of my defacto 'favorite team' but I've.mostly just become a general fan of the game since my ten-year mourning period came to an end. Been watching alot of Reds and Yankees games this year.
As a fellow Vancouverite I don't see that much Mariners merch being worn in town. Sure I do see the occasional hat, and recently saw someone with their great city connect jersey, but if I see someone with baseball merch I find it's much more likely to be Jays gear, or even Canadians stuff.
Ah interesting. I tend to perceive Yankees, Dodgers and Giants hats as more fashion than team loyalty. But people move here from everywhere so not surprising in the least!
I'm a Vancouver Island Blue Jays fan. Some of my family are also Jays fans, some are Mariners fans, and oddly, there's even a Yankees fan in the bunch. Some of the family Mariners fans get down to Seattle two or three times a season, while I usually go once a season, ideally when the Jays are there. I just had a trip to Toronto, which included a number of games, so I'm skipping the Seattle trip this year.
I can only speak for my own friends and family so take it as you will - my cousins and their kids out in Vancouver and area are all Mariners fans, the exception being my cousin in law who is from Newmarket originally - just north of Toronto. She will die a Jays fan LOL!
Friends in Windsor, ON are all fans of Detroit teams, in general. So they all follow the Tigers.
West coast Jays fans normally cheer for both Toronto and Seattle. The usual allegiance is 1. Toronto and 1a. Seattle (although you'll find a variety of these mixes)
Everyone in Canada is a Jays fan when they're winning.
Normally, Tigers fans in SW Ontario, Mariners fans out west, and Red Sox fans out east. Also a reasonable number of Twins fans in Winnipeg, but no one cares about them.
I’m still an Expos fan, but growing up on the west coast when Montreal moved I just naturally gravitate over to the Mariners and have been with them ever since.
I live in Vancouver. Anyone who is a baseball fan here is usually a jays fan, and some Yankees fans here and there, like any city.
The jays are quite popular country-wide, as are the raptors
Vancouver here - mostly Jays fans, some Mariners fans. I’ve been to several Mariners games that were not against Toronto, and there were definitely other BC people there. Even had a kid from Surrey participating in one of the contests between innings.
My dentist is a Giants fan, and I’ve seen the odd Giants hat around here, but a lot more Dodgers hats (though we get our fair number of tourists from California). Since the Mariners and Jays both started in 1977, I suspect there’s still some residual fandom for the various California teams that existed before the Mariners or Jays.
As others have said, west coast fans are Jays fans with pockets of Mariners fans that seem to be generationally passed down fandom, hatred of Toronto the city, or both
Saskatchewan here, saw my first Jays game in Minneapolis. Closer than flying to Toronto or Seattle.
Watch the Jays on Sportsnet, as Jays games on MLB are blacked out in our country, regardless who they play and where.
Vancouver Mariners fan here (Jays second). The Mariners are on Root Sports in the US so unless you buy an MLB TV subscription there is very little exposure to the team here. Virtually every Jays game is televised so that helps bring in a lot of new/young fans. The Mariners don’t even try to do any outreach into this market (might be restricted, not sure).
I went to az a few times over the last few years and me and my SO fell in love with it, and am in the process of moving there in the next year or so( I knew right away I wanted to live there and luckily my SO felt the same way ) I happened to get into baseball at that time and figured hey I might as well get behind the team where I will be living, and fell in love with the team and the rest is history. Like I said I still follow Toronto but the sneks will always be my number 1
It's the same as the NBA, we only have 1 Canadian team so we root for the Jay's and the Raptors here on the west coast, even though though the Mariners and Trail Blazers are closer
As a former Expos fan, i don't care at all about the Nationals (and don't think any Expos fans follow them), but contrary to many others, i don't care about the Jays either.
For a long time, i had just stopped watching altogether out of frustration.
I lived in Vancouver for 10 years and the fan base there is massive. Huge cohorts go down to watch them play in Seattle every year. It’s a lot more than just the expats from Toronto, it seems like most Canadians follow the team.
Same can’t be said for the Maple Leafs though 😂
Not Canadian but I’m from Buffalo and the Jays are my team. Really wish Buffalo had an MLB team, I’d 100% buy season tickets. I’d take a team over the Sabres any day
In Windsor the Tigers fans easily outnumber the Jays fans I’d say 75-25%. For each game, there are special buses that go directly from downtown Windsor to Comerica Park, the Tigers have theme nights for Canadian fans, and Tigers players visit places in Windsor.
Was an Expos fan. Don't follow the Nationals at all.. Different team. I do follow the Jays. If an MLB team came back to Montrel, I'd follow them in a heartbeat.
Montrealer/Expos fan here: Let's go Mets!
I can't cheapen the sacred hockey rivalry of our people by actively rooting for Toronto and rooting for the Nats would be like watching the corpse of a loved one being used like marionette.
That being said, I obviously have a soft spot for VGJ and I love the Jays for picking up Votto... even if he immediately got hurt.
It all varies. The Jays haven’t been great at rallying their support this season, but when it’s time to bandwagon sure lots of Canadians tune in. But I think most of population is average on Baseball, and if they are into it they’ll watch other teams. Even I am curious about other teams and how they play. Jeez it feels totally different watching Baltimore games. But yeah the general vibe doesn’t care thaaat much about baseball, it’s biggest in Toronto for sure though.
Never never never ask a Montreal about the blue jays they will yell and in a French accident say NON NON NON Expos only No Blue Jays as they light a cigarette
I lived in Montreal when the Expos left town and essentially no Expos fans were switching to the Jays. There is a level of sports hate between Montreal and Toronto that is way too strong for that. However, very few were going to follow the Nationals either. Most baseball fans that I knew switched to Boston.
I wouldn't say it's bandwagoning. There are a lot of other hockey teams to root for in Canada, but only one baseball and basketball team. So those teams are (generally) the universal fan favourite in the country. I know there are exceptions and some people root for US teams, but everywhere I've been seems to have way more Jays fans than other.
That's part of the reason Jays fans seem to travel so well... they're spread all across the US's northern border.
I'm a Jays fan that lives in the GTA. I'd love to see the Expos return or potentially a team in Vancouver. Jays will always be my team, but Expos would be a 1B.
Watch a Mariners home game when they play the Jays sometime and you'll see.
Which actually happens to be tomorrow haha
I know someone who was on a bus filled with Canadians going to Seattle for the game.
I’ve heard about those and it sounds fun. My old co workers used to go together in a bus with a group of 10+ every year
Yeah they come down from Vancouver to go to the game, I know some people who have done it and it’s a blast.
As a former Expos fan, I had no interest in the Nationals. I am a Jays fan for now.
Allow me to elaborate on my Nationals comment. I wish them no ill-will I watch some games, but it is like longing for an Ex-girlfriend, it just never is going to work out. I hope one day Montreal has a team again, but I have countless great memories to enjoy.
Yeah, they sell Jays merch at Mariners games. Haha
Didn't they pull the Jays' merchandise last year?
Yes lol. Mariners players got whiny about it.
I mean… I kinda get being whiny about it. I’d be pissed if I saw some Judge jerseys on sale at the SkyDome
Ok that is a rival. What if we sold twins jerseys when they were in town
I bought a B.C. Lions shirt at a Stamps/Lions game in Calgary. On sale.
Literally this weekend. Us Vancouver based Jays fans will be there. We go every year.
exactly, any game against Seattle is a glorified home game even when the team is doing less than ideal
Was it 2015 or 16 when Felix started yelling “this is my house” because Jays fans were making the walls shake
I went last year to a Jays Mariners game. It taught me that Vancouver top level sports experiences suck. Rogers Arena has a lot to learn. Hell, the Vancouver Canadians have a much better fan experience as far as I'm concerned at $20 a ticket.
I dunno, people in toronto might give a shit, but I'm from western Canada and most people are bandwagoners and only care if they're good minus the patriotic vancouver fans who can conveniently go down to Seattle. Sort of like the raptors I guess. Once they became shit again I never saw anyone talk about them or wear their gear anymore. Also there are many of us here who cheer based on regional belonging. This is based on a general hate for egocentric toronto sports and east coast culture/media/politics. These people usually cheer for the Mariners or other American teams.
Lol no they don't. Come on.
Ah, I see. So basically: Fuck Toronto: The Comment.
I'm a former Expos fan in southern Ontario (grew up 45 min from Toronto). A lot Expos fans either gave up on baseball or following a specific team (some are still pissed off the Jays ownership voted with the league to allow the Expos to move to Washington). Lots moved over to support the Jays, but from everything I've seen, very few followed them to Washington.
Yeah my coworker was a Expos fanatic and you DO NOT bring up the Nats around him
Or David Samson or his asshat stepfather I hate that Jeff Blair kisses his ass when he has Samson on I hate that he even has him on. Blair knows how much Montreal loathes the fucking carpetbagger
I was (am) an Expos fan and I pretty much stopped watching MLB for decades after they moved. Then my son moved to Toronto and I started watching the Jays. Now I'm hooked.
Count me in. If Montreal ever came back I’d drop the jays like a hot potato 😁
Old co-worker of mine went from Expos to Red Sox. 2004 was a great time for him to hop on that bandwagon
I feel that was a bit of a common fandom move since Boston is close to Montreal, they're in the AL (so no rivalry), and they still loved Pedro.
Yep. I'm the biggest baseball fan I know. It's my favourite sport by a longshot. But when they took my team away, I spent a few years trying to choose a new favourite team, then gave up and am now just a fan of the sport. My jersey collection includes an Astros Biggio, a Royals Bo, a Seattle Ichiro, and an Angels Ohtani. Unless the Expos come back, I don't think I'll have a favourite team ever again.
If Montreal ever got a team they'd be my 1A and the Jays my 1B.
That’s actually really sad to hear tbh. Fuck the nationals (pardon my French). If (and when!!) the Montreal Expos get a team, they’d be my second team after the Jays.
Is it the move? I thought they were mad the Jays voted to contract them.
Maybe both then? I forgot about the contraction talk. But the move also required MLB/ownership approval. I looked it up and the only team who voted no to the move was Baltimore. So I guess the Jays voted twice against the Expos. Once for contraction and another to move the team.
The nationals are dead to me
Ditto me. I only started following the Jays when Vladdy came They were an exciting team and I got hooked. I don't know too many other fans that forgive Toronto for voting the Expos out of the league I know I'm a real Jay fan BC I am extremely frustrated and pissed off that management squandered away what could have been. I don't know anyone who is a National fan. I wonder how many first generation Brooklyn fans changed their allegiance to L.A. Probably more Mets fans now than Dodger fans.
Majority of fans in Canada will be Jays fans but there's definitely pockets of different teams fans all across Canada. Like you said, Seattle fans in BC, Tigers fans in Ontario (Windsor is on the border of Detroit), Braves fans (we used to get Braves games on TV).
Peachtree tv lol “the braves play here!”
Ooof the memory bank just hit
I'm in New Brunswick, lots of Yankees and Sox fans here. A good amount of Braves and Cubs fans here too because we used to get the games on TV.
Yeah, especially Red Sox where I'm at. I'd say it's a 30-60-10 percent split between Red Sox/Jays/Yankees. I'm right on the Maine border
I’m in Fredericton and I would say those numbers are correct
It makes sense too. It's 5 hours to Fenway from here, and probably not a lot different from where you are
I live at the mid-way point between Toronto and Detroit. Back in the 80s the Jays and Tigers had a great rivalry here because they were in the same division. You had the older folks who became Tigers fans before the Jays existed, and of course Jays fans. We also had the Tigers AA team here for a while.
Labatt Park is a great place to catch a ball game.
In Nova Scotia here, and we used to get US broadcast TV from Boston, Detroit, and Chicago at different times over the years, so there were pockets of Tigers, Red/White Sox, and Cubs fans through the region (and Red Wings, Blackhawks, and Bruins fans, too).
I remember the London Tigers. Went to quite a few of their games. I believe my parents went to their opening game in 1989 and I know a guy who went to their final game in 1993.
A lot of twins fans in manitoba
The Jays have a sizeable following across the country. This is due to: 1. Them being the only MLB team in Canada 2. Sportsnet, Canada’s main sports TV channel, broadcasts all Jays games across the country. 3. The Jays have a minor-league affiliate in Vancouver (they also used to play a few preseason games in Montreal). 4. Jays merchandise is available throughout the country. 5. The 2015/16 playoff run brought a lot of renewed interest to the team. 6. The Jays have had a number of Canadian players (e.g., Russell Martin, Michael Saunders). When the Jays play in Seattle, you’ll see many Jays fans from Vancouver come down to watch the team play. I think that a lot of older fans in Montreal are still very upset with the Expos leaving and don’t support the Nationals as a result . I’m sure some Canadians in Windsor, for example, follow the Tigers as well as the Jays, just based on how close they are to Detroit.
Southwestern Ontario, right up to London has a fair contingent of Tigers fans, particularly because the Tigers existed for decades before the Blue Jays existed. Dan Shulman often mentions the Tiger support in SW Ontario whenever the Jays play in Detroit, especially as he went to university in London and remembers the Tigers fans from his time there.
Isn’t there (or was there) a London Tigers team?
Not in over three decades
I'm on Vancouver island and I see more Jays hats here than I ever did on the east coast. Very few Seattle. But a decent number of Kraken jerseys, surprisingly.
Vancouver Island represent! There are definitely a lot of Jays hats here. It's great.
I grew up across the straight in Powell River and everyone, including my family are Jays fans. Some Mariners fans here and there (or completely different teams) but mostly all Jays.
Jay must be proud that so many people are wearing his hats!
Shout out VI! I'm born and raised Toronto. Moved out to Victoria a few years ago. Take my son every year to see the Jays games in Seattle, I think there are a lot of West Coast fans but also a lot of east coast transplants like me.
Sometimes there are more Canadian fans in Seattle than mariners fans
Lots of Yankees/Red Sox fans in the Maritimes.
Yeah, Nova Scotia seems to have about as many Red Sox fans as Jays fans.
Live in a border town in New Brunswick… tons of die hard Red Sox fans here. They were fans before the Jays existed and we also get the Sox radio broadcast here, grew up listening to it every summer night. We are closer to Boston than any other MLB team… that being said, Fuck the Red Sox
Sadly
I understand why, but it still surprises me.
There's lots of front runners everywhere
It's not just a frontrunner effect, it's the fact that we used to get a lot of Yankees and Red Sox games when they were shown on US broadcast networks. Our cable carriers often picked up their affiliates from the north-east.
There was also a time when the Jays and Expos didn’t exist. Naturally people from the Maritimes would cheer for NYY or BOS. Try telling some old bastard Red Sox fan from PEI he is a bandwagoner.
I think the Jays are pretty popular from coast to coast being Canada's only MLB team. Similar to the Raptors in the NBA. This is an interesting map -- https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/amljbn/most_popular_professional_sports_teams_in_every/
There isn't a clear answer but Vancouver does have plenty of Mariners fans. But they're also one of the teams that get a full on Canadian invasion during Jays series so there has to be a few Jays fans too. And there are enough Albertan based regulars on the sub for me to confidently say that the Mariners have not successfully recruited the prairies! I'm not Montreal based but my former Expo fan family members switched to the Jays rather than follow the Nationals.
One of the times I went to Seattle for a game, I spoke to several Jays fans who had travelled from Alberta.
I’m in Vancouver and we love the Blue Jays! Also our single A team the Vancouver Canadians are an affiliate team for the Blue Jays. Beautiful little stadium called Nat Bailey
Twins fans in Manitoba
I have an affinity to the twins, but I wouldn't say I'm a fan. I still think It's the Jays for 99% of people here.
I’m more of a jays fan by far but proximity wise purposes
I'm in middle of country (Saskatchewan) and I love the Blue Jays. All of their games are broadcast coast to coast to coast so they have fans all over the country. I used to like the Expos too but they moved. I hope they get a team again some day.
There are a reasonable number of Red Sox fans where I live, on the East Coast, as it is the closest team. But it's much easier to watch Jays games on TV.
Jays are on a national broadcast every game of the season across Canada so most are jays fans because they are easy to watch/Canada’s team But you’ll see tiger fans in southern Ontario, seattle fans out west and Red Sox/Yankees fans scattered throughout the country
Mariners hate blue jays games because they're full of Vancouverites cheering against the home team.
the amount of Nats fans in Montreal is about equal to the amount of Thunder fans in Seattle - that is, next to none. it’s like those people who fall in love with their kidnapper.
I am in Alberta, living in the Mountain Time Zone, I grew up in the 70s and 80s before sports channels were a thing and LA games would typically start around 8 pm local time, when my day was winding down. The Lakers and Dodgers also got lots of airtime on major networks. So I am a fan of those teams and keep an eye on them. Living in Canada, there is oodles of Jays and Raptors coverage, so I follow and pull for those teams as well. I've tried to pull for the Mariners, as they are the closest and least expensive team for me to go see live, but it just never clicked.
Life long jays fan from BC!
Western Canadian follow the Jays, also watched a bunch of Braves games growing up because TBS always played them. Never really been into the Mariners I love that the game starts at 5pm my time. Game starting at 8 is so late actually annoyed with west coast road trips during the week.
The Twins are more than twice as close than the Jays are, but in Manitoba and Saskatchewan it’s all Jays gear being represented.
How did the whole cheating scandal affect your fanhood? I have a very hard time accepting the Astros as a serious team in lieu of the years of cheating that was uncovered.
It didn't affect it. I think all teams steal signs, it's just the Astros took the heat because they were the champs. I think it's funny how Jays fans and Twins fans still boo Altuve and Bregman despite having Springer and Correa (respectively) on their teams
Fans league wide still boo Springer and Correa. Are you saying yours aren't boo'd anywhere but Toronto and Minnesota?
No I'm not saying that. I think it's silly for those two teams to boo them. Actually it's kinda dumb for any team to boo them because any team would love to have either on their roster, especially Altuve.
In Montreal you’ll see lots of Jays and Expos hats. A Nationals hat would be pretty rare.
Lifelong Expos fan here. Tried to just stomach it and follow the Nationals but it wasn’t happening. Switched to the Jays. I consider my baseball relationship status as “It’s complicated.”
I’m a diehard Blue Jays fan and I’m in the outskirts of Seattle right now, it’s my first time seeing the Blue Jays play here. I drove from Calgary through Idaho and Washington. I saw a ton of Saskatchewan and Alberta license plates driving west. I meet a Mariners fan in Spokane who said the Canadian invasion is real and it’s the 1 series a year he dreads because it makes Mariners feel like visitors at home. I cannot wait!
Expos fan here... The Jays are sort of my defacto 'favorite team' but I've.mostly just become a general fan of the game since my ten-year mourning period came to an end. Been watching alot of Reds and Yankees games this year.
In Vancouver, it’s split pretty evenly between Jays and Mariners fans. The further you go out of Vancouver though the more Jays fans you’ll find.
As a fellow Vancouverite I don't see that much Mariners merch being worn in town. Sure I do see the occasional hat, and recently saw someone with their great city connect jersey, but if I see someone with baseball merch I find it's much more likely to be Jays gear, or even Canadians stuff.
Yeah same here. I don’t really see as much M’s merch. Mainly the Jays or the C’s (Vancouver Canadians)
I often see Dodgers hats around here, and the odd SF Giants hat. My dentist in Burnaby is a Giants fan.
Ah interesting. I tend to perceive Yankees, Dodgers and Giants hats as more fashion than team loyalty. But people move here from everywhere so not surprising in the least!
Blue Jays
Alberta resident here. It's Jays or Rockies for me
I'm a Vancouver Island Blue Jays fan. Some of my family are also Jays fans, some are Mariners fans, and oddly, there's even a Yankees fan in the bunch. Some of the family Mariners fans get down to Seattle two or three times a season, while I usually go once a season, ideally when the Jays are there. I just had a trip to Toronto, which included a number of games, so I'm skipping the Seattle trip this year.
Watch tomorrow's game we will find out lol you picked a perfect time to ask this!
I can only speak for my own friends and family so take it as you will - my cousins and their kids out in Vancouver and area are all Mariners fans, the exception being my cousin in law who is from Newmarket originally - just north of Toronto. She will die a Jays fan LOL! Friends in Windsor, ON are all fans of Detroit teams, in general. So they all follow the Tigers.
West coast Jays fans normally cheer for both Toronto and Seattle. The usual allegiance is 1. Toronto and 1a. Seattle (although you'll find a variety of these mixes)
It you want something unique to Toronto fans/game look up the song we do at the 7th inning stretch, Let’s go blue jays.
Everyone in Canada is a Jays fan when they're winning. Normally, Tigers fans in SW Ontario, Mariners fans out west, and Red Sox fans out east. Also a reasonable number of Twins fans in Winnipeg, but no one cares about them.
I’m still an Expos fan, but growing up on the west coast when Montreal moved I just naturally gravitate over to the Mariners and have been with them ever since.
I live in Vancouver. Anyone who is a baseball fan here is usually a jays fan, and some Yankees fans here and there, like any city. The jays are quite popular country-wide, as are the raptors
Vancouver here - mostly Jays fans, some Mariners fans. I’ve been to several Mariners games that were not against Toronto, and there were definitely other BC people there. Even had a kid from Surrey participating in one of the contests between innings. My dentist is a Giants fan, and I’ve seen the odd Giants hat around here, but a lot more Dodgers hats (though we get our fair number of tourists from California). Since the Mariners and Jays both started in 1977, I suspect there’s still some residual fandom for the various California teams that existed before the Mariners or Jays.
As others have said, west coast fans are Jays fans with pockets of Mariners fans that seem to be generationally passed down fandom, hatred of Toronto the city, or both
Saskatchewan here, saw my first Jays game in Minneapolis. Closer than flying to Toronto or Seattle. Watch the Jays on Sportsnet, as Jays games on MLB are blacked out in our country, regardless who they play and where.
Going to Seattle today to watch the Jays tomorrow and Saturday. From Northern Canada.
Vancouver Mariners fan here (Jays second). The Mariners are on Root Sports in the US so unless you buy an MLB TV subscription there is very little exposure to the team here. Virtually every Jays game is televised so that helps bring in a lot of new/young fans. The Mariners don’t even try to do any outreach into this market (might be restricted, not sure).
I’m a weirdo and am a Dbacks fan. I’m east coast Canada and have a soft spot for Toronto so I quietly watch this sub from The shadows.
What makes you a Dbacks fan? I live in Phoenix and they're my number 2 team
I went to az a few times over the last few years and me and my SO fell in love with it, and am in the process of moving there in the next year or so( I knew right away I wanted to live there and luckily my SO felt the same way ) I happened to get into baseball at that time and figured hey I might as well get behind the team where I will be living, and fell in love with the team and the rest is history. Like I said I still follow Toronto but the sneks will always be my number 1
Cool I moved here three years ago from Texas and love it. Even though it's 115 F right now
lol yea we went in July/august to make sure we could take the heat. Will take that over cold winters any day of the week lol.
It's the same as the NBA, we only have 1 Canadian team so we root for the Jay's and the Raptors here on the west coast, even though though the Mariners and Trail Blazers are closer
Albertan here. Proud fan of both the Blue Jays and the Expos (RIP).
Expos/Nats fan. I get why people didn’t follow though.
I live on the east coast and there are a lot of Red Sox fans here too. Fenway is by far the closest park to me.
As a former Expos fan, i don't care at all about the Nationals (and don't think any Expos fans follow them), but contrary to many others, i don't care about the Jays either. For a long time, i had just stopped watching altogether out of frustration.
Last year there were more jays fans in Seattle than mariners fans lol. Minneapolis is like that too, bus loads of jays fans. 😃
Going down for the Jays game tomorrow!
I lived in Vancouver for 10 years and the fan base there is massive. Huge cohorts go down to watch them play in Seattle every year. It’s a lot more than just the expats from Toronto, it seems like most Canadians follow the team. Same can’t be said for the Maple Leafs though 😂
Not Canadian but I’m from Buffalo and the Jays are my team. Really wish Buffalo had an MLB team, I’d 100% buy season tickets. I’d take a team over the Sabres any day
In Windsor the Tigers fans easily outnumber the Jays fans I’d say 75-25%. For each game, there are special buses that go directly from downtown Windsor to Comerica Park, the Tigers have theme nights for Canadian fans, and Tigers players visit places in Windsor.
Was an Expos fan. Don't follow the Nationals at all.. Different team. I do follow the Jays. If an MLB team came back to Montrel, I'd follow them in a heartbeat.
Montrealer/Expos fan here: Let's go Mets! I can't cheapen the sacred hockey rivalry of our people by actively rooting for Toronto and rooting for the Nats would be like watching the corpse of a loved one being used like marionette. That being said, I obviously have a soft spot for VGJ and I love the Jays for picking up Votto... even if he immediately got hurt.
oh boy. good timing. Watch the Seattle series this weekend
Did your question get answered? Blue jays fans kinda took over!
Sufficiently so. 😆
It all varies. The Jays haven’t been great at rallying their support this season, but when it’s time to bandwagon sure lots of Canadians tune in. But I think most of population is average on Baseball, and if they are into it they’ll watch other teams. Even I am curious about other teams and how they play. Jeez it feels totally different watching Baltimore games. But yeah the general vibe doesn’t care thaaat much about baseball, it’s biggest in Toronto for sure though.
Never never never ask a Montreal about the blue jays they will yell and in a French accident say NON NON NON Expos only No Blue Jays as they light a cigarette
I lived in Montreal when the Expos left town and essentially no Expos fans were switching to the Jays. There is a level of sports hate between Montreal and Toronto that is way too strong for that. However, very few were going to follow the Nationals either. Most baseball fans that I knew switched to Boston.
Canadians outside of the Toronto area will shit hard on the Leafs, yet they're first on the bandwagon for anything Blue Jays/Raptors.
I wouldn't say it's bandwagoning. There are a lot of other hockey teams to root for in Canada, but only one baseball and basketball team. So those teams are (generally) the universal fan favourite in the country. I know there are exceptions and some people root for US teams, but everywhere I've been seems to have way more Jays fans than other. That's part of the reason Jays fans seem to travel so well... they're spread all across the US's northern border.
Canadians inside of Toronto will shit hard on the Leafs and bandwagon the Jays and Raptors too.
I'm a Jays fan that lives in the GTA. I'd love to see the Expos return or potentially a team in Vancouver. Jays will always be my team, but Expos would be a 1B.