6:55pm: Ontario Premier Doug Ford is fully confident the Blue Jays will receive the go-ahead to play in Toronto, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet writes. In the event that doesn’t happen, though, the team has identified Buffalo (home of its Triple-A club) as its Plan B, according to Davidi. Dunedin, Fla., also remains a possibility.
3:27pm: The Canadian federal government has not yet given the Blue Jays clearance to play in Toronto, Mitchell tweets. The city of Toronto and the province of Ontario have, on the other hand, but the Blue Jays will also need approval at the federal level, per Mitchell, who adds that a decision should come within a few days.
3:15pm: Despite MacLeod’s statement, this isn’t a done deal yet, per reports from Scott Mitchell of TSN, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet and David Cochrane of CBC.
3:02pm: The Blue Jays have received authorization from the relevant authorities to host regular season 2020 contests at the Rogers Centre, Ontario’s Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Minister Lisa MacLeod revealed on TSN 1200 (Twitter link).
The organization had previously received clearance only to host Summer Camp activities in Toronto. That’s a much more limited undertaking, as it involved bringing players and personnel into the ballpark complex (which includes a hotel) only once, after completion of coronavirus testing occurred in the United States.
Holding home games in Toronto, while traveling elsewhere for away contests, will present quite a different logistical challenge when it comes to limiting potential COVID-19 transmission. There is presently a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the neighboring nations. Canadian authorities are no doubt concerned with the skyrocketing case numbers coming out of many U.S. cities (including some that host MLB teams).
It’s obviously good news for the Jays that they’ll get to have a relatively normal experience during the season. That’s not to say that there’s much hope of paying fans. But setting up a whole separate operation in some other place might’ve been a costly and challenging venture.
Glad the city and province came together on this.
Good news.
….and now the federal government is getting in on this. Here we go….
Good news.
I would be a lot happier if they were required to be in a bubble all the time as I find it tough to understand how a player living in say, Miami, is not going to get the Covid.
I am hoping that players coming to Canada will just go to a special hanger at the airport, take a charter bus, go to the stadium and then head out right away.
I don’t want them wandering around in public.
The NHL has it figured out, but then they just have to worry about playoffs which will be over for 8 teams in 3-5 games.
Let’s see how it goes,,,,,,
I hope they keep an alternative stadium in the US ready for games at a moment’s notice, just in case cross-border rules and regs change as the situation evolves.
that would be smart, but the reason they are trying for toronto is because they don’t have many alternatives. Their AAA stadium does not have adequate lighting for televised games, and their spring training stadium is in Florida. Lets hope they do find one tho!
It won’t be the brightest of lighting and MLB players will complain, as they always do when things are not perfect, but remember most all Minor league games are at night, save Rookie leagues and I don’t remember the few games broadcast out of Buffalo over the years have had my MiLb,com subscription being any worse than the other AAA teams.
Now camera angles would have to be setup of course. Doubt any place ex. CF ready for 1 and no press boxes on field at Minor league stadiums for cameras to be placed.
Orlando,Domes like where Cowboys,Colts,Saints play. Also Raiders,Panthers,Bills,Patriots,Titans and so on city with a NFL Team no MLB Team same goes for Nats home opener next Thursday.
The important bit is the Feds haven’t yet agreed. They are okay with bubble cities but allowing cross-border back-and-forth crosses the line for them. I happen to think they won’t.
Looks like somebody jumped the gun in this.
Guys let’s be real only sport that has a legitimate chance to finish the season this year is the NHL. Baseball with all the travelling and refusing to do hub cities is a recipe for disaster especially with the way the current trend in is down south
It’s time to call the producers of “90 day fiancee” to arrange quick marriages between all non-Canadian major league players and Canadian women. Problem solved!
If there will be no fans allowed I don’t see any benefit from holding the games in Toronto. Having the players come in from out of town makes it more likely to spread the virus. And if the Jays can’t make money from fans if they are not allowed then why bother? Maybe they qualify for a tax break for producing a tv show (the baseball game) in Canada?
Agreed, raydh.
Unless there are layers we aren’t aware of, there are no visible benefits to playing in Toronto.
At this point, the border is closed; so this shouldn’t even be a consideration.
I could maybe see a 1-off exception, but a constant criss-cross involving hundreds of people … all of whom are known to be steadily travelling to/from multiple other cities in between?
That would be an impossible decision to explain to the public.
All situations considered, if they’re not allowed to play in Toronto, I’d think Buffalo would be MUCH more desirable than Dunedin just now.
Not just the Covid. It is unbearably hot in Dunedin right now and it rains almost every evening.
Yeah, I lived in Florida for almost 40 years, and I don’t think I’d wish the summers on anybody. Incessant heat, generally unpredictable rain (except you’re gonna get lots of it)… With you all the way.
Only reason Buffalo is a better option is the summer rain factor in Florida. The only reason. Their county has just under 8000 cases and over 600 deaths. Dunedin’s county has more cases (12,000) and way less deaths (295).
Saying it’s MUCH more desirable is a big stretch. Aside from chicken wings you’d rather be in Dunedin.
Toronto arguably has the best set up to keep players away from the public. Fly in to Billy Bishop, take a chartered bus to the hotel (which is attached to the Rogers Centre), and don’t leave until the games are done, get back on the bus go to airport and fly out. The issue is, will other teams follow this? I like the idea of the maximum fine under the quarantine act, $750,000, if any player is caught outside of the Rogers Centre, and the threat of possible jail time. For a lot of the guys playing, that type of fine will be more than they are making this year. I think this is do able if players aren’t selfish.
Just cancel this fake season already.
Border closing extended until August 21st. Don’t see how baseball would be called essential for crossings. Seems like with minor leagues shut down they could find a park to play in USA very easy. Parks would line up to get rent money.
Baseball is almost back!
For my American friends: Lisa McLeod is a provincial cabinet minister, not Federal. She may have back-channelled information, but most say the feds haven’t issued a decision yet.
The entire SkyDome bubble is designed to keep the virus from escaping into the community and to isolate any positive tests inside.
I would be a lot happier if US teams followed what The Jays have done, but a lot of success will depend on what teams do outside of Canada.