Attendance at Blue Jays games set to drop

Then came the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette era. Expectations were high. Then the pandemic and the Jays were forced to be on the road for almost two years. Upon returning home, the celebrations were electric. Consecutive playoff appearances followed.

And then, last year, everything went horribly wrong and the Blue Jays finished with a losing record for the first time since 2019.

Now, it appears the Blue Jays are bracing for a drop in attendance. While the home opener is sure to sell out, questions remain about how well the Jays can maintain a home crowd, in spite of all the renovations that have been done.

The Blue Jays finished third in attendance among AL teams last year, though walk up crowds were about 350 000 less.

While the Blue Jays have been aggressive in their marketing ploys, such as the wildly successful loonie dog days, that can only go so far for a team with a skeptical fanbase, an unsigned Guerrero, and so much uncertainty surrounding them.

Although Rogers Centre is known for its premium fan experience, President Mark Shapiro acknowledges they need to better in other aspects.

If the struggles early, then attendance will drop dramatically. If they start winning, fans will come, but it may be a slow build.