I’ve always wondered how people in Buffalo feel about the Blue Jays. Obviously they’d be a fan of the Buffalo AAA team, but do they care about the parent team? Or is it more they like the Yankees and the Blue Jays are a second team to cheer for?
I think the people in Buffalo that follow MLB have a variety of loyalties.
I think the Yankees have a plurality, but probably not a majority. There are also apparently a lot of Braves fans because of TBS in the 90s. And a lot of old-timers are Pirates fans, because of proximity and the long-running affiliation between the Bisons and Pittsburgh. Cleveland has a contingent too.
Not sure if the Blue Jays would be in the top 3 teams in Buffalo.
Personally, I’m a Mets fan. Probably one of the few who were disappointed that that Bisons affiliation didn’t work out better.
Sportsnet should work out a deal to get the Jays on WNY TV. It would probably help with attendance with the big team in Toronto and with the AAA club.
I think people in Buffalo don't like the Jays for nationalistic reasons. They don't identify with Canadians. The reverse is true for Leafs fans in Niagara too. It doesn't make sense to me. Cheer for the team that's close and where you can actually go to games.
The Buffalo Blue Jays.
I think people in Buffalo don't like the Jays for nationalistic reasons. They don't identify with Canadians.
I’ve always wondered how people in Buffalo feel about the Blue Jays. Obviously they’d be a fan of the Buffalo AAA team, but do they care about the parent team? Or is it more they like the Yankees and the Blue Jays are a second team to cheer for?
I’m old enough to have seen the Jays at CNE, also grew up without cable and watched NHL and blue jays games on snowy channels, one of CFTO CBLT CHCH . Was common to get Jays games on radio too.I liked the Jays as a kid because I grew up beyond the reach of cable so was reduced to rabbit ears. I could watch them and on a good day get the Pirates with acceptable amounts of snow much like Habs games in winter
My National League team is the Pirates. My American League Team is the Indians. Why? Because they were the MLB affiliates of the Bisons under whom the Bisons have had some success. It helps that they have great ball parks as well.
Being so close to Cleveland and Pittsburgh, I made trips in the past to watch ex Bisons play and even though it's been a long time since their affiliations ended - I still follow the teams and enjoy going to a game now and then - usually one game a year in one or the other city. I have not really made the connection with the Blue Jays yet as the Bisons have pretty much sucked as their affiliate and the Rogers Center is a horrible venue..
I'm not sure why I think the idea of the Blue Jays playing in Buffalo is cool , but I do. I mean, no one can see the games so what does it really matter. But hey - there might be MLB in Buffalo after all these years.
I really wish that the Blue Jays would play a couple of games a year in Buffalo, but I realize that's not ever going to happen. It just seems that with 81 games at home an MLB team could spare a couple of games.
Edit - Just saw from reading posts up-thread that I'm an "old timer" because I remember the Pittsburgh affiliation. First time I've ever been called that. I remember going to a game in Pittsburgh in Three Rivers Stadium at which every player who started the game except the pitcher had played in Buffalo within the prior three years. Was very cool to have seen them in Buffalo and then in the majors.
I also agree with several points made up thread:
1. I think that the border town factor makes us very open to Canada and Canadian culture. Tons of people travel to Toronto for entertainment. I spent much of my youth canoeing in Algonquin Park, Temagami, Lady Evelyn Lake, and Killarney Provincial Park. I've stayed at Wasaga Beach and rode the Polar Bear Express to Moosonee. These days it's wineries around Niagara on the Lake or the Beamsville bench, Art exhibits at the AGO or Opera as well.
2. I think the Jays have done next to nothing to promote themselves in Buffalo - starting with the crap teams they have fielded here.
3. I think that being on local TV would help
4. Give us a decent team in Buffalo that might give us some September baseball
Wow, sounds like you're more Canadian than most Canadians!
That's funny - that's what my family says too. And I didn't even mention my annual ski trips to Mont Tremblant, stops for hockey games in Montreal or Ottawa, last year's Formula 1 race, the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, the Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Blues Fest, skating the Rideau Canal..........
Not sure how you reached that conclusion. The big problem for Blue Jays is that most of their games are at night and the Sahlen Park lighting has not yet been updated to meet tv standards for those games. The park is a great place to watch a game for sure but with no fans TV is essential and MLB wants a top notch product. Dunedin would have worked since the Jays have brought that up to standard as of this year but the team is concerned about being based in Florida right now. All the more reason for Jays to take steps with whoever they have to deal with to update the stadium in Buffalo.I guess now they are saying they are too good for Buffalo and want to share a park with another major league team. Good luck with that!