With the Toronto Blue Jays gearing up to make their first World Series appearance since 1993, Brock University researchers\u00a0say Canadians from coast to coast will be tuning in for the sports action and the stellar storylines.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven people who normally don\u2019t follow sports suddenly need to know what\u2019s happening \u2014 it becomes part of the social conversation,\u201d says Associate Professor of Sport Management Craig Hyatt.<\/p>\n
Since the Montreal Expos\u2019 departure in 2004, the Blue Jays are both the only Major League Baseball franchise in Canada and the only non-U.S. team in the major leagues.<\/p>\n
Associate Professor of Communications, Popular Culture and Film Anthony Kinik says this thrust the team into the national spotlight in a way that’s unique in Canadian sports, with fans affectionately referring to the Jays as \u201cCanada\u2019s Team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fans have also embraced the team as their own despite having only one Canadian on the roster, he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther than first baseman and heavy hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr., it’s a largely American and international squad,\u201d Kinik says. \u201cIn some ways, the current team is a testament to the value of regional and international co-operation and to \u2018friendlier\u2019 borders and sound immigration practices.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says interest in the series is likely to be at a fever pitch thanks to a \u201cgreat team, great spirit and a bit of a Cinderella story given how the team started the season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assistant Professor of Sport Management Taylor McKee says the Jays\u2019 strength stems from its roster of veterans and unlikely heroes.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got half-billion-dollar contracts alongside players who were cut from the worst teams in the league just two years ago,\u201d said McKee. \u201cUnexpected breakout performers, such as 22-year-old pitcher Trey Yesavage, have stepped up in clutch moments, while stars like George Springer and Guerrero Jr. are playing some of the best baseball of their careers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Jays\u2019 \u201cdiverse group of starting pitchers\u201d will also be a key factor in the series, says Associate Professor of Kinesiology Michael Holmes, as they each \u201cbring something unique to their starts and their pitching mechanics vary, which keeps opposing batters on their toes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Canada Research Chair in Neuromuscular Mechanics and Ergonomics adds that bullpen health will also be critical to competing against the pitching staff of the Los Angeles Dodgers \u2014 including two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.<\/p>\n
\u201cBiomechanics remain a pillar of long-term health, especially for pitchers logging hundreds of high-stress innings each season,\u201d Holmes says. \u201cThe Jays staff have done a great job monitoring in-game mechanics and not letting pitchers go too deep into the game where fatigue and injury are more likely to develop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond the diamond, McKee says fan rituals and superstitions also create a shared identity that deepens during major moments like the World Series run.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom rally caps to special chairs, traditions connect generations and turn every game into a collective memory of pride and belonging,\u201d he says. \u201cThis sense of unity reflects what political scientist Benedict Anderson called \u2018imagined community,\u2019 and is one of those rare times when strangers feel like they have something in common, something to cheer for together.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says sport also has a \u201cwonderful ability to garner collective attention, national pride and pure escape all at once.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a few hours, people forget their worries \u2014 the mortgage, the economy, the news \u2014 and just get lost in the moment,\u201d McKee says.<\/p>\n
Associate Professor of Marketing Eric Dolansky says the droves of fans looking to capture that feeling in person drove the high demand \u2014 and even higher prices \u2014 for game tickets.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen there\u2019s a chance to see your team win it all, consumers place a higher value on such experiences, leading to a greater willingness to pay,\u201d he says. \u201cThis also leads, though, to what some call ‘surge pricing’ and can have less desirable effects, such as accusations of price gouging or a conclusion that the system is not fair.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether they were lucky enough to snag a seat to the action or plan to join watch parties scheduled around the country, Associate Professor of Sport Management Olan Scott says this year\u2019s showdown is still particularly emotional for longtime fans.<\/p>\n
\u201cSavour this moment,\u201d he says. \u201cBaseball fans know this doesn\u2019t happen often and have no idea when this will happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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