EXPERT ADVISORY – OCTOBER 23, 2025 – R0124

With the Toronto Blue Jays gearing up to make their first World Series appearance since 1993, Brock University researchers say Canadians from coast to coast will be tuning in for the sports action and the stellar storylines.

“Even people who normally don’t follow sports suddenly need to know what’s happening — it becomes part of the social conversation,” says Associate Professor of Sport Management Craig Hyatt.

Since the Montreal Expos’ 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.

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 “Canada’s Team.”

Fans have also embraced the team as their own despite having only one Canadian on the roster, he says.

“Other than first baseman and heavy hitter Vladimir Guerrero Jr., it’s a largely American and international squad,” Kinik says. “In some ways, the current team is a testament to the value of regional and international co-operation and to ‘friendlier’ borders and sound immigration practices.”

He says interest in the series is likely to be at a fever pitch thanks to a “great team, great spirit and a bit of a Cinderella story given how the team started the season.”

Assistant Professor of Sport Management Taylor McKee says the Jays’ strength stems from its roster of veterans and unlikely heroes.

“You’ve got half-billion-dollar contracts alongside players who were cut from the worst teams in the league just two years ago,” said McKee. “Unexpected 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.”
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The Jays’ “diverse group of starting pitchers” will also be a key factor in the series, saysAssociate Professor of Kinesiology Michael Holmes, as they each “bring something unique to their starts and their pitching mechanics vary, which keeps opposing batters on their toes.”

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 — including two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

“Biomechanics remain a pillar of long-term health, especially for pitchers logging hundreds of high-stress innings each season,” Holmes says. “The 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.”

Beyond the diamond, McKee says fan rituals and superstitions also create a shared identity that deepens during major moments like the World Series run.

“From rally caps to special chairs, traditions connect generations and turn every game into a collective memory of pride and belonging,” he says. “This sense of unity reflects what political scientist Benedict Anderson called ‘imagined community,’ and is one of those rare times when strangers feel like they have something in common, something to cheer for together.”

He says sport also has a “wonderful ability to garner collective attention, national pride and pure escape all at once.”

“For a few hours, people forget their worries — the mortgage, the economy, the news — and just get lost in the moment,” McKee says.

Associate Professor of Marketing Eric Dolansky says the droves of fans looking to capture that feeling in person drove the high demand — and even higher prices — for game tickets.

“When there’s a chance to see your team win it all, consumers place a higher value on such experiences, leading to a greater willingness to pay,” he says. “This 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.”

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’s showdown is still particularly emotional for longtime fans.

“Savour this moment,” he says. “Baseball fans know this doesn’t happen often and have no idea when this will happen again.”

Associate Professors of Sport Management Craig Hyatt and Olan Scott, Associate Professor of Communications, Popular Culture and Film Anthony Kinik, Assistant Professor of Sport Management Taylor McKee, Associate Professor of Kinesiology Michael Holmes and Associate Professor of Marketing Eric Dolansky are available for media interviews on this topic.

For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

*Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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