Travel restrictions stemming from the global coronavirus pandemic have prevented the Toronto Blue Jays from setting foot on Canadian soil since the end of the 2019 season. The approval of COVID-19 vaccines and a drop in case numbers resulting from the Canadian government’s vaccination campaign have recently allowed for lifting of various measures. Canadian fans, largely unable to easily travel to the United States, have been eagerly anticipating the home team’s return. A “National Interest Exemption” from the Canadian government to resume games at Rogers Centre starting July 30 was announced on Friday.
While single game tickets for Rogers Centre games will not go on sale to the general public until July 22, resellers are already expecting high demand, and ticket prices are blowing the roof off the Rogers Centre dome. Here is a screenshot taken from StubHub.com on Sunday evening, with prices for tickets to the preceding road games in Boston shown for comparison. The rich have gotten richer during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now attempting to flip their Jays season tickets for a significant profit.
At C$338, the price to see the Sunday series finale against Kansas City is less than half of the C$799 Homecoming Day price but still quite prohibitive for fans of modest means. This is unfortunate since an anticipated fourth wave of COVID-19 cases could very well restart the lockdown cycle towards the end of the MLB season.
Featured Image: The Rogers Centre on July 30, 2009 in Toronto. The Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium in downtown Toronto famous the world over for its fully retractable roof. By manlio_70 / Shutterstock.com.
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