Blue Jays fans aren’t just ponying up $2,500 for nosebleed seats — they've been on a citywide spending spree.
Driving the news: The Toronto Blue Jays are playing in the World Series today for the first time since 1993, and as their Cinderella playoff run continues, so does the economic boon for local businesses.
- According to Moneris, spending at restaurants and bars near the Rogers Centre jumped by up to 15% during the Blue Jays-Yankees series compared to the regular season.
- Meanwhile, Square data shared with The Peak showed that Blue Jays merch sales soared 16% in September compared to last year.
Catch-up: When this team is good, people — and their wallets — follow. During the Jays' first playoff series in 2015, bars and restaurants near the stadium saw profits climb ~30% compared to the same period in 2014.
- That buzz carries over to TV viewership and ad dollars. The Jays' owner, Rogers, said the team's strong season helped drive its media revenue growth by 26%.
Why it matters: The Blue Jays' game seven on Monday night was the most-watched baseball game in Canadian history, reaching a peak of 11.8 million viewers. Even with a million entertainment options, this team made over a quarter of the entire country watch the same thing at the same time.
Bottom line: It’s hard to believe that this is the same team that was struggling to fill half of the ballpark in early April. Now, with a World Series ring in sight, the team and everyone from hot dog vendors to Sportsnet are happily cashing in.—LA