Canada will not let the Toronto Blue Jays play in their home city in 2020. The country has done a much better job than the United States of getting Covid-19 under control and has largely kept its border shut down for months.
The NHL may be bringing people in from the United States, but they will be in two bubbles, not allowed to leave. Major League Baseball is having its teams play true home and road games in 2020, and the Canadian government doesn’t want that much travel to and from the United States, where the Covid-19 pandemic is still raging.
The Blue Jays will have to find a temporary home south of the border for 2020, and Buffalo, New York has been a popular rumor. Not only are the two cities less than 100 miles apart, Buffalo is also home to the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate.
Sports radio hosts in Western New York have been quick to jump on the bandwagon. Joe DiBiase, who hosts studio coverage of the Bills on WGR, asked his Twitter followers just how much they are willing to embrace the Blue Jays as part of the city’s sports culture.
Brian Koziol, who is part of the station’s coverage of the Buffalo Sabres, wanted to know how enthusiastic fans would be for the Blue Jays to become a more permanent fixture in the city.
It isn’t a done deal that the Blue Jays will be in Buffalo this season. Laura Armstrong of The Star reports that the team is also considering calling its usual spring training home in Dunedin, Florida home in 2020.
One more city is showing some excitement. Dan Shulman, who calls play-by-play for the Blue Jays appeared on CNN and mentioned Charlotte as a potential home for the team in 2020. That was met with a lot of enthusiasm from WFNZ host Nick Wilson.
The team has not issued a timeline for a decision. The Blue Jays home opener is scheduled for July 29 against the World Series Champion Washington Nationals.
Speculation is always fun. It will certainly create content for several stations until an announcement is made official. Barring any concerns about the stadium or housing though, it does seem like Buffalo is most likely to be the team’s home in 2020.
