Vancouver Seeks to Join Blue Jays in Canadian MLB Expansion
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For over 15 years, Vancouver has been home to the Toronto Blue Jays' Single-A affiliate Vancouver Canadians. Now, the scenic Western Canadian city has a more ambitious goal in mind.
On Wednesday, the city selected the Show Vancouver Bid Corporation and CEO Zack Ross as the prospective owner of a future MLB franchise, per Sportsnet. While any possible decision on awarding a franchise to Vancouver remains a long way away, the city has now tabbed a group who will lead the charge to push MLB in pursuit of a franchise.
To be clear, Wednesday's announcement does not guarantee anything. Although MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has openly acknowledged the possibility of expansion in the past, the league has not announced any forthcoming plans to add teams, much less confirm the planting of a franchise in British Columbia. Instead, its a noteworthy bit of proof that Vancouver has serious interest in pursuing an MLB team of their own.
Heck, they even have a site picked out for a future stadium. Vancouver mayor Ken Sim, who is firmly behind the push for an MLB team for the city, has already outlined a plan to use False Creek, a 20-acre site on the water, for the construction of a new building.
How Does Vancouver's MLB Push Impact the Blue Jays?
While Vancouver sits more than 2,500 miles away from Toronto, their shared national borders serve as an intrinsic link between the two cities. Plenty of Vancouverites cheer for the Blue Jays by virtue of their shared Canadian heritage instead of supporting one of the franchises located closer, geographically. In fact, BC natives backing Toronto's team are a big reason why their visits to Seattle draw so much fan support.
The Blue Jays, for their part, know that a franchise in Vancouver could cut into their fan base out west and bring about a challenge to their as-of-yet-unopposed unofficial designation as "Canada's team". However, that still hasn't stopped the club from voicing their support.
Earlier this season, Toronto president Mark Shapiro made the club's stance widely known. He told Sportsnet, "We are supportive of any effort to grow baseball in Canada, and that would include the opportunity to bring MLB to Vancouver."
The Blue Jays would also likely lose a long-term affiliate in the Canadians, who have graduated a number of players to Toronto at the big-league level, including Trey Yesavage, Addison Barger and Davis Schneider.
Ultimately, though, the growth of baseball in Canada would be good for everyone involved, including the Blue Jays. Not only would a Vancouver team help further foster interest in the sport across the country, but it would create the type of Canadian-centric rivalry that has been lacking ever since the Montreal Expos relocated to Washington after the 2004 season.
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Ben Fisher is a long-time sportswriter and baseball lover, dating back to 2008, when he was a member of the media relations team for the Toronto Blue Jays. He has covered a wide range of sports for a seemingly endless array of publications, including The Canadian Press, Fansided and The Hockey Writers. When he isn't writing about sports, he can be found coaching his equally baseball-obsessed sons' Little League teams.