Rogers Centre - Toronto Blue Jays
- Dave Cottenie
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score:3.86
Rogers Centre 1 Blue Jays Way Toronto, ON M5V 1J3 Canada
Year Opened: 1989 Capacity: 39,150
Rogers Ballpark
In the perennial world of ballpark construction, it seems that Rogers Centre has completed the lion’s share of the significant changes that President Mark Shapiro stated would turn “the stadium into a ballpark.” Opened in 1989, the SkyDome was an innovative marvel with the first ever retractable roof and the first large video screen dubbed the JumboTron. Over time the opening of Oriole Park at Camden Yards drastically changed the direction of ballpark construction. MLB teams were commissioning the building of ballparks and multi-purpose stadiums, like SkyDome, became a thing of the past. SkyDome was renamed Rogers Centre after it was purchased by Rogers Communications and in 2014 a major shift was undertaken. The Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League were informed that they would no longer be allowed to play at Rogers Centre. The major changes began. New turf was installed and the major task of creating a true dirt infield was undertaken, replacing the old sliding pits. The focus then turned to the fan experience, which is where the biggest changes took place. From 2022 to 2025 hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in Rogers Centre to change the infrastructure and try to create a ballpark experience. Every seat was replaced. New social areas were created. The lower bowl was completely replaced, removing the old track system that moved the seats for a football configuration to a permanent seating area where seats were reoriented towards home plate.
The Toronto Blue Jays played their first season in 1977 at Exhibition Stadium. The ultimate success found its way to the shores of Lake Ontario with the 1992 and 1993 World Series championships. Joe Carter’s World Series ending home run of 1993 is one of the most iconic baseball scenes ever. Renewed success has found the Jays in 2025 with a surprising surge to the top of the American League East, bringing capacity crowds back to Rogers Centre.
Food & Beverage 4
Rogers Centre provides a solid culinary experience for patrons. Hot dogs, burgers, nachos, and popcorn are all readily available. There are several different hot dog and burger options. Pizza is provided by Pizza Nova and soft drinks are provided by the Coca-Cola family of beverages. The alcoholic beverage and specifically beer options are massive.
Fans could head to the WestJet Flight Deck on the second level past centrefield for possibly the best beer selection in the building. For fans who are looking for something a little more unique, grabbing a chicken sandwich at Mary Brown’s, a Canadian chain originating from Newfoundland, or some Apple Brisket or Jerk Chicken Nachos, would be the way to go. The Cubano Panini at the TD Park Social is also a good choice. Rogers Centre has increased the number of “Tap and Go” facilities offering a quick in and out for easy to grab items. Of particular interest are Loonie Dog Tuesdays. Hot Dogs are only $1 on these special days and the variety of concession items definitely decreases on these days to accommodate the massive promotion. On the day of this review, a record number of hot dogs were purchased at over 92,000.
Atmosphere 4
The biggest area of deficiency at Rogers Centre remains the exterior. Dominated by exposed concrete, Rogers Centre is a massive structure. The entrances remain bland as compared to contemporary ballparks and there is no “main entrance” to the stadium. The north side of the stadium, where the Marriott which is part of Rogers Centre, would probably be considered the front. Also, compared to modern ballparks, the footprint of the grounds is relatively small with not too much space around the exterior of the stadium. Two bronze sculptures at the top of the north side of Rogers Centre, “The Crowd” and “The Fans” highlight the exterior and the bronze statue of Rogers founder, Ted Rogers, is found at the south, by Bremner Blvd.
The inside of the Rogers Centre can be dark. The 100 level is generally the spot to be before the game. The best concessions can be found here and past left field, the pre and post-game show with Jamie Campbell of Rogers Sportsnet can be found.
The 100-level concourses are fairly open, considering the age of the building. The new videoboard is even more massive than before and has engulfed an entire level and taken over where Sightlines restaurant used to be. Above the videoboard are the championship banners of the 1985, 1989, 1991, and 2015 American League East banners along with the 2016 and 2020 Wild Card banners. Nestled neatly in there are the 1992 and 1993 World Series banners. Hall of Fame banners for Pat Gillick and Roy Halladay also hang proudly with the championships. The Jays nod to history continues with the level of excellence, located on the facia of the fourth level and includes Halladay and Gillick, joined by Tom Cheek, Carlos Delgado, Joe Carter, George Bell, Tony Fernandez, Dave Stieb, Paul Beeston, Cito Gaston and Jose Bautista. After an MLB investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and his placement on the ineligible list, Baseball Hall of Fame member Roberto Alomar has been removed from the Level of Excellence and his Hall of Fame banner removed.
In the 500 level, all of the seats have been removed and replaced with larger, more modern, plastic blue seats. The right field and left field sides of the Jumbotron each have new social areas. The right field area is where fans will find the Corona Rooftop Patio, a bar area that often features live pre-game music. The left field side is where fans will find the TD Park Social area, which features Muskoka chairs, cornhole, and a huge chalkboard. Each side, although similar, has a different vibe and both have been extremely popular. The bullpens have been raised and each is well within shouting distance of fans. The symmetrical outfield fence design has been jettisoned for some differing heights and distances, making it a little more unique than previous. The visitors bullpen in right field is also near a new area, the Schneider’s Porch, which is on the 100 level and popular as well. Rogers Landing and Club 328 are also popular areas in the lower bowl. All of the 100 level seats have also been replaced and improved sightlines have come with the new seating orientation, specifically in the outfield corners. The outfield dimensions have also changed slightly and there are now a few other corners and wall heights that generally make the ballpark more interesting.
The game day production at Rogers Centre is good. At one time, the Blue Jays went overboard with sound effects between pitches. That has been toned down a bit. The Jays promotion team does their thing throughout the stands and the Jays mascot, Ace, interacts with fans. Typical baseball promotions and the like are peppered throughout the game, but the highlight of the Jays experience is the Seventh Inning Stretch. Before the seemingly mandated “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” the Jays play their song and the eerily catchy “OK Blue Jays” is belted out to the delight of the crowd.
Neighbourhood 5
Rogers Centre is perfectly located. There is not a better location in the city for the Blue Jays to be. Downtown Toronto is a fantastic spot to make an afternoon, a weekend or an entire vacation. There are a huge number of locations where one can eat before or after the game. However, as with many spots, the pandemic has changed the face of the city’s culinary industry. Fans looking for a true culinary experience, may want to ascend to the top of the CN Tower to the 360 Restaurant. For fans looking for a more traditional pre-game experience then The Loose Moose, The Pint Public House, or Steam Whistle Brewery are good options. Front Street and Bremner Blvd have a plethora of dining options. New to the area is the Sportsnet Grill, which is located inside the Toronto Marriott and offers views of the field where fans can eat and drink and watch the game.
An entire vacation can be had in downtown Toronto. The CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada are right there by the Rogers Centre. The Rogers Centre does offer tours, however they are not nearly as good as they should be. The Theatre District may be second only to Broadway in New York City as far as stage entertainment is concerned. The Eaton Centre is a fantastic place to shop. Right across the road from the Rogers Centre is Toronto Railway Museum. Fans may also want to take the Steam Whistle Brewery Tour, which is also across the road. However, no trip to Toronto is complete without a trip to see the Hockey Hall of Fame. For fans looking for other sports, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Marlies, Toronto Sceptres and Toronto Maple Leafs all play within minutes of the Rogers Centre. The University of Toronto is just north of the Rogers Centre and the Varsity Blues field football, basketball and hockey teams among others. A truly unique experience may be to check out Toronto Metropolitan University Bold hockey or basketball at the former Maple Leaf Gardens.
Of course there are a ton of places that you could stay in downtown Toronto. A unique experience would be to stay right in the stadium at the Toronto Marriott City Centre. Another unique experience would be to stay at one of the most significant historical hotels in all of Canada, the Royal York. A little more affordable would be the Delta and Strathcona, however you are going to pay to stay downtown no matter what you choose.
Fans 4
With increased checks in the win column in 2025, there have been plenty more fans going through the turnstiles at Rogers Centre. For the 2025 season, the Jays are averaging over 33,500 per game. This is good for 10th in MLB and an improvement over the 2024 season. Generally speaking, Jays fans are relatively quiet, as are most southern Ontario fans, but they can definitely get loud when the time is right. With the colder months requiring the roof closed, the noise can get off the charts with the noise staying in the building.
Access 3
The Rogers Centre can be challenging to get to as downtown Toronto traffic can be difficult. Rogers Centre is located right by the Lakeshore in downtown Toronto. Driving to the stadium will be difficult as motorists must take either the Gardiner Expressway or Lakeshore Blvd. Hitting the road earlier as opposed to later is always the best idea. With the increased attendance due to a more consistent team on the field and the new ballpark features, driving away from Rogers Centre has become increasingly frustrating and time consuming.
The bad traffic downtown is mitigated by the fantastic public transit options. Rogers Centre is just a couple of blocks from Union Station. The TTC subway, GO Transit and Via Rail are all major presences in Union Station. Along Spadina you will find the TTC street car. Any public transit info can be found at the TTC and GO Transit websites.
Decent parking can be found downtown, however depending on the day it can greatly fluctuate. Most days you can find parking within walking distance of the Rogers Centre for around $15. On one of those special days, the same parking space can go for $40. The face of downtown Toronto is constantly changing and the parking situation becomes more perilous with the increase in condominium construction. ParkWhiz and SpotHero options are now more prevalent downtown and should be consulted.
Although there have been improvements outside the stadium as well, there are a number of spots where attention needs to be paid when walking. Many areas with interlocking brick are in need of repair or replacement and some of the ground is uneven. The concourses in Rogers Centre are pretty wide and getting around is not too difficult. The stadium would have benefitted from escalators. The majority of fans will travel up and down with long trips around traditional stadium ramps. The washroom facilities are plentiful, and on most days more than adequate.
Return on Investment 3
The success of the 2025 Blue Jays coupled with the physical improvements of the ballpark have led to an increase in the cost of attending a Jays game. A General Admission ticket is now available at $20 and pushes fans into the Bullpen Bleachers or into one of the social areas. The cheapest outfield ticket is now $37 with tickets for low 500 level seats behind home plate increased to $48. Tickets in the 100 level begin at $93. In previous years the Blue Jays fared favourably on the Fan Cost Index, but an updated version would find the Jays climbing the ladder of expensive MLB experiences. Parking is decently priced and concessions are about what one would expect. The product on the field has been great for the 2025 season and the gameday production in Toronto is solid.
Extras 4
An extra mark for the return of the ORIGINAL Okay Blue Jays. The early 2000s saw the Jays’ anthem “modernized” with a horrible backbeat. There is no doubt the original is better.
An extra mark for the innovation that the Rogers Centre brought to Major League Baseball. The huge videoboard, upgraded luxury boxes, retractable roof and in stadium restaurants were all pioneered in Toronto.
An extra mark for ballpark tours returning to Rogers Centre.
An extra mark for the transition of Rogers Centre from stadium to ballpark.
Final Thoughts
The majority of renovations at Rogers Centre are now complete as is the transition from stadium to ballpark. The Toronto Blue Jays experience remains strong, but the price has increased to go along with it. The improvements to Rogers Centre are definitely worth checking out.
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