Surrounded by university sweatshirts and U of T Bookstore hoodies in the concrete corridors and lively concourse at the Rogers Centre, you might easily confuse the atmosphere for a career fair instead of a baseball game.
“I haven’t gone to a baseball game ever,” said Sanueo S., a first-year physics and environmental science student, in an interview with The Varsity: a sentiment echoed by many others at the game. Second-year economics and psychology major Rashi S. confirmed that they had never been to a Toronto Blue Jays game and likely wouldn’t have attended if it hadn’t been for the student event night.
On September 13, the Jays hosted their third annual University & College Night against the St. Louis Cardinals. Each season, the Blue Jays hold “Specialty Nights,” featuring themed matchday experiences, giveaways, and exclusive merchandise. For University & College Night, the team offers discounts on group purchases of fewer than 250 tickets, with further discounts available for 250 or more. Another major draw was the giveaway of a Blue Jays co-branded tumbler with the U of T logo, included with every ticket, which will likely make appearances around campus in the coming months.
“It’s a great way for us to tailor to the amount of students that we have in Toronto,” explained Kelly Ste. Marie, senior manager, promotions & theme day activations, in an interview with The Varsity. “[It’s] an opportunity for students to [connect] with their classmates [at] the ballpark, and maybe [get] introduc[ed] to the Blue Jays… It’s kind of our way to tie the Blue Jays to the city of Toronto and everything it has to offer.”
Some sections of the ballpark felt like a U of T invasion. By selling tickets in specific sections, the team allowed U of T students to sit together in large groups. When U of T’s name appeared on the scoreboard in the middle of the fourth inning, the cheer was one of the biggest of the night. It helps that even the Jays’ alternate logo — the City Connect logo — looks similar to our very own Varsity Blues’ emblem.
“I’m [excited to watch] the game with everyone in our program,” said Rachel S., a second-year nursing student who got her tickets through her program’s undergraduate society. “It will be our first time meeting the first-years. It’s like our whole program [is here].”
Groups from U of T that purchased tickets include representatives from UTSC, Trinity College, U of T Alumni, U of T Nursing Undergraduate Society, U of T Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech and Language Pathology. Some groups, such as UTSC Student Housing and Residence Life, subsidized the ticket price to $20.
Modupe O., a third-year student studying biochemistry at UTSC, explained that everyone living in UTSC residences got tickets. As a residence advisor, Modupe attended the game with fellow residents.
Amid a retooling season for the club, Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins made several tough decisions, including trading away veteran stars at the trade deadline. With key players such as outfielder Daulton Varsho out for the season due to injury, the team looked to their revamped line-up to finish the season strong.
In this youthful and raucous atmosphere, the Cardinals opened with their first four batters hitting singles off starting pitcher Kevin Gausman, finishing the first inning with two runs. However, after a shaky start, the Jays rallied around solid defense. The team responded in the fourth inning with a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. double, a Spencer Horwitz sacrifice fly, and an Alejandro Kirk single — all of which contributed to a runner batted in, bringing the score to 3–2.
Guerrero capped an excellent defensive night in the seventh with an incredible play to keep the Cardinals at bay. The nine-time All-Star currently ranks sixth in the entire MLB for on-base plus slugging and third in hits this season, and Jays fans will undoubtedly have their eyes peeled all off-season for his upcoming extension negotiations.
The Cardinals pulled back a run in the eighth, sending the game into tense extra innings. Luckily for students and fans alike, the night ended with catcher Kirk’s first career walk-off, driving in a single with bases loaded at the bottom of the 12th inning. This capped off a night of solid defensive play and enthusiastic support from university and college students.
Alejandro Kirk celebrates his first career-winning hit. Courtesy of BLUE JAYS.
While Ste. Marie was tight-lipped about next year’s theme nights currently in planning, she confirmed there would be events in 2025 involving students.
“It’s awesome that [the] start of semester kind of lines up with our end of season, so it’s a great way to bring students to the ballpark. Maybe before school gets busy, students can come [out] and enjoy a game. Maybe it’s like their first baseball game ever. We could make them a Blue Jays fan for life,” said Ste. Marie.
There’s no doubt that these themed nights bring students in the city closer to the Jays.
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