The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They play in the American League East division of Major League Baseball (MLB). Quick answer: Sportsnet, TSN, and Rogers-owned television channels broadcast Toronto Blue Jays games in Canada. In the United States, games air on MLB Network, ESPN, Fox, and TBS.
Television Broadcasts in Canada
Sportsnet is the main broadcaster of Blue Jays games in Canada, carrying over 150 regular season games per year. Sportsnet has four regional channels that split up the Blue Jays broadcasts – Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Pacific, and Sportsnet West.
TSN is another major Canadian sports channel that airs Blue Jays games. TSN splits national MLB broadcasts with Sportsnet and typically airs around 30-40 Blue Jays games per season.
The Blue Jays are owned by Rogers Communications, which also owns Sportsnet as well as several other sports channels like Sportsnet One and Sportsnet 360. These Rogers-owned channels will sometimes air Jays games regionally as well.
Here is a summary of the major Canadian networks and channels that broadcast Toronto Blue Jays games:
Network | Estimated Games per Season |
---|---|
Sportsnet | 150+ games |
TSN | 30-40 games |
Sportsnet One | 5-10 games |
Sportsnet 360 | 5-10 games |
The Blue Jays are one of just two MLB teams located outside the United States, along with the Montreal Expos from 1969 to 2004. This makes broadcasting games uniquely challenging in Canada. Sportsnet and TSN have divided up the rights to air Blue Jays games for many years.
Rogers Communications owns the Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre where they play home games. This integrated ownership of the team and sports media assets gives Rogers preferential access to Jays games on their networks like Sportsnet.
Television Broadcasts in the United States
In the U.S., national MLB broadcast rights are split among several major networks. This allows Jays games to be televised across the country on different channels.
The main networks that carry Toronto Blue Jays games in the U.S. include:
– MLB Network – The league’s own channel airs games nationwide on weeknights and other select times. Broadcasts focus on out-of-market games.
– ESPN – The sports media giant shows Sunday Night Baseball each week of the regular season. The Jays frequently appear in this weekly primetime slot.
– Fox – Fox airs MLB games regionally on Saturdays and nationally for the All-Star Game and postseason. The Jays will be featured during Fox’s regular season and playoff coverage.
– TBS – Turner Broadcasting airs regular season MLB games on Sunday afternoons and the full Division Series schedule. Jays games are rotated through these national TBS broadcasts.
The Blue Jays also have local broadcast rights with Sportsnet LA in the Los Angeles market and with ROOT Sports Northwest in the Seattle market. This allows fans in these regions to watch more Blue Jays games.
Other U.S. channels and services that infrequently air Jays games include FS1, Peacock Premium, Apple TV+, and YouTube. Ultimately, between the major networks and local rights, most Blue Jays games are available to watch for fans located in the United States.
Broadcast Schedules and Blackout Restrictions
The Blue Jays season is 162 games from early April until the end of September. Games are played almost daily with breaks for travel.
Sportsnet, TSN, and U.S. national networks release their Blue Jays broadcast schedules in chunks throughout the season. The schedules are planned out months in advance.
However, MLB blackout rules do restrict access to Blue Jays games:
– In Canada, Jays games are blacked out on MLB.TV due to Sportsnet’s and TSN’s exclusive broadcast rights.
– In the U.S., Jays games are blacked out on MLB.TV in several states near Canada including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.
– Nationally televised games on U.S. networks are blacked out in the two participating teams’ home markets.
So while many channels air Blue Jays games, blackout restrictions based on region and broadcaster mean not every game is accessible for every fan. Consulting the official schedule of each network is the best way to know which games are available in your area.
Streaming Options for Cord Cutters
For baseball fans who don’t have cable or satellite TV, there are still options to stream Blue Jays games online:
– In Canada, Sportsnet NOW and TSN Direct let you watch Jays games without a cable subscription. You can purchase monthly access to stream through these services.
– In the U.S., games on ESPN, TBS, Fox, and MLB Network can be streamed on those networks’ websites or apps by authenticating your pay TV provider.
– Out-of-market fans can subscribe to MLB.TV to get access to every game not subject to blackout rules. This works better the farther you live from Toronto.
– Rogers ANYPLACE TV also offers online access to Sportsnet channels for Jays games.
– Some games may also be available on ESPN+ or Peacock Premium though these require separate paid subscriptions.
As streaming becomes more prevalent, access to Blue Jays games online will only expand over time. For now, cord cutters still have reliable options to tune into the Jays live when they can’t watch on traditional cable channels.
Radio Broadcasts
For fans who prefer listening to baseball on the radio, Blue Jays games air on Sportsnet 590 The FAN. This Toronto-based sports radio station carries every Jays game throughout the season.
On the road, Sportsnet 590 provides radio feeds to local stations in the opposing team’s market. So Jays games can be heard on radio throughout Canada and the U.S.
Sportsnet 590’s on-air team for Blue Jays radio consists of play-by-play announcer Ben Wagner and color commentator Mike Wilner. They call games live from the ballpark.
The Blue Jays Radio Network has over 100 affiliate stations, ensuring Jays games on the radio are widely available. Rogers Communications owns the radio rights and broadcasts.
Attendance at Rogers Centre
In addition to television and radio, the best way to experience Blue Jays games is to attend live at Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto. The multi-purpose stadium opened in 1989 and can seat up to 53,506 fans for baseball.
The Blue Jays have broken 4 million in total attendance four times despite playing in one of MLB’s smaller markets. The team averages around 25,000 to 30,000 fans per home game.
Single game tickets, mini packs, and full season tickets plans are available directly from the Blue Jays website and box office. Fans from all over Canada and the northern U.S. make the trip to catch games in person.
Rogers Centre offers a lively environment on game days with the retractable roof open on sunny summer afternoons. The venue hosts occasional concerts and other major events in addition to Blue Jays games.
Ways to Follow the Blue Jays
Beyond watching live games, Jays fans can stay on top of the team through:
– Official website – bluejays.com has scores, schedules, stats, news, videos
– Social media – Follow the Blue Jays on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
– Mobile apps – Free apps for iOS and Android include live scores and stats
– Blue Jays Radio Network – Listen online or on SiriusXM satellite radio
– Podcasts – Multiple podcasts cover Blue Jays news, analysis, interviews
– Print and online – Toronto sports media extensively cover the team daily
The Toronto Blue Jays have a large fanbase across Canada. There are multiple ways for fans to follow the team on a daily basis through broadcast games, online updates, and social media.
Conclusion
Sportsnet is the primary broadcaster for Toronto Blue Jays games in Canada, while networks like ESPN and MLB Network televise Jays games in the U.S. Schedule availability is subject to blackout restrictions based on region. Streaming options make games accessible for cord cutters. Rogers Centre offers a exciting in-person experience. Through TV, radio, digital and print media, Blue Jays fans have no shortage of coverage.