TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 28: Toronto Blue Jays players stand in the dugout prior to the game against the New York Yankees during a spring training game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Toronto Blue Jays ownership has decided to make a seriously cheap move that affects how games are broadcasted in 2021.
The Toronto Blue Jays are once again starting a season away from home in 2021. The team will play at their spring training facility in Florida and may also play at their 2020 home in Buffalo. The eventual plan is to return to Toronto once COVID-19 restrictions are loosened.
This means the team will also have to get creative with broadcasts. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays appear to be using these logistics as an excuse to make a cheap cut.
Blue Jays ditching their radio team in 2021
That’s right, the Blue Jays will simply put the television broadcast over the radio waves. You know, the broadcast specifically designed for those watching a game and not solely listening.
This move comes off as incredibly cheap and is one that would only naturally lead to a backlash. The Blue Jays are supposed to be Canada’s team and now those who relied on the radio broadcasters to bring the games to life will be affected for no good reason other than saving a small amount of money.
Hopefully, the team comes to its senses and brings back the radio broadcast team in 2022 when they should be back to normal in terms of playing in Toronto. However, making the cut now allows them to gauge the response and if this storyline fades away as the season goes on, don’t expect things to go back to the way they were.
Some nostalgic things are not worth holding onto. The difference here is that professional sports radio broadcasts are a normal thing. Not having a dedicated team makes the Blue Jays the outlier here in a bad way that only hurts fans and the potential for growth.