Field: Rogers Centre
Official Site: https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/ballpark
Year Completed: 1989
Capacity: 49,286
Covered: Yes
Mascot: ACE
The Game We’ll See: Sunday, August 27: Cleveland Guardians vs. Toronto Blue Jays (see all 30 here!)
Don’t Forget!
Rogers Centre is in Ontario, Canada. If you are not a resident of Canada, you will need a passport to enter the country.
Parking & Transportation:
The Blue Jays do not own parking at Rogers Centre. Instead, fans will need to find parking lots in the area and walk. They recommend reserving parking in advance with ParkWhiz.
Oversized vehicle: No oversized vehicle parking is available.
Rogers Centre is easy to reach by public transportation. The subway and train both serve Union Station, just east of the field. Once you arrive, take the enclosed walkway from the Station to the Centre. Information and links to public transportation options can be found here.
Stadium Tours:
Rogers Centre does not currently offer tours.
General Information:
Bags: Rogers Centre allows bags that are no larger than 16” x 16” x 8. The only exceptions are for medical bags and diaper bags. Lockers are not available. Fans may be asked to remove the top from the bottle at the entry, so you may want to bring a spare cap to avoid spillage.
Food & Beverages: Fans may bring their own food, but it must be wrapped, bagged, or left inside a soft-sided container. Fans may also bring in one, factory-sealed plastic bottle of non-alcoholic beverage no larger than 600 ml.
Cashless transactions: All transactions are cashless.
Signs: Signs are permitted if they are baseball-related, don’t block views, interfere with the game, contain advertising, or contain offensive materials.
Foul Balls: Fans may keep foul balls, as long as they don’t interfere with play or enter the playing area to retrieve them.
Gates: Gates open 90 minutes prior to first pitch on weekdays and two hours on weekends.
Cameras: While cameras are permitted, camera bags must fit within the bag size limitations, lenses must be no longer than 3”. Audio/video equipment, monopods and tripods are prohibited.
Umbrellas: Umbrellas are not on the list of prohibited items.
Where to Sit:
For shade, sit in the back rows of Sections 234 through 236.
If you aren’t on a tight budget, aim for seats in the front rows of Sections 115 to 127, and especially Sections 119 to 124. Sections 114, 128, 129, 130a, 130b, and 130c are also good.
The best value, according to Moon’s Baseball Road Trip, are in Sections 234 through 236. Sections 241 to 243 are also good seats. However, Ballpark Savvy and The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip disagree. Both say to avoid the 200 level. The seats are expensive and they don’t offer any perks. They recommend sticking to the 100 level for quality or the 500 level to save money.
For low-cost seats, choose seats in the first 21 rows of Sections 522 through 526.
Avoid Sections 200, 504 – 508, anything above 538, and any row above 22 in the 500 level. Also avoid the back rows of Sections 119 – 121. Check the views out carefully before purchasing seats in Sections 101 – 108 and 135 – 142.
Food:
- The most popular recommendation is Shopsy’s Smoked Meat Stand in Section 125. Their Smoked Meat Sandwich is a juicier, more delicious version of corned beef. Shopsy’s opened in Toronto in the 1920s and is an institution in the city.
- Toronto Life gave top ratings to a new dog in the stadium: the Poutine Dog. It’s a Schneiders hot dog in a Villagio bun, topped with Quebec cheese curds, hash browns, and gluten-free gravy.
- The Ballpark Guide suggested wings from Quaker Steak & Lube (Section 134), or Santa Fe Chopped Pork Nachos, the Grand Trunk Smoked & Chopped BBQ Pork Sandwich, or Carved Beef top sirloin with coleslaw and potatoes from the Roundhouse Carvery and Bar behind Section 122. For a burger, try the Hogtown Grill.
First Time Visitors:
Rogers Centre offers fans attending their first game a First Game Certificate. To get one, visit any Fan Services location.
Autographs:
According to Ballpark Savvy, visiting players exit through Gate 5 after most games, and often stop to sign autographs.
Other Stadium Tips & Highlights:
Display cases in Section 102 describe Canada’s baseball history.
Be prepared to sing the Canadian national anthem at the start of games, and “OK Blue Jays,” the team’s theme song, in the seventh inning.
If you have time, take a side trip to Labatt Memorial Park in London Ontario. It’s the site of the oldest baseball diamond in the world! This ballpark, originally called Tecumseh Park, has been in active use since 1877. To take a tour, call at least 48 hours in advance. The tour is 60 minutes long and costs $5 per person.
The Blue Jays only have two retired numbers:
- 12 – Roberto Alomar
- 32 – Roy Halladay
Interestingly, their retired numbers list does not include #42, Jackie Robinson. However, his number is recognized behind home plate.
In addition to their retired numbers, they celebrate top players by adding them to a Level of Excellence banner on the 400 level. These include:
- Jose Bautista
- George Bell
- Dave Stieb
- Joe Carter
- Cito Gaston
- Tony Fernandez
- Pat Gillick
- Tom Cheek
- Paul Beeston
- Carlos Delgado
- Roy Halladay
