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| - Unlike a lot of folks, I really don't have a problem with the name "Rogers Centre". Even though I have fond memories of going to "SkyDome" with my dad as a youngster during the Blue Jays' early nineties heyday, I accept that we live in an era of corporate naming rights for stadia and at least this one makes sense considering Rogers Communications actually owns the team. What I do have a problem with? The fact that my beloved Jays haven't made the postseason in twenty years (the second longest drought in the majors) despite having the richest owners in baseball. Oh, that and the fact that the stadium sort of sucks.
There are some cool things about it. Firstly, it is a "multi-purpose" stadium with a retractable roof, which means it can be used for baseball and Canadian football as well as concerts, motor truck rallies, trade shows and other events. Nice to have that flexibility. Watching the roof open just before U2's 360 tour and then seeing them perform in the (sort of) open air? Pretty cool.
And I must say that by and large, the staff is really pretty great. Generally quite friendly all around, whether you're a high roller or sitting up in the cheap seats. I have to give a special shout out to Renee in section 517. We were there for a Jays game when it was pretty packed and she had the whole section cheering even more than we were...she was awesome!
But cool U2 moment notwithstanding, when it comes right down to it, it's still a baseball stadium more often than not and as such, it's pretty dreadful. Outside of the monstrosity that is Tropicana Field (see, naming rights can be much worse!), Rogers Centre may well be the most depressing ballpark in the majors. It's cavernous, colourless and sterile. Except for the CN Tower and few nearby condos, you can't see anything of the city. And worst of all, it's not going anywhere. Rogers owns the team and the stadium and they bought it for a pittance ($25M versus the $570M that it cost to build). Sure they're finally going to put real grass in but will that will only be a marginal improvement.
One of the most depressing things about it is that it was the last of these multi-purpose baseball stadiums and only a couple of years after it was completed, the trend towards building lovely retro-style ballparks began, starting with the magnificent Camden Yards in Baltimore. So even though SkyDome / Rogers Centre is only three years older than that particular park, it feels like a remnant of a bygone era and not in a good way, a la Wrigley Field or Fenway. Indeed Rogers Centre is now the seventh oldest stadium in the majors and the prospects for a real baseball stadium are pretty dim. And don't tell me that Toronto in April is too cold for a real ballpark...Minneapolis is just as frosty as we are during that time of year and they just opened up a lovely new, open air park. No excuse, other than the fact that perhaps we're not as hearty as Minnesotans when it comes to watching sports.
So that's about it. I'm not going to complain about the price of beer (extravagant) or the concessions (so-so) or anything else. I just wish we had a nice place to watch baseball. I'll keep wishing.
Oh and I almost forgot! It's too small for American football and there's no place to tailgate outside. So it's certainly no help in making any attempt to draw an NFL team one of these days. Is there anything it does right?
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