A Legitimate Ballpark – Blue Jays’ Rogers Centre is Changing

On Thursday evening, offseason acquisition Matt Chapman hit two home runs for the Toronto Blue Jays in their 5-3 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers.

The second bomb was a moonshot that careened into the second deck of seats past the left outfield. His first drive, however, did not get anywhere near the height or trajectory of his later homer. It narrowly escaped the ballpark over the left field wall, before disappearing into the service walkway between the lower bowl of seats and the outfield wall.

Matty NICE 🥶 @mattchap6 pic.twitter.com/PokNXKEm20

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 29, 2022

That is something Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro never wants to see again.

No, not the multi-home run outing from the dominant third-baseman, but rather the dated ballpark’s inability to churn out souvenirs for its fans on every single home run blast.

“That will no longer be an issue,” Shapiro said of the event level tunnel running in between the outfield wall and the first level of spectators. “Every home run hit in the outfield will be into our group of fans that will be hovering on the outfield fence. It’s going to be a dramatically different look on opening day 2023.”

What exactly is Shapiro talking about?

None other than a $300 million, privately-funded renovation project for Rogers Centre – formerly the SkyDome – that will aim to transform the 33-year-old ballpark from a multi-sport and entertainment venue into what Shapiro is calling a “legitimate ballpark”.

We're taking Rogers Centre to the #NextLevel

Your FIRST sneak peek 👀 pic.twitter.com/kvsH5seuCE

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 28, 2022

“It’s going to be a dramatically different look on Opening Day of 2023,” he said. “The largest focus is modernizing fan experience. Taking a 1980s perspective of what an experience was, and turning that into a 2020s and beyond of what compelling fan experience should be in our modern sports entertainment landscape… “When fans come into the building next year, sit in these seats and the seats below, with the Canadian flag unfurled in the field behind us, it will be a dramatically different vision, a dramatically different vista and a different ballpark.”

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The first step in a multi-phase renovation will focus on the 100 and 200 levels of the outfield. The areas in which fans currently sit as paid ticket purchasers will be transformed into a patio area with bars and drink rails. Seats in the 100 level will be pushed right up against the outfield wall, bringing fans right up the action and eliminating the ‘lost ball’ on those shorter home runs, such as Chapman‘s first on Thursday night. The 500 level will see all of its seats replaced for the first time since the stadium opened its doors, while also seeing the addition of two new social areas for fans from nearby seating to congregate.

“It’s hard to even imagine,” Shapiro said. “We’ll be taking out all of that steel, all of that concrete, and creating an entirely new 100 level that’s got premium spaces and clubs, that’s got much better vantage points for the field of play. It’ll be closer to the field of play and create more interaction with our fans. And then it’ll bring the opportunity to finish off and completely re-envision the player experience down there.”

#NextLevel changes are coming 👀 pic.twitter.com/unO1ZWPkXt

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 28, 2022

Additionally, Shapiro has announced a change to warmup areas, including that of raised bullpens for both home and visiting pitchers and catchers to loosen up prior to in-game appearances.

“It’s going to create a really unique opportunity for our fans to encourage our relievers and potentially discourage — that’s the kindest word I could possibly use — our opposing relief pitchers,” Shapiro said. “I think they’ll enjoy some of the hometown flavour as our fans will be right on top of the visiting bullpen.”

Also up for remodelling this offseason is a new family room for the wives, girlfriends, children and extended family members of the Blue Jays’ players. Staff locker rooms will get an upgrade, while a new 5,000 square foot weight room and training facility will also be built. Much like that of the changes to the outfield and fan areas, the additions to player-use facilities will also begin shortly after the 2022 season ends in order to be ready for 2023.

Your ballpark experience is changing 🔥

LEARN MORE: https://t.co/QujiGMpu2Z pic.twitter.com/8PmNbEKEEt

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 28, 2022

“A large group of people in our organization has spent time thinking about how to create support for our players’ kids, our players’ wives and families and friends as they’re enduring the journey of a long baseball season away from their primary homes,” Shapiro added. “When we’re thinking about player facilities, we’re thinking about, ‘How do we provide our players with resources, tools, technology, spaces, and, really, design that fosters championship culture and expectations?'” Shapiro said. “We want — as the players get out in the fraternity of Major League Baseball players — it to be clear that this is the best place to play. It’s clear that we do care about them. That is a recruiting tool for us and a tool for us in retaining our players.”

Following the 2023 season, the club will see the second stage of the renovation process, including 100-level infield seating, field-level premium spots, social areas and congregational viewing, as well as further clubhouse and player facility upgrades.