From what I saw on TV, Rogers “I’m Calling It SkyDome” Centre, I have to say it looked charming. I remember watching the Blue Jays in their late 1980s greatness, and saw that there was not only a hotel in the outfield and upper deck, but it was a Hard Rock Hotel. Hi! I need to go there.
This is when it was still called the “SkyDome.” Now it’s the Rogers Centre, and the hotel in the back is a Renaissance, which is a pretty high-end hotel chain, but certainly not a Hard Rock. The SkyDome was introduced in 1989, as a multi-purpose stadium; think: Shea Stadium but in the ’80s. But unlike the charm Shea had to us Mets fans, Rogers Centre seems to be lacking…something. Not just charm but I guess personality. Throw away our nostalgia for our the old gal, and let’s look at it from an aesthetic perspective: it was a slum. SkyDome reminded me of such, but more so a dump. I’d heard one other stadium, U.S. Cellular in south side of Chicago, also had that newer stadium, but lack of fan-friendly vision like the newer retro-fitted stadiums have like Camden Yards, AT&T Park and even CitiField.
I guess in some ways it was good: baseball I guess is meant to be watched in one’s seats. My seats, however, were in Guam. Or maybe the mountains. The Blue Jays are an interesting team: they have money to spend, and have always been competitive. Yet, being in a division with not only the Yankees but the Red Sox AND the Tampa Bay Rays, the Jays seemed destined to be just a “good” not “great” team. Some people say that with the added Wild Card, this may bode well for the Blue Jays to at least get in through the back door to the playoffs.
There is an emphasis on the fan here. Complete with a fan fest before the game, that seemed marketed to kids and their new campaign of “Blue is Back!”
I guess my point is, we don’t typically think of Toronto as a “big market” team, just one of those fringe cities. Yet, an affordable seat I could find was in the upper deck. Behind home plate, but still, wayyyyyyyy up there in the clouds.
I’d heard so many lovely things about Toronto too that I felt I needed to go, not sure when but that “someday.” “Someday” turned into 2012, since the last time the Mets visited was six years ago, I didn’t want to wait another six years to see them play there.
Toronto gets compared to Chicago a lot. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Chicago, but I say it’s got components of Boston, Baltimore and St Louis…ironically, I’ve never been to St Lou, but it’s kind of how I imagined it to be. After all, Busch (a stadium I’m dying to get to) is by a major landmark, the “Arch”, which is clearly visible from the stadium. SkyDome has the CN Tower in visible distance. Baltimore for the water references and emphasis on chain stores to build economy. And Boston because…I don’t know why but I guess I need something to complain about (I’m not the biggest Boston fan).
I love seeing how local flair influences a park. Like how there’s an emphasis on crab at Camden Yards, Primanti Bros at PNC, sourdough bread at AT&T park or clam chowder (in your seats!!!) at Fenway. Tim Hortons and poutine (french fries with lovely cheese curds and gravy) at Rogers Centre.
The poutine was a’ight I suppose – when Box Frites made them a few years ago, they were superior to SkyDomes for sure. And don’t get me started on Tim Horton’s: how that’s so popular boggles my mind. But I have to agree that the frozen cappuccinos looked refreshing, especially on a hot day. I also tried their Pizza Pizza…you’re talking to a Jersey girl who has some serious pizza issues. It was bad, very bad.
When I was going to the upper deck, I walked basically around the entire stadium, trying to find an escalator. Very interesting to note: ramps and elevators are the only way to access all levels. Really? And the stairs only led to the outside exits, not to lower level concourses. Huh. I guess it’s like the version of Hotel California: you can check in any time you like, but you can’t leave.
I sat in the steep seats for a few innings, then went back downstairs to try to get some photos close to the action. In the lower levels, you have the 360 views like CitiField and Citizens Bank Park. I have to say that of all the stadiums I’ve visited, I have the least desire to return to this one. Nothing against Toronto – I actually would like to go back for a hockey game at some point and to do Toronto-ey things, but I was limited on time.
Like the Cell in Chicago, SkyDome has the curse of being a newer stadium but being less kitschy and attractive. Some baseball purists may like it for the multi-purpose side of things, and the fact that you can just go to watch a baseball game. This has been a criticism of the newer stadiums, that there are bells and whistles to distract you during a game. While valid, the lack of charm is startling at Rogers Centre. I didn’t find many redeemable qualities, most of all their mascot, Ace the Blue Jay. A friend of mine told me he actually threatened her with bodily harm at a game a few years ago when she was rooting for the road team. I’ve had great experiences with other mascots when wearing my team colors, but Ace…kind of a douche.
I did, however, like his dance to the Blues Brothers “Shake Your Tail Feather.”
Overall, Toronto is a nice city. I’d definitely like to visit again, but going to Rogers Centre, SkyDome? Yeah, I’m kinda done.
