Many Canadians who previously criticized President Donald Trump and boycotted the U.S. have now changed their stance, all to enjoy some baseball.
After Canada initiated its “Buy Canadian” campaign in response to tariffs, travel to the U.S. dropped significantly. However, projections indicate that around 15.7 million Canadians will visit the U.S. this year, down from 20.2 million in 2024, suggesting a turnaround for many.
It seems that Canadians are willing to put aside their previous loyalties to get their hands on World Series tickets. Reports show that Canadians are heading south to watch the Toronto Blue Jays play against the Los Angeles Dodgers, casting this as merely “supporting their team.”
The evidence suggests that the Canadian boycott is a thing of the past.
Vancouver lawyer Grant Murray, who had previously curtailed his travel to the States as part of a personal boycott, recently expressed his excitement about attending a game at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. Interestingly, his brother, Kevin, even traveled from Australia for the occasion.
“Canada’s economy is hurting. A lot of folks are really anxious about what’s ahead,” he mentioned, then later seemed to question his own viewpoint.
“I back some form of unity, but I guess I feel a bit hypocritical supporting the Blue Jays instead of sticking to the boycott,” he told CNN.
The Murray brothers, who are quite close, reflect a trend of Canadians returning to the U.S. as major foreign tourists.
Ticket resale service StubHub reported that 8% of tickets sold for three Los Angeles World Series games were bought by Canadians, while SeatGeek estimates that about 3% of sales in the city were to Canadian fans.
Some Canadians, like the Murrays, found attending a game in Los Angeles to be more financially viable than watching one in Toronto. Reports indicate that tickets are being resold for two to three times their original prices, even with reduced travel costs and limited ticket availability back home. They weren’t alone in this sentiment.
“We attempted to secure tickets in Toronto,” recalled Jat Yasin, who flew from Toronto to Los Angeles for a recent game.
“Tickets disappeared rapidly, and resale prices were almost double what they were selling for in Los Angeles,” he noted.
Simon Sitzer, a Jays fan living in New York but originally from Toronto, observed that several Canadians were quick to return to the U.S. to catch the game.
“Honestly, I know people who probably would’ve stayed back due to Trump’s situation,” he revealed.
However, at the game, others mentioned they weren’t there to support the U.S. or its president, but rather to cheer on their baseball team.
All in all, the numbers tell the story. Despite ongoing boycott efforts, many Canadians seem more than willing to trade their national pride for the opportunity to enjoy a baseball game.
