The Blue Jays lead the AL East by 2.5 games and on Thursday had a nine-game winning streak snapped, but "only twice during the streak was the Rogers Centre more than half-full," according to Jane Gerster of the TORONTO STAR. Rogers Centre "fits more than 48,000 people, yet only 17,309 came Wednesday, 15,993 on Tuesday and 15,616 on Monday." The three instances where it "cracked 20,000 guests were during games last weekend and the Sunday match, near capacity with 45,277 attendees, [which] advertised a replica Blue Jays jersey giveaway." Blue Jays VP/Ticket Sales & Service Jason Diplock said, “Sometimes you look at the 17,000 and the 16,000 and go, ‘Huh, jeez, maybe there isn’t that interest there and they’re winning so why is that?’ But there is interest. We’re happy with our numbers.” Construction around the facility and congestion "may play a little role," but Diplock said that it is "normal to see small crowds in April and May and the wins have prompted a 'noticeable' increase in ticket sales for future games." Meanwhile, Gerster notes fans "might not be in the stands, taking advantage of low prices just yet, but they are watching from home." The audience on Rogers Sportsnet for Blue Jays home games this season averages around 535,000 viewers, up 7% from '13, and the net averaged more than 604,000 viewers during the nine-game streak (TORONTO STAR, 5/30).
MONEY TALKS: In Toronto, Richard Griffin notes reports have been published "suggesting the Blue Jays and GM Alex Anthopoulos will be unable to improve the rotation ... because they are maxed out in terms of Rogers’ approved payroll." But Anthopoulos on Thursday assembled local media to "dispute some of the points." He said, "We have a (payroll) number that we work with and I always have the ability to have that conversation. We came into the season with the number that we expected to be at and as the year goes along, depending on how we’re playing and what’s available, I would expect we would re-evaluate it at the beginning of July, but I have every confidence that if we have a need come the trade deadline that we’ll have the resources to do that. I don’t have any doubts about that.” Anthopoulos does "not deal directly with ownership." He "first goes" to President & CEO Paul Beeston to "win him over." If Beeston "buys into the proposed acquisition, he will go to Rogers and ask for more money" (TORONTO STAR, 5/30).
