Maple Leafs, Raptors move game times so fans can watch World Series
TORONTO -- This is the Blue Jays’ city now. We’re all just living in it.
With the Blue Jays advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1993, a couple of their neighbors are stepping aside. The Maple Leafs and Raptors, in the early days of the NHL and NBA seasons, respectively, announced together Wednesday that they would be adjusting their game times around the Blue Jays.
They’re calling it “the biggest doubleheader in city history,” teeing up their games before the Blue Jays’ World Series games against the Dodgers (which all start at 8 p.m. ET) and inviting fans to stay afterwards to watch the baseball on the big screen at Scotiabank Arena.
Maple Leafs time changes:
- Oct. 24 at Buffalo changed from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (World Series Game 1)
- Oct. 25 vs. Buffalo changed from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (World Series Game 2)
- Oct. 28 vs. Calgary changed from 6:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (World Series Game 4)
Raptors time changes:
- Oct. 24 vs. Milwaukee changed from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (World Series Game 1)
- Oct. 29 vs. Houston changed from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (World Series Game 5)
Few pro sports cities in North America benefit from the geography of their stadiums like Toronto does. Rogers Centre is in a dream location, right at the base of the CN Tower in the heart of downtown. Scotiabank Arena, home to the Leafs and Raptors, is just down the street. Within a 30-minute walk or quick transit ride, you can find the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres at Coca-Cola Coliseum, where they’ll soon be joined by the WNBA’s expansion Toronto Tempo. Nearby, the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and MLS’ Toronto FC play.
This all leads to a sense of connection between the pro clubs, which we’ve seen explode in recent days as the Blue Jays completed their electrifying, improbable run to the World Series.
Ahead of Game 7 of the ALCS Monday night, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. strolled into Rogers Centre wearing an Auston Matthews jersey. On Tuesday night, Matthews returned the favor, walking into his game against the Devils in a blue Guerrero uniform. Many of his Leafs teammates joined, too, including Max Domi in an Alejandro Kirk jersey and William Nylander in some vintage gear.
The Raptors last won a championship in 2019, that incredible run with Kawhi Leonard, while the Leafs haven’t won since 1967. The Blue Jays have been waiting to get back to this big stage since 1993, and they’ve got the whole city behind them.