The majority of Toronto Blue Jays fans are holding on to hope that the team will progress to the World Series after clinching a wild-card spot against the Boston Red Sox.
According to a new Ipsos poll conducted for Global News, 35 per cent of Jays fans believe the team will win the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and make it to the World Series – however, 16 per cent think the team will be eliminated in the ALCS like last year.
READ MORE: Blue Jays to rely on right-hander Marcus Stroman in wild-card game against Baltimore
Toronto clinched the AL’s top wild-card berth Sunday with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox, earning the right to host the Baltimore Orioles in a one-game playoff on Tuesday.
If they win Tuesday, the Jays will progress to American League Division Series (ALDS); lose and they are done for the season.
But not everyone believes the Jays can pull off a playoff win.
READ MORE: Toronto band pens love song for Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman
The poll – taken prior to the final series against the Boston Red Sox – showed that 19 per cent of fans doubt the Jays can pull off a win in Tuesday’s Wildcard game. While 18 per cent said if they do progress, they are likely to be eliminated by the Texas Rangers in the ALDS.
“We are starting to see what’s it’s like to be a Yankees fan,” said vice president of Ipsos Canada Sean Simpson. “The expectation for the Yankees is that they win the World Series. Nothing else matters.”
Simpson noted that the all-or-nothing nature of this game puts a lot of pressure on pitcher Marcus Stroman.
“In one game anything can happen – we have seen strokes of brilliance from Stroman and we have seen the opposite,” he said. “We are never quite sure if Jekyll or Hyde is going to show up.”
Ticket frenzy has also died down after last seasons’ nail biting ALCS championship, with many fans noting that they aren’t willing to shell out as much money for post-season tickets as last year.
For example, in order to see the final game of the ALDS – which won’t be held at Rogers Centre this year – Canadians would be willing to pay up to $92, down from $108 last year. Only one quarter of those asked said they would pay more than $100 for a ticket.
But, if they Jays were to make it to Game 7 of the World Series – which would be played at the Rogers Centre – fans would pay as much to $243, up from $220 last year.
WATCH: History of the MLB wildcard game
According to analysis of MLB stats released by FiveThirtyEight Tuesday morning, the Jays have a 56 per cent chance of winning the wildcard game against the Orioles.
The website, which produces their numbers by analyzing team stats, found that Toronto has a 16 per cent chance of making it to the World Series, but only a six per cent chance at winning.
Exclusive Global News Ipsos polls are protected by copyright. The information and/or data may only be rebroadcast or republished with full and proper credit and attribution to “Global News Ipsos.” This poll was conducted between September 28 and 30, 2016 (prior to the Boston Red Sox Series), with a sample of 1,002 Canadians from Ipsos’ online panel and is accurate to within +/ – 3.0 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
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