It might be the day for ghouls and ghosts, but a sea of blue has taken over Toronto with a different kind of spirit in the air ahead of a highly-anticipated Game 6 of the World Series on Friday.
The nerve-wracking season could come to an end tonight if the Blue Jays score a fourth victory to be crowned World Series champions after 32 years.
But if their bats and basemen are spooked by a Dodgers comeback, the series will be forced into a do-or-die Game 7 Saturday night.
The Jays returned home to Toronto after dominating in back-to-back wins for a 3-2 series lead against reigning champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While baseball fans pack into bars, living rooms and a sold-out Rogers Centre in anticipation of their team’s victory, businesses across the Greater Toronto Area have been reaping the boom in Blue Jays fever.
From baseball cards to vintage merchandise to reservations at sports bars, fans are scrambling to get in on the World Series excitement.
Though baseball cards made their resurgence in Canada during the pandemic, John Amendola, owner of Mintink Trading Cards, says Blue Jays items have been flying off the shelves.
“[Sales] in the last month has just been fire. Like every [Vladimir Guerrero Jr.] card we have [is] sold, every Blue Jay anything, right down to the Ace Funko Pops are sold out,” he said.
Amendola says while certain players are already popular among collectors, the value in cards will continue to rise depending on the series results.
“There’s only X amount [of cards] now, it’s like it’s a piece of art you get into,” he said. “A lot of the excitement, of course, is geared to the success of the Jays and them actually being in the World Series.”
But cards aren’t making the only comeback, vintage Blue Jays merchandise from 1992 and 1993 is in large demand, said Cameron Stubbins, co-owner of Squisha House Vintage and Thrift in Oakville.
“Blue Jays merch is off the hook. We get asked for it. I’m literally sold out,” he said, adding some fans have even offered to buy the clothes off his back.
Stubbins says prices have skyrocketed for old crewnecks, jerseys and hats, with items online going for hundreds of dollars.
Toronto Blue Jays fans watch Game 5 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the video scoreboard at the Rogers Centre on Oct. 29. (Jes Mason/CBC)
The so-called Blue Jays effect brought about a “game-changing boost” to Toronto retailers this year, said an emailed statement from Square, the business technology program behind payment terminals and software.
It said Blue Jays merchandise sales soared 16 per cent year-over-year in September 2025 with fans buying an average of two items per order.
“The Blue Jays aren’t just wowing their fans, but they’re also inspiring them to shop and consume at local businesses across Canada,” said Karisa Marra, head of sales at Square Canada, in the statement.
Sales of Blue Jays-linked jerseys rose 235 per cent and hat sales went up 283 per cent from the first three weeks of September to the first three weeks of October this year, said e-commerce company Shopify in an email to CBC News.
John Amendola, owner of Mintink Trading Cards, says he’s had Blue Jays pitchers drop into the store to purchase cards and interact with fans. (Submitted by John Amendola)
But fans aren’t the only ones jumping on the merchandise bandwagon, said Amendola, who has had some of the Blue Jays players drop by looking for baseball cards.
He said pitchers Trey Yesavage, Mason Fluharty and Braydon Fisher — some of whom don’t even have their official Topps rookie cards yet — have come by to open card packs and interact with fans.
“[These] Blue Jays, they’re kids, they’re 20 years old. They just have fun [at the store],” he said. “And [they said] they’re coming back again after the parade.”
Baseball, Halloween ‘pandemonium’ for Toronto bars
Bars and restaurants in downtown Toronto are also getting ready for a marathon evening, or two, of the World Series and Halloween celebrations this weekend.
While October is typically a slower month, the Jays’ success has helped business boom, said Cesar Mesan, owner of the Pint Public House.
“This time of year, in any other year, we probably only have like 40 to 50 people on staff. Right now we have about 100. They’re all working full time hours,” he said.
Cesar Mesan, owner of the Pint Public House, said he has 100 employees working full-time hours to keep up with the Blue Jays demand. (David Hill/CBC)
Mesan said the hype around the Blue Jays this year has been bigger than the crowds he saw in 2019 for the Toronto Raptors and last year for Taylor Swift.
It’s been “pandemonium” at Score on Queen in recent weeks, said general manager Cameron Sokalski, adding they’ve had double the customers for a typical October.
“People are getting the sickness, it’s contagious,” he said. “It’s the time of year when the restaurant industry slows down, but this has geared it back up.”
According to data by payment processing company Moneris, victorious Jays games have been lucrative for restaurants across the city.
After Game 7 of the American Championship League Series, restaurants near Rogers Centre saw a 29 per cent increase in volume and a 17 per cent growth in transaction sizes.
Meanwhile, transaction volume near Rogers Centre jumped 27 per cent and 10 per cent citywide in Game 1 of the World Series, said Moneris in an emailed statement.
“When Toronto wins in the World Series, the city celebrates in a big way,” said Sean McCormick, vice president of business development at Moneris in the statement. “The championship stage inspires fans to savour the experience and spend a little more while doing it.”