Toronto Blue Jays fans claiming the team has snubbed its fanbase
The Toronto Blue Jays left fans shellshocked by a third consecutive winless postseason in October, and the team's radio silence on social media in the weeks since has only further riled up the fanbase.
Official team X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts have skipped their usual 'thank you' messages to fans, giving off the impression to some Jays' loyals that the organization is trying to sweep its on-field failures under a rug of artificial turf.
In the weeks since the Jays blew their AL Wild Card series to the Minnesota Twins, the team's X account has kept mostly quiet.
An Oct. 23 post announcing blink-182 tour dates was only the seventh post shared by the team on X since the Jays' devastating exit from the 2023 postseason on Oct. 4, and the lack of an official post thanking fans for the season is irking the already-angered fanbase.
still havent thanked your fans btw
— AZ (@GoJays1) October 23, 2023
The blink-182 announcement pushed many fans over the edge, calling out the team for various reasons, including the choice to stick with manager John Schneider. One fan jokingly wondered aloud if Mark, Tom, or Travis from blink-182 were up for the manager gig.
Are any of them open to managing the team next year?
— Mike2025 𓅓 (@Mike_2025) October 23, 2023
Another fan dismissed the concert announcement and called for the firing of general manager Ross Atkins.
Hey thats really cool im pumped....has atkins been fired yet.
— jeff hoy (@navarious19) October 23, 2023
Others took shots at the organization's winless record in its last three postseason campaigns.
that's cool man win a playoff game
— UpwardBoss (@UpwardBoss) October 23, 2023
The announcement of blink-182 tour dates at the Rogers Centre — sold through the Blue Jays — accompanied by a Jays jersey bearing the pop-punk band's name, was met with a torrent of comments calling out the organization and suggesting the team is prioritizing concert ticket sales over fan appreciation.
It wouldn’t be accepted no one likes insincerity and gaslighting
— Jacob De NM Deeply Misses his Arizona Diamondbacks (@ort_jacob235) October 23, 2023
Posts since the Jays' Oct 4 loss include an Oct. 11 post on the Israel-Hamas conflict, an Oct. 14 post remembering the iconic bat flip eight years ago, an Oct. 18 post acknowledging five Gold Glove finalists on the team, and three posts on Oct. 19 covering bullying, team legend Jose Bautista's birthday, and former manager Cito Gaston's possible Hall of Fame bid.
Not the tweets we expect during the playoffs
— Bxrner (@uceysbxrner) October 23, 2023
None of these posts directly address the legion of fans who have been expecting the traditional 'thank you' message issued by teams once their season comes to a close.
We've been bullied by Shapiro and Atkins for 8 years!
— JuveRob (@Jabronirob) October 19, 2023
It's been a similar story on Instagram, where the Jays failed to share a thank you message to fans as the team had done in previous years, instead opting to wish the Toronto Maple Leafs good luck on their 2023-24 campaign.
I’m so glad the @BlueJays prioritized wishing the Leafs good luck over their thank you, appreciation post to the fans. #BlueJays #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/Qd8ZCt9jDD
— Alternator (@foreverlys) October 12, 2023
It has been almost three weeks since the Jays' season ended, and the 'thank you' window seems to have closed. Any message from the team at this stage could be met with further outrage from a fanbase clearly out for blood.
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
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