The upcoming G20 Summit in Toronto's Metro Convention Center — just down the street from Rogers Centre — is forcing MLB to move the June 25-27 Blue Jays/Phillies series to Citizens Bank Park.
The upcoming G20 Summit in Toronto's Metro Convention Center — just down the street from Rogers Centre — is forcing MLB to move the June 25-27 Blue Jays/Phillies series to Citizens Bank Park.
The decision was reached following consultations with the Blue Jays, the Phillies, the G20 Summit Management, the Integrated Security Unit and the City of Toronto.
"After reviewing all of the options with the parties and taking all of the security considerations into account, it was determined that the best course of action is to play the series in Philadelphia," said MLB Commissioner Bud Selig in a statement. "I appreciate the cooperation of the Blue Jays, the Phillies and all of the parties who have helped resolve this challenging situation."
Rogers Sports Entertainment President and CEO Paul Beeston said: "This was an extremely difficult decision and one which we did not take lightly. By moving our games to Philadelphia, we are acting in the best interests of our fans, our employees, the players and the game of baseball. We did not want to move the games but in looking at the realities of this situation, we felt that relocation was the most prudent course of action."
The Friday, June 25th game will be scheduled for 7:05 p.m. (ET) and the Sunday, June 27th game will be scheduled for 1:35 p.m. (ET). The time of the Saturday, June 26th game is not yet finalized.
For the Blue Jays, there won't be a financial hit, as enough revenue from the series has been promised to make up for the loss of three home games. (There's reportedly a little bonus for the Phillies as well, as three games in Philadelphia generate more revenue that three games in Toronto.) But for a team struggling in the standings, losing three home games is a hit, and given that the Phillies series was expected to be one of the biggest of the season, the team's image surely will take a hit.
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