As the Blue Jays continue to build a fanbase the likes of which haven't been seen since the glory days of the early 90s, two things have happened.
For one, the Rogers Centre has consistently sold out; the Jays lead the AL in attendance. And for two, and perhaps as a direct result of the spike in home attendance, fans are increasingly headed out on the road to support their team.
In many visiting ballparks, the loud and boisterous Toronto fans seem to outnumber — or at least outcheer — the home supporters.
Such has been my experience when following the Jays on the road in recent years, and it was once again the case this year when I visited Baltimore for a game against the division rival Orioles.
Toronto fans may have a soft spot for the Rogers Centre, but few ballparks around the league can match Baltimore's Camden Yards for the traditional baseball game experience.
Simply put, the park and its surrounding areas are stunning. The brick facades give off feelings of old-timey nostalgia, like you're back in the days when men wore suits to attend games.
Given that the Orioles have been around in some form since 1901 (the current franchise was established in 1954), it's not surprising that Camden Yards has been able to recapture the atmosphere, despite being built in 1992.
In fact, the overwhelming success of the modern-meets-classic style of Camden Yards changed the way ballparks were constructed in the 90s and 2000s; many built since emulate its throwback feel.
While the Jays’ Level of Excellence honours the team's all-time greats, the Orioles go a step further. Plaques and monuments on the warehouse end of the stadium pay tribute to Orioles legends like Cal Ripken Jr, Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer.
As for concessions, Camden Yards offers a wide variety of ballpark food beyond your standard hot dogs and peanuts. A burger bar and soft taco stand are popular destinations, and it's hard to resist some Maryland crab cakes.
And for craft beer lovers – especially those travelling from Canada who've long lamented the poor selection at Rogers Centre — Camden has you covered, with offerings from several local breweries including Dempsey's, Flying Dog and Heavy Seas.
All this said, the main contributing factor to a great baseball experience is a winning team. The Orioles have been a strong squad the past couple of seasons, and the turnout has reflected that. However, I will point out that my Tuesday night game was not sold out and had several pockets with high concentrations of Jays fans. You certainly wouldn't see the reverse happening in Toronto, especially not since last season.
So, if you're finding it difficult to get seats at the Dome and are hankering for a different, perhaps more authentic experience, I highly recommend the trip to Baltimore (it's just a 90-minute flight away, or about an 8-hour drive). There are few baseball treats sweeter than watching your hometown team play on the road — especially in a park as beautiful as Camden Yards. We're still not friends, though, Orioles.
Chris Suppa is a freelance writer and photographer based in Toronto. Follow him at @Suppa55 for somewhat-coherent ramblings about the Blue Jays and on Instagram at @chrissuppaphotography.
