Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market has come alive with a sea of Toronto Blue Jays jerseys as Canadian baseball fans flood the city for the American League Championship Series — a welcome boost for local businesses grappling with a sharp decline in international tourism.
Artist and long-time Pike Place vendor Daniel Fleming said the surge of Blue Jays supporters has been a bright spot this season. “Toronto Blue Jays fandom travels maybe as well as any other fandom I’ve ever encountered,” he said. “They come to town, they spend money, they support small business and whatnot.”
Despite political tensions between Canada and the United States leading to a plunge in cross-border travel, Fleming said the market feels somewhat shielded from those effects. “Seattle’s getting way less Canadian travellers, but judging by the jerseys, there seemed to be a lot of people out,” he said, adding that he expects the political fallout to be felt more deeply next year.
Visit Seattle, the city’s tourism marketing agency, confirmed that the city is facing a 26 per cent drop in international visitors this year — the steepest decline among major U.S. cities. Officials attribute much of that decrease to the loss of Canadian travellers, who have traditionally made up a large portion of Seattle’s visitor base.
“We’re delighted to see Blue Jays fans in the city,” said Tammy Canavan, president of Visit Seattle. A Vancouver native who has lived in the U.S. for 25 years, Canavan said Seattle feels “a lot like home” for Canadians, sharing similar weather, culture, and values. But she acknowledged that tariffs and political rhetoric — including remarks from President Donald Trump about Canada — have made some hesitant to cross the border. “The politics are not necessarily the people,” she said. “We hope the relationship will strengthen again soon.”
Among those who ignored the politics and made the trip were siblings Kurt and Tracey Bessey from Saskatoon, who took a bus from Vancouver to save money. “The people here are awesome, they’re really friendly,” Kurt said, recalling his last visit to Seattle a decade ago.
Tracey, proudly sporting a hoodie with a small Canadian flag, said locals were welcoming and good-humoured — even rival fans. “We had all our Jays stuff on, so you know why we’re here,” she laughed, adding that the friendly banter quieted after the Jays’ commanding 13–4 win in Game 3.
Fleming, who has been selling digital art at Pike Place for two decades, expressed regret for the harsh political rhetoric directed at Canada but urged Canadians not to let it affect their travel choices. “Don’t believe the hype,” he said. “The people of a place are not the government of that place.”
Despite strained politics, Canadians remain vital to Seattle’s economy — spending nearly $586 million in the city and surrounding King County last year. For now, the Blue Jays faithful are doing their part to keep that connection alive, one jersey and one cheer at a time.