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Toronto Blue Jays fans furious after Sportsnet says it's ending radio broadcasts of games

The Toronto Blue Jays are set to become the first MLB team in decades without a dedicated radio broadcast and fans aren't happy about it.

Sportsnet Media released an announcement stating that games would be simulcast on the radio for the 2021 season.

This means that, while radio listeners will still get to hear the game, they'll only be hearing an audio transmission of the television broadcast rather than a broadcast meant specifically for radio.

Traditionally, radio broadcasts have done a better job of painting a more scenic picture to listeners that don't have the visual aid of television to help them out. Jays fans who enjoyed following games in the car or at work now feel as though they'll be missing out on the full experience.

"I would argue that the radio baseball experience is better than the TV product," said one fan. "The crack of the bat, the snap of the leather as the ball hits it. The sounds of the game are more important then the visuals. This is a bad idea."

Sportsnet, which like the Blue Jays is owned by Rogers, claims that the simulcast is being done to streamline production and minimize travel. 

The network also announced that Ben Wagner, who previously handled radio play-by-play duties for the organization, will remain part of the broadcast team.

With Spring Training set to begin this weekend, Jays fans will have plenty to look forward to after some big-name free agent signings.

That said, with the loss of their radio broadcast and more time spent away from Toronto, it will still be a while until fans can root root root for the home team like they used to.

Lead photo by

@BlueJays


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