Latest news with #BobDonegan
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Instead of travelling to Seattle to watch the Blue Jays, some B.C. baseball fans are staying home
Bob Donegan of Ivar's, a Seattle-based seafood restaurant chain known for its slogan "Keep clam!", says he's a bit concerned about the lack of Canadians travelling south to cheer the Toronto Blue Jays as they square off against the Seattle Mariners. Donegan says he loves Canadian baseball fans, referring to them as "friendly and goofy and delightful," but he see signs that they may be passing up the chance to see the Blue Jays during their only trip to Washington state this season. "I'm looking over the waterfront right now and there are hundreds of people walking the waterfront, not a single one of them has a Blue Jay cap or a Blue Jay sweatshirt on, and that saddens us," Donegan said Friday, ahead of the Jays' three-game set against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. The Jays' visit to Seattle comes as fewer Canadians travel to the U.S. amid President Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats. April saw a 51 per cent drop in cars with B.C. licence plates heading into the U.S. from southwest B.C. compared to the same month last year. Julie Nimmock of Vancouver says she and a friend have a tradition of travelling south to watch the Jays in Seattle. This year, she said, is different given the ongoing trade war and concerns that heightened scrutiny at the U.S. border makes travel to the country too uncertain. "I think with everything going on right now, I just don't feel 100 per cent comfortable going to the States currently, and I also don't want to particularly support the economy either, considering some of Donald Trump's statements towards Canada," Nimmock said she and her friend agreed to skip this year's trip to Seattle and will reassess as things go along. In the meantime, she plans on visiting Nat Bailey Stadium to watch the Vancouver Canadians, the Blue Jays' High-A affiliate. A Seattle Mariners spokesperson told CBC News that they have heard anecdotally that fewer fans are making the trip from Canada this year, but "this weekend's crowds are tracking towards our expected attendance numbers." If attendance were to drop, other factors could be in play. This year's Blue Jays visit to Seattle comes in May, when for more than a decade it occurred in the summer. There's also the fact that the Blue Jays are off to a slow start, with a winning percentage below .500. Team's record not a factor, says sports columnist Mike Wilner, a podcaster and baseball columnist with the Toronto Star, thinks the team's on-field performance will not affect attendance one way or the other, as fans in Western Canada have a history of showing up in force regardless of the team's record. "I was in Seattle in 2022 when the Blue Jays lost four straight, each in more humiliating fashion than the one before ... but it was packed with Blue Jays fans," Wilner said. Wilner notes that some Canadian fans may still attend the games as they bought tickets to the Mariners-Jays series last year, ahead of current U.S.-Canada trade tensions. While it remains to be seen how many fans will make the trip south, some Seattle businesses are taking part in a promotion to entice Canadians to visit the Emerald City. Open Arms for Canadian Friends will see participating businesses take the Canadian dollar at par. Donegan says between seven and 11 per cent of visitors to Seattle come from Canada, and "the lack of that delightful Canadian accent is noticeable" in the city. He says the goal of the promotion is to get Canadians to attend the Jays' games in Seattle, but also let them know "that you are our friends and our neighbours and we miss you and we hope that the relationship will survive this temporary roadblock."
CBC
10-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Instead of travelling to Seattle to watch the Blue Jays, some B.C. baseball fans are staying home
Bob Donegan of Ivar's, a Seattle-based seafood restaurant chain known for its slogan "Keep clam!", says he's a bit concerned about the lack of Canadians travelling south to cheer the Toronto Blue Jays as they square off against the Seattle Mariners. Donegan says he loves Canadian baseball fans, referring to them as "friendly and goofy and delightful," but he see signs that they may be passing up the chance to see the Blue Jays during their only trip to Washington state this season. "I'm looking over the waterfront right now and there are hundreds of people walking the waterfront, not a single one of them has a Blue Jay cap or a Blue Jay sweatshirt on, and that saddens us," Donegan said Friday, ahead of the Jays' three-game set against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. The Jays' visit to Seattle comes as fewer Canadians travel to the U.S. amid President Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats. April saw a 51 per cent drop in cars with B.C. licence plates heading into the U.S. from southwest B.C. compared to the same month last year. Julie Nimmock of Vancouver says she and a friend have a tradition of travelling south to watch the Jays in Seattle. This year, she said, is different given the ongoing trade war and concerns that heightened scrutiny at the U.S. border makes travel to the country too uncertain. "I think with everything going on right now, I just don't feel 100 per cent comfortable going to the States currently, and I also don't want to particularly support the economy either, considering some of Donald Trump's statements towards Canada," Nimmock said. WATCH | Seattle radio station host talks about the absence of Canadian fans: Kim Malcolm, the host of All Things Considered from NPR affiliate station KUOW, says plenty of Canadians usually cross the border to see Seattle-hosted baseball games between the Blue Jays and the Mariners, but Seattle residents are seeing less Canadian tourist traffic for the May 9 game. She tells BC Today host Michelle Eliot about businesses that have spoken to her about a decline in tourism that is coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump's border rhetoric. Nimmock said she and her friend agreed to skip this year's trip to Seattle and will reassess as things go along. In the meantime, she plans on visiting Nat Bailey Stadium to watch the Vancouver Canadians, the Blue Jays' High-A affiliate. A Seattle Mariners spokesperson told CBC News that they have heard anecdotally that fewer fans are making the trip from Canada this year, but "this weekend's crowds are tracking towards our expected attendance numbers." If attendance were to drop, other factors could be in play. This year's Blue Jays visit to Seattle comes in May, when for more than a decade it occurred in the summer. There's also the fact that the Blue Jays are off to a slow start, with a winning percentage below .500. Team's record not a factor, says sports columnist Mike Wilner, a podcaster and baseball columnist with the Toronto Star, thinks the team's on-field performance will not affect attendance one way or the other, as fans in Western Canada have a history of showing up in force regardless of the team's record. "I was in Seattle in 2022 when the Blue Jays lost four straight, each in more humiliating fashion than the one before ... but it was packed with Blue Jays fans," Wilner said. Wilner notes that some Canadian fans may still attend the games as they bought tickets to the Mariners-Jays series last year, ahead of current U.S.-Canada trade tensions. While it remains to be seen how many fans will make the trip south, some Seattle businesses are taking part in a promotion to entice Canadians to visit the Emerald City. Open Arms for Canadian Friends will see participating businesses take the Canadian dollar at par. Donegan says between seven and 11 per cent of visitors to Seattle come from Canada, and "the lack of that delightful Canadian accent is noticeable" in the city. He says the goal of the promotion is to get Canadians to attend the Jays' games in Seattle, but also let them know "that you are our friends and our neighbours and we miss you and we hope that the relationship will survive this temporary roadblock."
National Post
09-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Seattle businesses take Canadian cash at par to lure sports fans
For years, the arrival of the Toronto Blue Jays in Seattle brought a familiar sight: tens of thousands of exuberant Canadians pouring into the city to cheer on their baseball team. Article content But this year, the crowds are noticeably thinner. Keen to bring them back, Seattle is offering a hefty discount — in hopes of reviving the cross-border tradition during three games this weekend against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Article content Iconic seafood restaurant Ivar's, the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Center are among dozens of businesses participating in the promotion that accepts Canadian dollars at par all weekend. With the loonie worth just 72 U.S. cents, that effectively gives visitors who show Canadian IDs about a 30% discount. Article content 'I think we're earning goodwill, which is what we wanted with our neighbours,' said Ivar's founder Bob Donegan. 'But we are not seeing a significant increase in the number of Blue Jay fans coming to Seattle.' Article content Article content Tourism officials on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border report that travel has dropped sharply amid political tension and economic uncertainty. Article content At the Blaine, Washington border crossing, a major entry point for visitors from Vancouver, southbound traffic was down 52% in the first two weeks of April compared to the same period last year. Passenger arrivals on Air Canada flights to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport dropped 66% in March. Article content Canadians cite frustration with U.S. policies under President Donald Trump, including tariffs and his repeated suggestion that Canada should become the 51st state. Other travelers are avoiding the U.S. over fears of being detained or pulled aside for questioning at the border as part the Trump administration's broader immigration crackdown. Article content Adding to the strain, Canada's economy is showing signs of weakness. Data released Friday showed the country's unemployment rate rose to 6.9% in April amid job losses in sectors like manufacturing that are affected by tariffs. Article content The program to accept Canadian currency, called 'Open Arms for Our Canadian Friends,' includes hotels, restaurants and even transportation companies like FRS Clipper, a boat service between Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia, as well as Kenmore Air, which runs seaplanes between Washington State and western Canada. Article content Even with this effort, Donegan said that looking out his window on Friday, he saw none of the signature Blue Jays ballcaps that typically swarm the area during the games. Article content He also said interviews that he's done with Vancouver radio stations in recent days have been followed by angry fans calling in to say they're 'so irritated with the American policy that they are not coming to town.' Article content
Edmonton Journal
09-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Seattle businesses take Canadian cash at par to lure sports fans
Article content Iconic seafood restaurant Ivar's, the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Center are among dozens of businesses participating in the promotion that accepts Canadian dollars at par all weekend. With the loonie worth just 72 U.S. cents, that effectively gives visitors who show Canadian IDs about a 30% discount. 'I think we're earning goodwill, which is what we wanted with our neighbours,' said Ivar's founder Bob Donegan. 'But we are not seeing a significant increase in the number of Blue Jay fans coming to Seattle.' Tourism officials on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border report that travel has dropped sharply amid political tension and economic uncertainty. At the Blaine, Washington border crossing, a major entry point for visitors from Vancouver, southbound traffic was down 52% in the first two weeks of April compared to the same period last year. Passenger arrivals on Air Canada flights to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport dropped 66% in March.
Mint
09-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Seattle Businesses Take Canadian Cash at Par to Lure Sports Fans
(Bloomberg) -- For years, the arrival of the Toronto Blue Jays in Seattle brought a familiar sight: tens of thousands of exuberant Canadians pouring into the city to cheer on their baseball team. But this year, the crowds are noticeably thinner. Keen to bring them back, Seattle is offering a hefty discount — in hopes of reviving the cross-border tradition during three games this weekend against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Iconic seafood restaurant Ivar's, the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Center are among dozens of businesses participating in the promotion that accepts Canadian dollars at par all weekend. With the loonie worth just 72 US cents, that effectively gives visitors who show Canadian IDs about a 30% discount. 'I think we're earning goodwill, which is what we wanted with our neighbors,' said Ivar's founder Bob Donegan. 'But we are not seeing a significant increase in the number of Blue Jay fans coming to Seattle.' Tourism officials on both sides of the US-Canada border report that travel has dropped sharply amid political tension and economic uncertainty. At the Blaine, Washington border crossing, a major entry point for visitors from Vancouver, southbound traffic was down 52% in the first two weeks of April compared to the same period last year. Passenger arrivals on Air Canada flights to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport dropped 66% in March. Canadians cite frustration with US policies under President Donald Trump, including tariffs and his repeated suggestion that Canada should become the 51st state. Other travelers are avoiding the US over fears of being detained or pulled aside for questioning at the border as part the Trump administration's broader immigration crackdown. Adding to the strain, Canada's economy is showing signs of weakness. Data released Friday showed the country's unemployment rate rose to 6.9% in April amid job losses in sectors like manufacturing that are affected by tariffs. The program to accept Canadian currency, called 'Open Arms for Our Canadian Friends,' includes hotels, restaurants and even transportation companies like FRS Clipper, a boat service between Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia, as well as Kenmore Air, which runs seaplanes between Washington State and western Canada. Even with this effort, Donegan said that looking out his window on Friday, he saw none of the signature Blue Jays ballcaps that typically swarm the area during the games. He also said interviews that he's done with Vancouver radio stations in recent days have been followed by angry fans calling in to say they're 'so irritated with the American policy that they are not coming to town.' 'They're typically delightfully goofy Canadians who are so friendly and so focused,' Donegan said. 'So we miss them a lot.' More stories like this are available on
