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The Blue Jays have the biggest MLB attendance drop-off - and it's not close

Rogers Centre has not been brimming with fans of late. (CP)
Rogers Centre has not been brimming with fans of late. (CP)

While the 2019 Toronto Blue Jays have one of the most compelling figures in baseball - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - it’s probably fair to say they lack a “wow” factor.

Normally that type of statement, however true, would be awfully difficult to quantify or verify. However, attendance is about as good a proxy for watchability as you’re going to find and new research from USA Today shows the Blue Jays are not bringing fans out to the ballpark like they did just last year.

In their 15 home dates, the team has averaged 20,451 fans in the seats - down from 2018’s March/April average of 27,142. That 33 percent decline is the largest in the majors by a wide margin (the Minnesota Twins are second at 18 percent) and would be even worse if the club hadn’t had a singular event this year - Vladdy’s debut - to help goose the numbers.

Those figures should be somewhat alarming to the Blue Jays, but it’s hard to find them too surprising. There are outside factors depressing attendance - like poor weather and the Raptors and Maple Leafs going to the playoffs - but the biggest reason fans aren’t coming is that the product on the field is not particularly impressive or competitive.

Prior to the season, the Blue Jays made it perfectly clear this was a rebuilding year where it would take a mighty stroke of luck for them to be in the playoff race. Sitting at 14-16 at the moment, they are arguably overachieving. Torontonians have plenty of entertainment options and watching a subpar baseball team rarely floats to the top of the priority list, especially before the weather gets better and a jaunt to the ballpark is a pleasure for its own sake.

Outside of Vladdy and Marcus Stroman, you can run down the Blue Jays roster and fail to find a player that compels you to buy a ticket. It’s hard to imagine a more casual fan dying to see if Eric Sogard can continue his hot streak or spend money in hopes of seeing Justin Smoak work a walk with his keen eye.

The Blue Jays undoubtedly have some loyal and dedicated fans, but those fans represent the floor for attendance - a floor the team found out was rather low earlier this year. For them to come anywhere near packing Rogers Centre, they need to get less hardcore folks on board. That’s not going to happen until this team does some winning.

It’s indisputable that Toronto’s interest in the Blue Jays is rather elastic. That’s a good thing for the team when they’re competitive. The potential to draw huge crowds is there. On the other hand, during down years, like 2019 is shaping up to be, Rogers Centre can be pretty empty.

Unless the Blue Jays’ rebuild has a quick turnaround, the club might see just how empty it can get.

More Blue Jays coverage from Yahoo Sports Canada