In a bid to support the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment is making adjustments to accommodate fans of its NHL and NBA teams.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Raptors will be altering their game schedules over the upcoming weekend and next week to allow sports enthusiasts to catch the Blue Jays facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Major League Baseball championship.
Keith Pelley, the president and CEO of MLSE, expressed pride in the unity of Toronto’s passionate sports fans as the city’s teams collaborate to provide fans with the opportunity to witness a significant moment in the city’s and nation’s history.
The Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto is set to host Game 1 and Game 2 of the MLB championship series on Friday and Saturday, with each game scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
To accommodate the baseball excitement, the Raptors have rescheduled their home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday to start at 6:30 p.m. ET instead of the original 7:30 p.m. ET slot. Similarly, the Maple Leafs have moved up their game against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday from 7 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET.
Moreover, the Leafs have adjusted the start time of their Tuesday game against the Calgary Flames to 6 p.m., and the Raptors will take on the Houston Rockets at 6:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
MLSE has acknowledged the complexity of these schedule changes, crediting the cooperation of various stakeholders, including the leagues, coaches, players, and broadcasters of the Leafs, Raptors, and opposing teams, in making this special moment possible for Toronto fans.
Following their respective games, the Maple Leafs and Raptors will broadcast the World Series games on the Scotiabank Arena videoboard for fans. Additionally, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ regular-season finale against the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday night will commence at 7 p.m., with in-stadium updates and live coverage of the World Series opener available on TVs around Hamilton Stadium, followed by the complete broadcast on the main videoboard post-game.