No fans here

Patterns not in nature
Toronto, ON
July 2017
This photo originally shared on Instagram

There's nothing quite like a baseball stadium packed to the rafters with fans cheering on the home team. Except, perhaps, the sight of that same stadium when it's empty.

This is Rogers Centre in Toronto, home of the Blue Jays, and I shot this on a hot summer's day, mere minutes after the good guys won. As my wife and I were assembling the kids and waiting for the crowds to disperse, I thought it might be fun to shoot some pictures before heading out.

The section below us was completely empty as I carefully leaned over the barrier and squeezed off a few. All I could think of was how neat the rows looked and how surprised I was that they weren't covered with post-game snack wrappers and beer cups. I guess Canadian ball fans are a polite bunch.

This stadium has been empty for well over a year as lockdowns intensify and, admittedly less critically, rumors fly about a possible redevelopment of the site. It's only one of many venues whose future now lies in doubt, and I can't help but wonder how long it will be before we can gather in any capacity to cheer on the home team.

Maybe we'll have to find better ways to celebrate wins and commiserate over losses. Maybe the very nature of community has already shifted, but we were too busy staying home to notice.

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