Join the Miguel Delaney Inside Football Get exclusive insights and behind-the scenes access to the Miguel Delaney: inside newsletter Football NewsletterJoin the Miguel Delaney inside Football NewsletterThe thrill of triumph and the agony defeat. This tidy maxim has been used for years to describe sports outcomes.This polarized expression, however, oversimplifies fan reaction to events like the Blue Jays’ World Series loss, ignores the complicated emotional terrain of fandom and fails to recognize the psycho-social forces at work.So, why are many Canadians so deeply invested in the Blue Jays?Fans develop parasocial relationships with players, teams and even broadcasters — evident in the outpouring of emotion surrounding Jays’ announcer Buck Martinez’s cancer journey — through repeated media exposure.Over time, these constant encounters foster a sense of familiarity and emotional intimacy, as if a genuine personal relationship exists. In a way, it makes sense: over the course of a long season, many Blue Jays fans see and hear more from slugger George Springer than from some of their real-life friends.Personal painJays’ losses therefore feel personal — and so, too, does the team’s success. This connection is captured by the concept of what’s known as BIRGing — basking in the reflected glory — when fans feel a sense of personal triumph when their team performs well, as though there’s a twinning of fates.open image in galleryBlue Jays’ Scherzer waves to fans after losing (Getty Images)The phenomenon was playfully illustrated in a 2024 A&W promotion — “Blue Jays Win, You Win” — that offered free or discounted food after each victory, literally tying fan rewards to team success.Of course, the opposite is true too. Fans feel hurt when the Jays fail to win. The more critical the game is, the deeper it cuts. Given this emotional investment, it’s no surprise that Blue Jays fans felt like a bundle of nerves heading into Game 7 and were devastated by the result.The nature of the Game 7 loss inflames the emotions further — a game the Jays were leading until the ninth inning. There were opportunities to increase that lead that went maddeningly unrealized, embattled relievers yielded home runs to Dodger lesser lights, there were near-collisions in the outfield that could have jarred loose a key run from an outfielder’s glove, and a play at home plate that required frame-by-frame analysis to determine an outcome ultimately unfavourable to the Jays.Canadians understand the description “sudden death” as a hockey term, but there’s no denying that Game 7 created a similar profound sense of loss, not just in Toronto but across the country.In the sports realm, the ninth inning events resembled a funeral for Jays fans. The final out symbolized the closure and finality of the game. It also represented the loss of community, routine and community spirit for the fans. They felt a sense of disconnection and a loss of connection. Fans were left with a feeling of sadness and regret as they watched their team fall short of the World Series. The tears shed on the field, in the clubhouse, and across the nation were a reminder that the emotional commitment to a team is just as important as the scoreboard. This article has been republished under a Creative Commons licence from The Conversation. Read the original article.Haunted by the Maple LeafsOf course, Blue Jays fandom isn’t siloed — especially for those in Ontario. Many of the club’s loyal supporters are equally passionate about the forlorn Toronto Maple Leafs, who have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967.The hockey club has put the fan base through the proverbial wringer with prolonged periods of ineptitude, mixed with inexplicable collapses and controversial playoff defeats.The fragility of this fan base is palpable — excited in hope, but also braced for doom because of its frequent visits. Toronto sports fans aren’t used to being favoured by fortune. That’s why moments like the Joe Carter World Series home run in 1993 or the Kawhi Leonard buzzer-beater baseline jumper in the 2019 NBA playoffs have been immortalized.They’re outliers, those precious times when the fan base evaded the grim reaper’s scythe and grasped the greater glory.The rarity of these victories elevates them to mythic moments — reminders that even in a history full of sports heartbreak, there are flashes of transcendent jubilation that justify the fan’s emotional investment.Five stages of griefSports fans are nothing if not resilient, however, and Blue Jays fans are working themselves through the classic five stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.open image in galleryBlue Jays fan after losing World Series (Getty Images)What has likely expedited the process and softened the blow for some is the fact that the Blue Jays weren’t expected to challenge for the World Series at all in 2025. This is because the Blue Jays were not expected to be in contention for the World Series in 2025. It’s the lens. Instead of focusing solely on the pain of Game 7, diehard baseball fans will focus on team growth, memorable events and optimism for the next season. The off-season will be used by fans to mentally prepare themselves for a potentially wild ride. Spring is a time of hope, when anything seems to be possible.
2025-11-03 17:25:29
A Blue Jay fan’s guide to coping with losing the World Series
