Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, featuring the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball, had an average of almost 11 million viewers across cable channels and streaming platforms in Canada, with more than 18 million people—about 45 per cent of the country’s population—tuning in to at least a portion of the contest.

This game featured unique circumstances, including the participation of the only Canadian MLB franchise and the presence of Shohei Ohtani, a superstar who has become a household name even for people who do not usually care about sports.

Research Co. has twice asked about the possibility of Vancouver hosting an MLB franchise, in 2021 and 2023. At the time, the impending relocation of the Oakland Athletics provided an opportunity to test support. Now, the highest tier of professional baseball in North America is seeking to expand its roster of franchises, from 30 to 32 teams.

When we asked British Columbians last week, enthusiasm for a franchise grew immensely. More than seven in 10 of the province’s residents (72 per cent) think it would be a “very good” or “good” idea to have an MLB team in Vancouver, up 12 points since 2023.

Public backing for this idea spans all parties, with majorities of British Columbians who voted in 2024 for the Conservative Party of B.C. (76 per cent), the BC NDP (75 per cent) and the BC Greens (68 per cent) all on side.

On a regional basis, the attractiveness of an MLB team in Vancouver reaches every corner of the province. Support rose by 12 points in Metro Vancouver to 72 per cent. The proportions are also strong in the Fraser Valley (83 per cent), southern B.C. (78 per cent), northern B.C. (68 per cent) and Vancouver Island (64 per cent).

The Vancouver Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association ultimately left the province, partly because of an inability to engage with fans of all ethnicities. An MLB team in Vancouver is regarded as a positive development for sizeable majorities of British Columbians whose heritage is South Asian (82 per cent), European (70 per cent), East Asian (67 per cent) or Indigenous (66 per cent).

There are also significant increases in the likelihood of British Columbians to take specific actions if an MLB team begins operations in Vancouver. Almost three in 10 (29 per cent, up 10 points) are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to purchase season tickets, and more than half (54 per cent, up seven points) would attend at least one home game a year.

A full MLB season guarantees 81 home games from April to September, a significantly larger number of opportunities to watch professional sports than what the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer can provide even when the team makes it to the final rounds in elimination tournaments.

The survey also outlines increases in the likelihood of British Columbians to watch Vancouver’s MLB franchise at home (58 per cent, up two points), watch games at a bar or pub (48 per cent, up 11 points) and purchase apparel or merchandise with the team’s logo (50 per cent, up 11 points).

The growth in MLB interest across British Columbia can be traced back to several factors. Changes to rules, such as the addition of the “pitch clock” have made the game easier to follow for new fans without alienating long-time baseball watchers. The Blue Jays did remarkably well last season, and feature players who came in through a minor league system that includes the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League.

It is not a surprise to see that 49 per cent of British Columbians (up 17 points) mention the Jays as their favourite MLB team, followed by the Seattle Mariners (seven per cent, up one point) and other existing franchises (four per cent, up one point). Although 40 per cent of respondents say they have no favourite team.

There were rumblings about the viability of the Vancouver Canucks when the team first joined the National Hockey League in 1970. Some also questioned whether fans of other teams would abandon their allegiance to root for something that seemed new and untested. We need to remember that Vancouver landed an NHL franchise following a decade in which the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens won nine of 10 Stanley Cups.

In the end, the Canucks have continued to play in Vancouver, uninterruptedly and fully backed by fans of all ages. In our survey, 67 per cent of British Columbians who have a favourite team in MLB acknowledge that they would stop rooting for it and embrace the Vancouver franchise once the umpire yells: “Play ball.” This is precisely what happened in the 1990s after expansion MLB franchises were awarded to four cities in Florida, Colorado and Arizona. Each one of them has played in the World Series since then.

Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from April 16-18, 2026, among 803 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.