Blue Jays fans boo US national anthem on Opening Day vs. Orioles

Matt Weyrich, Baltimore Sun on Mar 27, 2025

Published in Baseball

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TORONTO — Ahead of the first MLB game played in Canada since President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imports from the United States’ northern neighbors, Toronto Blue Jays fans booed the American national anthem in what has become a larger trend in the past two months.

With the Orioles in town for Opening Day Thursday, the Blue Jays played both “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “O Canada” for the sold-out crowd and the former was greeted with a chorus of boos from the Canadian-heavy audience.

Before the anthem, the public address announcer said to the crowd, “It’s a special day for all of us, you, the fans, the players and coaches standing on the field, for everyone. We ask that you please be respectful of the day and the moment.”

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said their staff addressed the potential for a negative reaction to the anthem before the game.

“We’ve communicated that with our players and everybody, and we understand all that,” Hyde said in his pregame news conference. “So, our PR and communications team did a great job of preparing our players for that. We’ll be out there.”

Canadian sports fans haven’t been shy about their feelings toward the current administration and President Trump’s talk of making the country the 51st state.

The anthem has been the subject of jeers at NHL games and Toronto Raptors home games. Fans also booed the anthem ahead of the NHL’s first 4 Nations Face-Off exhibition contest between the U.S. and Canada in Montreal on Feb. 16, with former prime minister Justin Trudeau in attendance.

A trade war between the U.S., Canada and Mexico started Feb. 1 when President Trump imposed 25% tariffs on goods imported from the two neighboring countries. He initially paused the tariffs for 30 days and agreed to make exemptions on certain goods in March, but the U.S. president announced a 25% tariff on automobile imports Wednesday in a significant blow to one of Canada’s largest export industries.