Rogers Centre's $400mm+ CAD Renovation Redefines Premium in Sports

Rogers Centre’s $400mm+ CAD Renovation Redefines Premium in Sports

Having relevant premium products has become necessary for sports franchises to effectively capture fans’ time and money in a crowded live entertainment landscape.

“We’re competing with the best bars and restaurants in downtown Toronto…You have to compel people to come to the ballpark beyond the game,” Mark Shapiro (president and CEO, Toronto Blue Jays) said.

So, the Jays embarked on a $400 million-plus CAD effort to reimagine 30+ year old Rogers Centre —originally created as a multipurpose venue— following the 2022 season. The club, with the global architecture firm Populous’ help, demolished and rebuilt the lower bowl, reimagined its outfield district, overhauled player facilities, and introduced four new club and premium spaces to accommodate different fan segments.

“We went from having almost no modern premium products to now having several different options that are among the best in sports,” Shapiro said.

Toronto fans seem to be happy with the enhancements. Club members awarded the new premium experience an NPS score of 70 in 2025. The TD Clubhouse, the team’s only large-scale premium club pre-renovation, earned a 41 back in 2023.

And the organization’s top line has benefited from the costly investment too. The new spaces have driven net-new premium revenue, new corporate partnerships and naming rights entitlements, and higher overall attendance, strategic ticket pricing, and concessions per caps.

“The more distinctive the offering, the more memorable the fan experience—and the stronger the revenue growth is going to be,” Isabelle Rijnties (principal and interior design director, Populous) said.

On the latest episode of JohnWallStreet Presents: Big Business on Campus –a college sports podcast powered by Playfly Sports and sponsored by Short’s Sports Travel Logistics– JohnWallStreet Founder Corey Leff and Playfly Sports Chairman Michael Schreiber sit down with Baylor University Vice President & Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades and Deputy AD & Chief Operating Officer Jovan Overshown.

📺 Watch the full video on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube Page.
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Premium used to refer to where fans sat and what they ate or drank. Today, the concept encompasses the entirety of the fan experience and smart rights owners are actively working to make every element along the way feel more exclusive, effortless, and memorable for its highest-value customers.

“We are thinking about how we enhance every member touchpoint,” Marnie Starkman (EVP, business operations, Toronto Blue Jays) said. “It’s about how they enter the ballpark, with no lines and their own upscale private entrance. It’s providing them with their own premium merchandise team shop that sells exclusive team gear. It’s having staff who know their names and dining preferences. All in addition to the physical seats, width, leg room, tables, and where they watch the game from.” 

Then there is the wide array of additional amenities, access points, and benefits that can make a trip to the ballpark infinitely more enjoyable.

“If a premium member is bringing their kids on Sunday, they get to run the bases postgame first. Premium members are not waiting in line for giveaway items. Their kids’ faces can be painted in their club as opposed to the whole family having to come up to the concourse,” Starkman said. 

Understanding why each of these individuals are members and what they value most is critical to meeting or surpassing their expectations. 

Rogers Centre lacked amenities fans had come to expect prior to the renovation (think: no restrooms or kitchens near its highest priced seats).

And “there was really nothing for corporate clients to invest in…unless they wanted to buy a 12-ticket suite,” Starkman said. 

As a result, the team failed to generate local revenues on par with other MLB clubs. It ranked 26^th and 27^th in premium inventory and revenue respectively, in 2022.

And it left itself at the mercy of the on-field product, a problem in a town where baseball plays second fiddle to hockey. 

Leadership understood it couldn’t continue down that path. Gate receipts represent ~40% of MLB club income.

“You can't be economically relevant in MLB and consistently compete at the highest level without having a strong premium product that's driving a lot of your revenue,” Shapiro said.

The club also recognized there was a need to continue growing the fan base.

The team’s overhaul of its in-stadium experience started with the Outfield District.

“Ballpark outfields are some of the most distinguishing features of any venue, and the new Outfield District in Toronto changed the entire backdrop of Rogers Centre into an incredible collection of spaces for fans to discover,” Derek Sommers (design lead, Populous) said.

It has new perches to watch the game, alternative entertainment options, interactive games, and curated F&B offerings for each designated area.

But elevating the premium experience was central to the project’s overall vision and the economic driver for it. That meant treating hospitality and interior design not as an ‘extra’, but as core elements of the stadium ecosystem.

The Jays unveiled Rogers Centre’s reimagined lower bowl at the start of the ‘24 season, highlighted by upgraded seats and enhanced sightlines. Phase two wrapped last July with the opening of three new high-end club spaces tied to seats behind the plate.

“The three-club model is a real gamechanger,” Sommers said. “By appealing to different customers through the types of environments that resonate most, both inside and out, the team is managing to fully capture the hearts of all their fans expecting a premium experience no matter the ticket cost.”

Each of the three clubs was designed with a different identity, culinary and entertainment experience, and fan segment in mind. The goal was to make those spending time in the lounges, which are just meters away from the members’ seats (it’s Canada), feel like they are somewhere other than a ballpark. 

“Our Rogers Banner Club, which looks like an upscale sports bar with authentic memorabilia and views into the Blue Jays batting tunnel, attracts more of an avid fan and has a lower get-in price,” Starkman said.

The entry point is less expensive, in part, because the ticket does not include F&B. 

Leadership would change that if it could reintroduce the offering. The HENRYs (High Earner, Not Rich Yet) buying in would gladly pay up for an enhanced package and an all-inclusive proposition would alleviate the confusion that currently exists when seats are gifted.

The KPMG Blueprint Club, Roger Centre’s ‘mid-level’ premium experience, was designed with a corporate client in mind. Food is included with entry into the upscale restaurant-like space. 

“Luxury hospitality is defined by elevated food and beverage. The quality of the cuisine, the wine list, and the way every detail of service is delivered, all in a spectacular setting,” Rijnties said.

Then there is the TD Lounge. Fans sitting in the venue’s most intimate seat location can enjoy culinary-grade food and white glove service while watching the game.

“We made sure we serviced the space so that the fans who are sitting behind the plate and are on camera are motivated to stay in their seats,” Starkman said.

Remember, the Jays have amongst the largest local television audiences in baseball.

Or they can spend time inside the club. That includes after the game.

Many TD Lounge members will stay to enjoy a drink and DJ set afterwards.

The ability to hang into the night is “a big part of feeling like you're receiving a premium experience,” Starkman said.

Sports teams have historically opted for economies of scale and/or ease of use when building facilities, often at the expense of a premium atmosphere. 

That didn’t happen in Toronto. Ownership wasn’t interested in cutting corners. 

“That allowed us to create a truly elevated space for fans, who we knew wanted premium, period. It’s the same level of quality they expect in luxury hospitality,” Rijnties said.   

Leadership signed off on top-of-the-line materials and finishes typically unseen in a stadium environment.

“Every detail at the TD Premium Entrance was intentional,” Rinjties said. “The natural stones and the sweeping curved design elevate the arrival experience.”

The Jays’ investment in creating true premium experiences immediately began paying dividends. Premium season ticket packages sold out almost immediately (they were sold in three-year blocks).

And each of the new club spaces presented the team with another sponsorship asset to sell. All have now been sold—at the price the club wanted.

“That was one of the good lessons we got from other clubs,” Starkman said. “Design it for the fans and the sponsors will come.”

The club now ranks in MLB’s top half for both premium inventory and revenue.

The third phase in the Rogers Centre renovation project, a 200-level club behind home plate, will be completed this winter.

“It will be the most unique premium space that we have in that you can enjoy the club while seeing the field from one of the best sightlines in the ballpark,” Shapiro said. “Members will also have access to an open-air patio just steps away from their field view, which is unlike any other space we have.”

That hospitality area will enable the Jays to sell another 1,000 premium memberships and increase the post renovation total to nearly 4,000.

From there, the organization will look to renovate the building’s ‘old-school’ suites. 

Just don’t expect that process to happen quickly. There are more than 130 of them and it’s a costly endeavor.

Leadership also recognizes that consumer tastes and demands are changing rapidly, and it wants to have a better read on where suites will fit in the premium ecosystem in five to ten years before moving forward with that project.

In the interim, watch as rights owners across sports follow the Jays’ lead and design spaces and experiences that are as Rijnties said, “best-in-class, not just best in sports.”