Alright – let’s do a fun one. Amongst the bickering on social media regarding the Blue Jays signings this offseason and the lack of a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension, there are some things to still look forward to when it comes to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025.

Last season, the Blue Jays produced numerous promotions and events throughout the regular campaign that brought fans to the ballpark. These ranged from items like the Jose Berrios Gold Glove bobblehead, the George Springer hockey jersey, and the Blue Jays City Connect backpack giveaway down to some less-than-desirable events like the ‘Work from Dome’ program throughout the season. The Loonie Dog Tuesday events have been a hit since it was brought into the hold and Toronto has also mixed in many diverse promotions over the years, such as the Pride Night rainbow hat giveaway and the Caribbean Carnival neon hat promotion last year.

Overall, I think fans have been pretty satisfied with how the Blue Jays marketing team has come up with new and creative ideas year after year. Lineups were long for many of the desirable giveaways, like the bobbleheads and City Connect-related items, and it seemed that fans were happy with the outcomes and the quality.

Should the Blue Jays be looking for a few more ideas heading into the new year, here are some that I came up with that I think some may be interested in (or potentially hate). I am also sure I missed out on some really good ideas, so feel free to let me know what I missed.

The Major League managers, coaches, and SABR community figured it out this offseason – Daulton Varsho finally takes home the Gold Glove Award. The former Arizona Diamondback has been a defensive stalwart in the big leagues over the years and in 2023, he was robbed of the honour because he split too much time between left field and centre field with the Blue Jays, putting him just outside of the award for both positions. It was silly he didn’t earn the honour that year but at least he got the award this past campaign after posting a collective 28 DRS between LF and CF with a .988 fielding percentage. He also generated a +17 fielding run value (100th percentile) and a +16 OAA (99th percentile) while making numerous highlight reel grabs throughout the year.

To reward his efforts, it only makes sense that the Blue Jays produce a Daulton Varsho Gold Glove bobblehead for the upcoming campaign. The Jays did the same when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jose Berrios won their respective Gold Gloves over the past few seasons so out of all the promotions/events I am about to list, this one has the strongest track record to potentially see the light of day next year.

He’s coming home. A former first-round pick of the Blue Jays back in 2014, the front office signed Jeff Hoffman to a three-year deal this past weekend to help shore up the bullpen – an area that needed help in the worst way after a dreadful 2024 campaign. Hoffman made a handful of appearances in high-A and double-A in the Jays system before being traded to the Colorado Rockies at the 2015 trade deadline and since then, Hoffman has had stints with the Reds, Twins (in Spring Training), and the Phillies, with the right-hander being moved from the rotation to the bullpen over the years.

What better than to welcome back a former top prospect than running a giveaway in his likeness? For this, I turn to the Spring Training days of 2015 when Hoffman can be found wearing the older style uniforms the Jays were donning back then during their time in Dunedin. Sportsnet’s Jamie Campbell has an excellent picture of the right-hander in said uniform, with the ‘Blue Jays’ lettering gone across the chest and just the logo. Hell, throw the big ol Maple Leaf hat in for good measure but overall, these jerseys with Hoffman on the back would look awesome in my opinion.

Every big league club has their notable fans – Bill Murray and the Chicago Cubs, Matt Damon and the Boston Red Sox, Eminem and the Detroit Tigers – the list goes on and on.

For the Blue Jays, one of the first celebrity fans who comes to mind is Geddy Lee, the lead singer and bass guitarist for the rock band Rush. Lee has seen the highs and lows that come with being a Blue Jays fan over the years and the rocker can routinely be seen at the Rogers Centre sitting behind home plate, enjoying the game. He even travels down to Dunedin to take in Spring Training from time to time, scorebook in hand. Lee is not just a fan of the Jays but the game of baseball overall, boasting an extensive collection of memorabilia and artifacts that could easily be a museum in its own right, with Lee even donating over 400 baseballs to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum back in the early 2010s.

With this in mind, should the Blue Jays’ marketing department be able to jump through the legal hoops required, a Geddy Lee replica bass guitar giveaway would be pretty awesome in some capacity. I imagine they wouldn’t play music or have actual strings (probably some type of blown-up balloon carnival contraption) but it would be a cool way to celebrate one of the Jays’ biggest fans over time. As for which guitar – I will let the music-savvy ones fight over that one.

Per the American Kennel Club, 19 organizations featured a ‘Bark at the Park’ event, where fans and their furry friends can partake in the ballgame arm in arm. You’ve likely seen the photos on social media – fans and their furry friends either eating hot dogs or sitting in silly hats. My personal favourite is this video from the Trenton Thunder (with a young Bo Bichette at the plate for the Fisher Cats) where a doorbell sound during the at-bat set off a chain reaction of dogs going bananas in the stands.

Funny enough, only one team in the AL East featured dogs at the ballpark last season and it was the Tampa Bay Rays, doing so on April 14th. Considering they have to play at a minor league ballpark next year after Hurricane Milton destroyed the roof of Tropicana Field, it is unlikely they will bring the promotion back. The Blue Jays have the chance to be the one to pick up the slack, and after my quick search down the rabbit hole, it appears this would be the first time in their history of such an event (there’s even a petition kicking around from years ago). Some fans might be against this even because of the dogs but I think many might be on the pro side for this one.

There will have to be some logistical juggling, especially since the dogs will need some relief areas within the stadium and some people will bring dogs that really shouldn’t be out in public (poor training, obedience concerns, etc.). However, proper planning and some strict rule enforcement can make this event a hit, especially if the Jays can find a way to partner with either the SPCA or some local shelters to promote dog adoption and spay/neuter programs.