RealGM

But the face of sports has changed dramatically during the past couple of decades. And it is not just the economy. Nor is it just the Blue Jays.

In the late 1970s, the Argonauts played in front of crowds approaching 50,000. Now, they are lucky to get little more than half of that. The Raptors' attendance isn't a concern but it is linked to the gold mine that is the Maple Leafs. With some ticket packages, one comes with the other, and the NBA team's season-ticket sales dipped to 11,000 last season from a peak of 12,000.

Even the mega-success that is Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., has felt, if not a seismic shift, at least a few tremors. The Leafs are sold out, and so is Toronto FC, although the third-year Major League Soccer franchise is getting empty seats for the first time this season.

Paul Beeston, the Jays' interim chief executive officer, doesn't think the hockey team has anything to worry about.

"I don't know if there's another team in sports that can do what the Leafs do. I know I wrote my cheque for $22,000 for platinums," he says, the words tumbling over laughter like water across a stoney brook. "And, you say to yourself: 'Why?' But you do it. You ask yourself how do they do it? Then you see yourself writing the cheque and that's how they do it. They just do -- and you tip your hat to them."