Instead of travelling to Seattle to watch the Blue Jays, some B.C. baseball fans are staying home

Bob Donegan of Ivar's, a Seattle-based seafood restaurant chain known for its slogan "Keep clam!", says he's a bit concerned about the lack of Canadians travelling south to cheer the Toronto Blue Jays as they square off against the Seattle Mariners. 

Donegan says he loves Canadian baseball fans, referring to them as "friendly and goofy and delightful," but he see signs that they may be passing up the chance to see the Blue Jays during their only trip to Washington state this season. 

"I'm looking over the waterfront right now and there are hundreds of people walking the waterfront, not a single one of them has a Blue Jay cap or a Blue Jay sweatshirt on, and that saddens us," Donegan said Friday, ahead of the Jays' three-game set against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.  

The Jays' visit to Seattle comes as fewer Canadians travel to the U.S. amid President Donald Trump's tariffs and annexation threats. April saw a 51 per cent drop in cars with B.C. licence plates heading into the U.S. from southwest B.C. compared to the same month last year. 

Julie Nimmock of Vancouver says she and a friend have a tradition of travelling south to watch the Jays in Seattle. This year, she said, is different given the ongoing trade war and concerns that heightened scrutiny at the U.S. border makes travel to the country too uncertain. 

"I think with everything going on right now, I just don't feel 100 per cent comfortable going to the States currently, and I also don't want to particularly support the economy either, considering some of Donald Trump's statements towards Canada," Nimmock said. 

WATCH | Seattle radio station host talks about the absence of Canadian fans:

Fewer Canadian Blue Jays fans are crossing the border to watch the