Wilson: From Sportsnet to Saskatchewan, Campbell a big WCBL fan

Jamie Campbell enjoys a beer and some baseball at the Western Canadian Baseball League’s Saskatoon Berries game on Saturday, July 12. Photo: Ian Wilson

*This article was originally published on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on July 14. You can read it here.

July 19, 2025

By Ian Wilson

Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

It was a joyous jaunt for Jamie Campbell.

The love affair between the Sportsnet Blue Jays Central host and the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is in full bloom, and the public displays of affection could be seen during Campbell’s recent trip to Saskatchewan.

The TV personality made headlines last year when he traveled to Alberta with his son, Jack, to take in WCBL games in Medicine Hat, Sylvan Lake and Okotoks. The pair enjoyed the trip so much they decided to do a return visit to Western Canada this year.

“It had such an impact on the two of us that we’re doing it again,” Campbell told The Rod Pedersen Show before the father and son came to Saskatchewan.

The duo arrived at Tom Laing Park in Weyburn on Thursday, July 10 for a matchup between the Beavers and the Saskatoon Berries. Despite some rainy weather, Campbell mingled with the fans and swapped baseball stories with those who came out for the game.

Garnet Hansen (left) and Jamie Campbell (right) watch the Beavers game against the Berries on July 10.

Garnet Hansen, the president of the Beavers, said the regular season contest gave the team the opportunity to show off Weyburn to Campbell, who attended a fundraising sports dinner in the Saskatchewan community with former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher John Axford in March. This trip gave Campbell the opportunity to see the green grass of the ballpark and the Beavers in action.

“You get a national figure like Jamie Campbell trying to help you out, really appreciate that … and maybe he’ll talk about us in one of the future broadcasts of the Blue Jays,” Hansen told Discover Weyburn.

Campbell has already made mention of the Beavers and several other WCBL teams during pre-game broadcasts for the Blue Jays, including a recent instance where he donned a Weyburn ball cap during a Canada Day conversation with Jon Morosi, who represented the Okotoks Dawgs.

SUN AND SUDS IN SASKATOON

After his stop in Weyburn, Campbell hit the road for Saskatoon, where he went to NexGen Patch at Cairns Field for a Berries game against the Swift Current 57’s on Saturday, July 12.

He had a front-row seat for Saskatoon’s 18-2 victory over the 57’s. More than 1,900 baseball fans showed up to the game and many of them shook hands with Campbell and posed for selfies with him.

Campbell also got into some fun with the promotions crew and participated in a Berries’ beer bat chugging competition, which he won.

The fun didn’t stop there. Campbell finished his weekend with a visit to Currie Field on Sunday, July 13 to check in on the Regina Red Sox game against the Moose Jaw Miller Express. A pair of homers and four runs batted in (RBI) from shortstop Matthew Fox helped propel the Red Sox to a 9-7 victory in that game.

The Oakville, Ontario product also made time for some media interviews during his trek through Saskatchewan. Not surprisingly, the Toronto Blue Jays – who currently sit in first place in the American League East Division – were a topic of conversation.

“Seriously, they’re so impressive. They keep winning and I’m sitting back and watching and enjoying it,” Campbell told SaskToday.

“Everybody is playing up to the level they should be playing at and that’s led to some winning baseball.”

During his 2024 visit to Alberta, Campbell discussed his motivation for coming to watch WCBL games.

“I’ve always watched from afar and tried to absorb as much of it as I can. I’m very invested in the history of the game in this country and that spans both coasts … I think it’s really important for people who watch the broadcast to understand that they don’t have to fly to Toronto to see good baseball and have a wonderful baseball experience,” said the sportscaster.

“I take great enjoyment in my spare time out of going to local baseball games … there’s a genuine sort of homespun pleasure that’s indescribable. The only way to understand it is to show up every now and then.”