May 11, 2004
Attendance Report
It was a year ago (not by day, but by point in the season) that I started putting up daily attendance reports, as MLB stopped publishing the data. My guess is they are making it available this year:
| Attendance, through same period |
2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
| Games | 458 | 444 | 438
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| Attendance | 28960 | 25198 | 26416 |
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Even Bud Selig could be happy about that. So I guess all the folks who have been complaining about the latest scandal destroying baseball are wrong again. You can't destroy this game, it's too good.
So what's bringing the fans to the park? First I think it was the great set of playoffs at the end of last season. That captured back a lot of people. Secondly, it was the movement of free agents. The Tigers got Pudge, lets go buy tickets! The Orioles have Javy, lets go buy tickets! Then there was the A-Rod trade and all the excitement that created all winter. Let's go buy tickets and boo A-Rod! People who complain that free agency has caused teams to fall apart must also recognize that stars moving from city to city also has a positive attendance effect on the acquiring team. And finally, the weather has been real nice in the northeast compared to last year.
It's good to see people coming back to the ballparks. With luck, MLB can build on this to make the game even more popular.
Posted by David Pinto at
01:18 PM
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Attendance
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Hmmm, that's funny, Bud got all the blame last year, yet none of the credit.
I'll take Having It Both Ways for $400, Alex.
The economy is better and the game is in the opening stages of a rebirth. Most folsk just won't see it for a while.
The weather and the new park openings also played a role, of course. But I doubt many Pirates fans bought tiks in '04 because of the playoffs in '03
You hear a lot of negative comments about baseball these days and the players being overpaid but it isn't being reflected in the turnstiles. To me there is still nothing in sports like the sound of a bat hitting a ball and watching that ball leave the park. Would like to know how much money comes in during one game between tickets, souvenirs and food and parking at Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium. One thing for sure when there are over 40,000 at a game they are not all sitting in the cheap seats. Baseball is still the best buy as I know an adult can sit in the bleachers at Ameriquest Park in Houston for $5...would like to see any pro football or basketball game match that price.
This is good weather for the east coast? It seems like a ton of Yanks/BoSox/O's games are being rained out.
Everyone should live in California, and then we wouldn't have these problems. :)
You can't destroy this game, it's too good.
Ha ha! If two people playing catch and the rest standing around and scratching their balls is your idea of a good game, than I feel for you.
