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SBD/Issue 14/The Back of the Book
MLB Regular-Season Attendance Just Shy Of Last Year's Record
Published October 1, 2008
MLB finished the '08 regular season with an aggregate attendance of 78.6 million, 0.7% behind last year and the second-best mark in league history. Seven clubs -- the Yankees, Mets, Tigers, Red Sox, Brewers, Phillies and Cubs -- set team marks, but initial league goals of surpassing 80 million this season were thwarted by the declining U.S. economy and wet weather in many parts of the country -- elements that each cut into single-game advance and walk-up ticket sales. The 30 teams were evenly split between those gaining attendance from last year and those losing. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said, "Given the economy and the weather this year, the numbers we were able to do this year are absolutely remarkable. You look at our numbers, and the record that was again set in the [affiliated] minor leagues, and there’s no question the interest in our game remains more than healthy" (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal). The following chart presents MLB team-by-team attendance for the '08 season, with comparisons to last year (THE DAILY).
|
HOME TEAM
|
DATES
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
DATES
('07) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yankees
|
81
|
4,298,655
|
53,070
|
93.2%
|
52,729
|
0.6%
|
81
|
|
Mets
|
79
|
4,042,045
|
51,165
|
89.2%
|
47,579
|
7.5%
|
81
|
|
Dodgers
|
81
|
3,730,553
|
46,056
|
82.2%
|
47,618
|
-3.3%
|
81
|
|
Cardinals
|
81
|
3,432,917
|
42,382
|
96.4%
|
43,854
|
-3.4%
|
81
|
| Phillies |
81
|
3,422,583
|
42,254
|
96.8%
|
38,374
|
10.1%
|
81
|
| Angels |
81
|
3,336,747
|
41,194
|
91.0%
|
41,551
|
-0.9%
|
81
|
| Cubs |
81
|
3,300,200
|
40,743
|
99.0%
|
40,154
|
1.5%
|
81
|
| Tigers |
81
|
3,202,654
|
39,539
|
94.6%
|
37,619
|
5.1%
|
81
|
| Brewers |
81
|
3,068,458
|
37,882
|
90.4%
|
35,422
|
6.9%
|
81
|
| Red Sox |
81
|
3,048,250
|
37,633
|
100.9%
|
36,676
|
2.6%
|
81
|
| Giants |
81
|
2,863,837
|
35,356
|
84.4%
|
39,793
|
-11.2%
|
81
|
| Astros (a) |
80
|
2,779,487
|
34,744
|
84.6%
|
37,289
|
-6.8%
|
81
|
| Rockies |
80
|
2,650,218
|
33,128
|
65.7%
|
28,979
|
14.3%
|
82
|
| Braves |
81
|
2,532,834
|
31,270
|
62.9%
|
33,891
|
-7.7%
|
81
|
| D'Backs |
81
|
2,509,924
|
30,987
|
63.2%
|
28,707
|
7.9%
|
81
|
| White Sox |
81
|
2,500,648
|
30,872
|
76.0%
|
33,141
|
-6.8%
|
81
|
| Padres |
81
|
2,427,535
|
29,970
|
70.2%
|
34,445
|
-13.0%
|
81
|
| Blue Jays |
81
|
2,399,786
|
29,627
|
59.8%
|
29,144
|
1.7%
|
81
|
| Nationals |
80
|
2,320,400
|
29,005
|
69.2%
|
24,217
|
19.8%
|
81
|
| Mariners |
81
|
2,329,702
|
28,762
|
60.6%
|
32,993
|
-12.8%
|
81
|
| Twins |
81
|
2,302,431
|
28,425
|
61.0%
|
28,350
|
0.3%
|
81
|
| Indians |
80
|
2,169,760
|
27,122
|
62.5%
|
28,449
|
-4.7%
|
80
|
| Reds |
81
|
2,058,632
|
25,415
|
60.1%
|
25,415
|
0.0%
|
81
|
| Orioles |
78
|
1,950,075
|
25,001
|
51.9%
|
27,060
|
-7.6%
|
80
|
| Rangers |
80
|
1,945,677
|
24,321
|
49.7%
|
29,796
|
-18.4%
|
79
|
| Rays (b) |
81
|
1,811,986
|
22,370
|
63.8%
|
17,131
|
30.6%
|
81
|
| A's (c) |
81
|
1,665,256
|
20,559
|
58.6%
|
23,726
|
-13.3%
|
81
|
| Pirates |
80
|
1,609,076
|
20,113
|
52.4%
|
22,141
|
-9.2%
|
79
|
| Royals |
79
|
1,578,922
|
19,986
|
52.6%
|
19,961
|
0.1%
|
81
|
| Marlins |
80
|
1,335,076
|
16,688
|
43.3%
|
16,920
|
-1.4%
|
81
|
| MLB TOTALS |
2,416
|
78,624,324
|
32,543
|
73.2%
|
32,785
|
-0.7%
|
2,425
|
NOTES: MLB's official total attendance is listed at 78,614,880. (a) = Includes two designated Astros home games vs. Chicago played in Milwaukee in September (posted att.: 23,441; 15,158). (b) = Includes three designated Rays home games vs. Toronto played in Orlando in April (posted att.: 20,038; 39,872; 26,071). (c) = Includes two season-opening designated A’s home games vs. Boston played in Japan (posted att.: 44,628; 44,735)
