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SBD/Issue 139/MLB Season Preview
MLB Spring Training Average Attendance Down From '08 Figures
Published April 7, 2009
With MLB Spring Training extended this season, both the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues set records for total attendance, but average attendance was off from their respective '08 marks. The Grapefruit League saw average attendance drop 7.0%, and the only teams seeing year-over-year gains were last year's World Series participants, the Phillies and Rays. The Rays moved their Spring Training from St. Petersburg to a renovated facility in Port Charlotte for '09, and attendance jumped 30.4% for 11 home games. The Phillies saw a 1.9% bump on the heels of their World Series championship. The Tigers, Mets, Pirates and Orioles all saw double-digit drops this spring. Cactus League teams averaged 6,509 fans per game, off 12.5% this season. The White Sox, who moved Spring Training from Tucson to a new facility in Glendale, were the only team to see a bump this year (+9.4%). The Giants, Mariners, D'Backs, Royals, Angels, A's, Rangers, Brewers and Padres all saw double-digit declines from a year ago. The Dodgers, in their first season in Arizona, finished second in the league in average attendance behind the Cubs. All attendance numbers below reflect games played among MLB clubs, and do not include any exhibition games played against WBC teams, college teams, minor league affiliates or any Spring Training games played at the teams' respective regular-season venues (THE DAILY).
|
GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING ATTENDANCE
|
|||||||
|
TEAM
|
CITY
|
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
'08 GMS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yankees
|
Tampa
|
16
|
168,905
|
10,557
|
10,731
|
-1.6%
|
13
|
|
Phillies
|
Clearwater
|
16
|
133,620
|
8,351
|
8,194
|
1.9%
|
14
|
| Braves | Lake Buena Vista |
16
|
133,013
|
8,313
|
9,024
|
-7.9%
|
15
|
| Red Sox | Ft. Myers |
15
|
117,831
|
7,855
|
7,899
|
-0.6%
|
11
|
| Twins | Ft. Myers |
17
|
122,555
|
7,209
|
7,808
|
-7.7%
|
16
|
| Tigers | Lakeland |
16
|
110,131
|
6,883
|
7,718
|
-10.8%
|
16
|
| Rays* | Port Charlotte |
15
|
97,692
|
6,513
|
4,996
|
30.4%
|
11
|
| Cardinals | Jupiter |
18
|
101,740
|
5,652
|
6,257
|
-9.7%
|
14
|
| Reds | Sarasota |
15
|
77,756
|
5,184
|
5,318
|
-2.5%
|
17
|
| Mets | Port St. Lucie |
16
|
82,017
|
5,126
|
6,121
|
-16.3%
|
16
|
| Pirates | Bradenton |
19
|
87,206
|
4,590
|
5,404
|
-15.1%
|
15
|
| Orioles | Ft. Lauderdale |
16
|
73,415
|
4,588
|
5,312
|
-13.6%
|
14
|
| Blue Jays | Dunedin |
16
|
68,674
|
4,292
|
4,603
|
-6.8%
|
14
|
| Marlins^ | Jupiter |
17
|
69,715
|
4,101
|
7,061
|
n/a
|
18
|
| Nationals | Viera |
14
|
53,853
|
3,847
|
4,157
|
-7.5%
|
13
|
| Astros | Kissimmee |
17
|
62,326
|
3,666
|
4,068
|
-9.9%
|
15
|
| Dodgers** | Vero Beach |
---
|
---
|
---
|
6,604
|
---
|
11
|
| Indians*** | Winter Haven |
---
|
---
|
---
|
5,826
|
---
|
15
|
|
LEAGUE TOTALS
|
259
|
1,560,449
|
6,025
|
6,478
|
-7.0%
|
258
|
|
NOTES: * = Rays moved from Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg to Port Charlotte following '08 Spring Training. ^ = Marlins attendance for '08 includes two games played at Dolphin Stadium against the Yankees, each of which averaged 30,000+ fans. ** = Dodgers moved from Vero Beach to Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. '08 average includes only games played in Florida. *** = Indians moved from Winter Haven to Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona.
|
CACTUS LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING ATTENDANCE
|
|||||||
|
TEAM
|
CITY
|
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
'08 GMS
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cubs
|
Mesa
|
18
|
196,514
|
10,917
|
12,085
|
-9.7%
|
15
|
| Dodgers* | Glendale |
14
|
131,134
|
9,367
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
| Giants | Scottsdale |
20
|
171,403
|
8,570
|
9,929
|
-13.7%
|
15
|
| Mariners | Peoria |
17
|
120,924
|
7,113
|
9,010
|
-21.1%
|
15
|
| D'Backs | Tucson |
17
|
111,874
|
6,581
|
7,393
|
-11.0%
|
15
|
| White Sox*** | Glendale |
14
|
89,157
|
6,368
|
5,820
|
9.4%
|
15
|
| Royals | Surprise |
17
|
96,798
|
5,694
|
6,394
|
-10.9%
|
13
|
| Angels | Tempe |
18
|
99,530
|
5,529
|
7,387
|
-25.1%
|
16
|
| A's | Phoenix |
17
|
93,663
|
5,510
|
6,217
|
-11.4%
|
12
|
| Indians** | Goodyear |
18
|
96,867
|
5,382
|
---
|
---
|
---
|
| Rangers | Surprise |
17
|
86,249
|
5,073
|
6,874
|
-26.2%
|
15
|
| Brewers | Phoenix |
16
|
80,662
|
5,041
|
5,900
|
-14.6%
|
15
|
| Rockies | Tucson |
15
|
72,934
|
4,862
|
5,182
|
-6.2%
|
14
|
| Padres | Peoria |
16
|
75,351
|
4,709
|
6,804
|
-30.8%
|
14
|
| Dodgers* | Phoenix |
---
|
---
|
---
|
8,635
|
---
|
2
|
|
LEAGUE TOTALS
|
234
|
1,523,060
|
6,509
|
7,436
|
-12.5%
|
176
|
|
NOTES: * = Dodgers moved from Vero Beach to Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. Team also played two home games in Phoenix last year. ** = Indians moved following '08 Spring Training from Winter Haven, Florida to Goodyear Ballpark. *** = Previously played at Tucson Electric Park.
