Minor League Baseball during the '15 season saw a slight uptick in average attendance, with 160 teams averaging 4,063 fans per game. That average, which excludes the Mexican League, is up from 4,044 fans last year and 3,999 fans in '13. Attendance was helped this season by a 3.5% jump for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, which played more games than any other level. The PCL's average of 6,508 fans per game was its best since '10. Also seeing a slight gain was the 16-team Single-A Midwest League, which also posted its best figure since '10.
TOP TEAMS: The Triple-A Int'l League Charlotte Knights once again led all clubs in their second season at BB&T Ballpark. The team's average of 9,428 fans was ahead of 9,338 for the second place team, the Triple-A PCL Sacramento River Cats. The Midwest League Dayton Dragons were again the only Single-A club in the top 10. The club extended its sellout streak at Fifth Third Field to 1,121 games, and now has finished in the top 10 of MiLB attendance in each of its 16 seasons. Also seeing new attendance marks this season were the Single-A Carolina League Myrtle Beach Pelicans, whose attendance was the best in the club's 17 years of existence. The Midwest League South Bend Cubs also set a new record this season.
LAST CALL: A couple of teams played their final seasons in their respective markets in '15. The Double-A Eastern League New Britain Rock Cats wrapped up with an average of 4,051 fans, down 9% from '14. The team will move within Connecticut for '16 to become the Hartford Yard Goats. Meanwhile, the Single-A South Atlantic League Savannah Sand Gnats played their final season before an average of 1,962 fans, down 5% from '14. The team will move from Georgia to South Carolina for next season, becoming the Columbia Fireflies.
|
LEAGUE
|
LEVEL
|
TEAMS
|
DATES
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
'14
DATES
|
|
Int'l
|
AAA
|
14
|
976
|
6,961,610
|
7,133
|
7,269
|
-1.9%
|
966
|
|
Pacific Coast
|
AAA
|
16
|
1,111
|
7,230,514
|
6,508
|
6,285
|
3.5%
|
1,114
|
|
Texas
|
AA
|
8
|
539
|
2,792,526
|
5,181
|
5,251
|
-1.3%
|
541
|
|
Eastern
|
AA
|
12
|
821
|
3,760,165
|
4,580
|
4,604
|
-0.5%
|
805
|
|
Midwest
|
Low-A
|
16
|
1,079
|
4,233,904
|
3,924
|
3,879
|
1.2%
|
1,068
|
|
Carolina
|
High-A
|
8
|
526
|
1,946,768
|
3,701
|
3,811
|
-2.9%
|
520
|
|
Southern
|
AA
|
10
|
656
|
2,364,879
|
3,605
|
3,539
|
1.9%
|
669
|
|
Northwest
|
Short-Season A
|
8
|
302
|
1,051,265
|
3,481
|
3,262
|
6.7%
|
301
|
|
South Atlantic
|
Low-A
|
14
|
926
|
3,053,433
|
3,297
|
3,236
|
1.9%
|
922
|
|
New York-Penn
|
Short-Season A
|
14
|
510
|
1,590,750
|
3,119
|
3,083
|
1.2%
|
506
|
|
California
|
High-A
|
10
|
692
|
1,551,040
|
2,241
|
2,359
|
-5.0%
|
698
|
|
Pioneer
|
Rookie
|
8
|
290
|
633,622
|
2,185
|
2,148
|
1.7%
|
290
|
|
Florida State
|
High-A
|
12
|
776
|
1,172,695
|
1,511
|
1,593
|
-5.1%
|
776
|
|
Appalachian
|
Rookie
|
10
|
319
|
347,451
|
1,089
|
988
|
10.2%
|
324
|
|
MiLB TOTALS
|
160
|
9,523
|
38,690,622
|
4,063
|
4,044
|
0.5%
|
9,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
