Minor League Baseball average attendance this season hit its lowest level since ’12, as 14 of 15 levels within MiLB saw declines at the gate. The 160 teams within MiLB (excludes Mexican League) averaged 3,930 fans per game, down from 4,063 last year and the lowest average for MiLB since 3,921 in ’12. Only the Single-A Northwest League saw a gain this year, up just over 1%. The Triple-A Int’l League Charlotte Knights led all of MiLB with 8,974 fans per game, edging out the Indianapolis Indians (8,970), who play in the same league. Indianapolis did draw a better total attendance than Charlotte, but had one more home game. The Knights have led all of MiLB for each of the past three seasons -- corresponding to the opening of BB&T Ballpark in downtown Charlotte prior to the start of the ’14 season.
|
LEAGUE
|
LEVEL
|
TEAMS
|
DATES
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
'15 DATES
|
|
Int'l
|
AAA
|
14
|
969
|
6,765,909
|
6,982
|
7,133
|
-2.1%
|
976
|
|
Pacific Coast
|
AAA
|
16
|
1,103
|
7,063,852
|
6,404
|
6,508
|
-1.6%
|
1,111
|
|
Texas
|
AA
|
8
|
541
|
2,699,623
|
4,990
|
5,181
|
-3.7%
|
539
|
|
Eastern*
|
AA
|
12
|
804
|
3,424,513
|
4,259
|
4,580
|
-7.0%
|
821
|
|
Midwest
|
A
|
16
|
1,075
|
4,153,067
|
3,863
|
3,924
|
-1.6%
|
1,079
|
|
Northwest
|
A
|
8
|
298
|
1,049,642
|
3,522
|
3,481
|
1.2%
|
302
|
|
Carolina
|
A
|
8
|
519
|
1,826,733
|
3,520
|
3,701
|
-4.9%
|
526
|
|
Southern
|
AA
|
10
|
670
|
2,325,870
|
3,471
|
3,605
|
-3.7%
|
656
|
|
South Atlantic
|
A
|
14
|
928
|
3,046,337
|
3,283
|
3,297
|
-0.4%
|
926
|
|
New York-Penn
|
A
|
14
|
508
|
1,482,859
|
2,919
|
3,119
|
-6.4%
|
510
|
|
California
|
A
|
10
|
695
|
1,499,852
|
2,158
|
2,241
|
-3.7%
|
692
|
|
Pioneer
|
Rookie
|
8
|
293
|
616,686
|
2,105
|
2,185
|
-3.7%
|
290
|
|
Florida State
|
A
|
12
|
782
|
1,056,800
|
1,351
|
1,511
|
-10.6%
|
776
|
|
Appalachian
|
Rookie
|
10
|
317
|
333,412
|
1,052
|
1,089
|
-3.4%
|
319
|
|
MiLB TOTALS
|
160
|
9,502
|
37,345,155
|
3,930
|
4,063
|
-3.3%
|
9,523
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTE: * = The Hartford Yard Goats began play in the Eastern League in '16, but played all 59 "home" games on the road due to construction delays at its new $71.7M Dunkin' Donuts Park.
SUNSHINE STATE? The Single-A Florida State League once again had the sharpest drop (-11%) among all MiLB levels. The 12-team league averaged 1,351 fans per game, marking its lowest figure since ’08. The league has now seen declines for three straight seasons and is down 16% since averaging 1,606 fans in ’13.The FSL could see a boost if Tim Tebow ends up playing for an extended period with the St. Lucie Mets.
COMING & GOING: The Single-A South Atlantic League Columbia Fireflies averaged 3,785 fans per game during the club’s first season in South Carolina, up big from the last season in Savannah in ’15 (1,962 fans per game). The Yard Goats were supposed to see a nice attendance spike after moving from New Britain to a new ballpark, but the team ended up playing away from Hartford for the entire season due to ballpark construction issues. Meanwhile, the Single-A California League is losing two of its 10 teams, as the Bakersfield Blaze and High Desert Mavericks are folding. One of the teams will be picked up by Kinston, N.C., and play in the Single-A Carolina League starting next season. Fayetteville, N.C., is expected to pick up the other team, but will not start play until a later season.
