The Royals "drew the second-most fans in franchise history" in '16 after winning the World Series last year, but their "overall attendance decreased by 5%" from a record set in '15, according to Rustin Dodd of the K.C. STAR. The Royals finished the year with an attendance of 2,557,622 -- slightly more than 150,000 below last season. That made them "just the fourth defending World Series champion in the last 20 years to see their attendance decrease the following season." However, the Royals received a "sizable bump after making the World Series" in '14. The performance on the field may also have "played a role." The Royals fell seven games under .500 after a "miserable July, which momentarily knocked them out of the playoff race" (K.C. STAR, 10/3). Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Derrick Goold notes the Cardinals "completed the season with their 19th sellout of their 81 home dates, and for the 13th consecutive season topped 3 million tickets sold." The total of 3,444,490 surpassed the target of 3.4 million and is the "fifth-highest in club history." However it is down from the past two seasons (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/3).
HOW ABOUT THAT? MLB ended the ’16 regular season with a total attendance of 73.16 million, down 0.8% and the third decline at the gate in the last four seasons. However, the total extends a run in which the sport’s 13 best-attended seasons have occurred in the last 13 years. Each of the last eight seasons have stayed within a range of 73-75 million. The Dodgers again led individual clubs in attendance, pacing the league for a fourth straight year with a total of 3.70 million, while the Rays again ranked last with a total of 1.29 million. The Blue Jays posted the largest increase en route to a total of 3.39 million, the club’s largest draw since ’90 and ending a run in which the Yankees had led the AL in attendance each year since ’03. The Reds had the largest decrease this season, falling to 1.89 million as it finished last in the NL Central. The team also did not have the All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park as a sales tool, as it did in '15. Twelve clubs topped 2.5 million in home attendance, down from 14 last year but even with the ’14 season. Seven clubs topped 3 million, up from five last year. The Blue Jays and Cubs this year joined a group that includes the Dodgers, Cardinals, Giants, Yankees and Angels. The MLB attendance decline follows a 2.8% drop for Minor League Baseball this season (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
