World Baseball Classic Sets Attendance Record, Expects To Draw 1 Million Fans

The 2017 World Baseball Classic "set an all-time event attendance record through the second round and is expected to draw more than 1 million fans for the first time," according to Cash Kruth of MLB.com. The '17 Classic has "already drawn 976,828 fans, surpassing the previous tournament attendance record of 885,212," set in '13. That is a 24% increase from '13 through two rounds, with three games still to be played. The '17 second round drew 354,977, "making it the most-attended second round in the tournament's history." The Tokyo pool drew a total of 209,072, "breaking the record for the most-attended pool in tournament history." Saturday's game between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic in San Diego drew a sold-out crowd of 43,002 to Petco Park, "marking the largest attendance" for a WBC "second-round game held in the U.S." The WBC runs through Wednesday (MLB.com, 3/20).