The Pirates entering Thursday were drawing "more than 24,000 fans per game at PNC Park -- more than 1.3 million in all -- and rank in the top 20 in attendance in the major leagues for the first time in a decade," according to John Grupp of the Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW. The team this year is "just shy of the pace to hit 2 million spectators, something that's only happened three times in franchise history (1990, '91 and 2001)," but the two million mark "is reachable." The team needs "to average about 1,100 more per game than they're currently drawing over their remaining 26 home games to eclipse the mark." A team spokesperson said that sellout crowds "are likely" for Friday and Saturday games against the Padres, and a "weekend total of 105,000-plus is expected." The Pirates have only finished "in the top 20 in attendance once, in 2001, the year PNC Park opened." That year, the team "drew a franchise-record 2,435,867, or almost 31,000 per game." The Pirates have ranked "27th or 28th in the majors each of the past seven years." The Pirates this year already "have sold out 12 games and played in front of 30,000-plus fans at PNC Park 18 times" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 8/5).
BREW CREW: The Brewers announced Wednesday that they "already had sold more tickets for home games this year than were sold for the entire 2010 season." In Milwaukee, Don Walker reported the Brewers "have drawn 2,034,534 fans" through Wednesday, and they have 25 home games remaining this season. Brewers COO Rick Schlesinger said that "3 million fans was in the team's sights." Schlesinger: "I have a lot of expectations that we will get to 3 million. We are right where we need to be." The Brewers also announced that they "had set a franchise record with more than 627,000 group tickets sold this season," which breaks "the old mark of 623,622 group tickets sold in 2008, the year they made the playoffs." Schlesinger said that he "believed the Brewers ranked in the top five, and perhaps as high as third, in group sales among" MLB teams (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 8/4).
HOLES IN THE SOX: In Chicago, Mark Gonzales noted White Sox CMO and Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Brooks Boyer "hasn't given up on the season," but he "realizes the recent small crowds against the Red Sox and Yankees mean it's time for evaluation." Boyer said, "We've got to make this an attractive place to come." White Sox attendance "has dipped 65,222 from last season" through 54 home dates at U.S. Cellular Field, even though "expectations were greater this season with an increase in payroll by about $20 million." Gonzales noted Yankees and Red Sox tickets "were again in the high-priced premier category (above regular and prime) this year, possibly contributing to the smaller crowds" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/4).
RALLY CAP: SLATE.com's Neil deMause noted MLB's overall attendance "is now roughly flat year over year," but even so, there is "a good chance this will mark the fourth straight year that Major League Baseball has seen ticket sales slide after a record year" in '07. deMause: "The obvious culprit is the sinking economy. ... Yet as the economy lurches back to its feet, there are signs that the sports ticket bubble will continue to deflate. That could have far-reaching effects on ticket prices, competitive balance, and the very existence of the major pro sports leagues that aren't the NFL" (SLATE.com, 8/4).
