The Indians announced that Friday's game against the Royals "is sold out" following Thursday night's 3-2 win in 10 innings that extended the team's 22-game win streak, according to WKYC-NBC. Friday's game will mark the Indians' 10th sellout this year. The team noted that "'limited tickets' remain for Saturday and Sunday's games" (WKYC.com, 9/15). A total of 30,874 fans "were in attendance" for Thursday night's game (CLEVELAND19.com, 9/14). Tickets are "selling at a feverish pace for games through the weekend as the Indians continue their winning streak and close in on clinching a spot in the playoffs" (FOX8.com, 9/14). Indians GM Mike Chernoff prior to Thursday's game said the streak has created a "real buzz throughout the city." The team had not sold out any of the games at Progressive Field during the streak prior to this weekend, but Chernoff said, "There are some tough structural conditions in Cleveland that we recognize, especially as you get into the school year. ... We've really seen a lot of support over the past week as this streak has gone on" ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 9/14). USA TODAY's Gabe Lacques noted "overflow crowds at Progressive Field -- capacity just above 35,000 -- have not been part of the streak's narrative" to date. However, more wins "only figure to up the curiosity factor" (USATODAY.com, 9/14).
ATTENDANCE IS INCREASING: In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps reported the winning streak is "likely going to clinch" the team's first time in nine years to draw more than 2 million fans to Progressive Field for the year. The last time the team reached 2 million was '08, when it was coming off an ALCS appearance and the "season-ticket base was a robust 15,000." The Indians are "always going to need a strong season-ticket base to make up for three months of the season -- April, May and September -- in which they really struggle to draw even decent crowds." Since July 4, the official second-half of the Indians' season, the team has "drawn an average" of 27,584 fans for 32 home games. That includes eight sellouts and 14 "gatherings of at least 30,000." Meanwhile, the Indians have MLB's "second-best local TV ratings" on SportsTime Ohio, and the team is "pretty much guaranteed to finish in baseball's top five for the third time in four years." The winning streak has "brought the Indians' ratings average to 8.1," a 27% jump year-over-year and 1.6 "ahead of last year's norm" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 9/14). Chernoff noted the team is "probably going to end up somewhere around 22 or 23 in the league" in attendance for the season. He said, "For a relatively small city in a market that has struggled economically over time, we feel like that's a lot of positive momentum. We hope that continues to build throughout the postseason" ("Power Lunch," CNBC, 9/14).
I LOVE THE '90S: FANRAG SPORTS' Jon Heyman noted the Indians are up to 23rd in MLB for average attendance, and while that "isn't great," the team "will take it." When the Indians were "regularly selling out in the '90s ... the park was newer, Ohio's economy was stronger, LeBron James wasn't a Cavalier and the Browns were but a memory." These factors have put the Indians "in a much tougher spot" (FANRAGSPORTS.com, 9/14).
