Manfred said negative publicity surrounding teams who have gutted their rosters has hurt attendanceGETTY IMAGES
This MLB season could "mark the first time" since '03 that the league's attendance average "drops below 30,000 per game," according to Peter Botte of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that, in addition to early season weather issues, "'negative publicity' surrounding several teams who have gutted their rosters in rebuilding scenarios also has 'played a part' in the sinking numbers of paying customers in those cities." Teams tanking is the "far more complex, pressing and disturbing issue that needs to be addressed" more than the abnormally cold and rainy weather in April and much of May. On the field, there has never been "such a disparity in the competitive balance MLB always claims to be seeking," with four teams on pace to win more than 100 games and four teams "on pace to lose in the triple digits." That "doesn't even factor in baseball's ongoing issues with pace of play, the proliferation of strikeouts and the increased cost of taking a family of four to the ballpark, now well over $200 on average." In all, 18 of the 30 MLB teams have "posted a drop in home attendance this season" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/20).
COMPETITION NEEDED: In St. Louis, Ben Frederickson notes many factors "contribute to the rise and fall of attendance numbers," but there "can't be a bigger one than non-competitive and flat-out tanking teams." Frederickson: "Too many teams have become too easy to tune out." Until MLB "finds a way to reward competitive teams, or punish ones that don't mind losing, there will be clubs that repel fans at home and on the road" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/20). MLB Network's Greg Amsinger said there are teams that are "so noncompetitive right now that it kind of explains why some clubs' and organizations' attendance might be down a little bit." MLB Network's Tom Verducci added, "A lot of them went into the season with those expectations, 'We're rebuilding, we're not really competitive.' It has an effect on attendance." Amsinger: "It's the attendance of the teams they play. It's not just how it affects them as they rebuild, but when they go on the road, attendance is affected because they've arrived to play a competitive team." MLB Network's Harold Reynolds said, "You're not going to watch them. That's what's happening." Amsinger: "It's a trickle-down effect" ("MLB Tonight," MLB Network, 6/18).
O'S WOES CONTINUE: In Baltimore, Amanda Yeager reported attendance at Orioles games is down 25.7% this season, "one of the largest declines" in the MLB. The Orioles -- who have the worst record in baseball at 20-51 -- "average 20,635 people per game, less than half" of Camden Yards' 45,971-seat capacity. The stands at last Sunday's Father's Day game -- which "traditionally draws a healthy crowd -- were noticeably sparse" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/19).
