The rebuilding Marlins are last in MLB in attendance, averaging 9,762 per game this seasonGETTY IMAGES
The Marlins are "ramping up their marketing efforts" in Miami-Dade County to grow the fan base, as the team is experiencing the "lowest attendance figures" for any MLB team in over a decade, according to Clark Spencer of the MIAMI HERALD. Marlins officials view their own "backyard" as "fertile ground" for fans. The team launched an "extensive marketing initiative that is aimed specifically" at Miami-Dade County and the surrounding communities. Marlins Senior VP/Marketing & Community Relations Elisa Padilla said, "We want everyone to rally around us the way we're rallying around the (local) neighborhoods." The Marlins this season "rank last in home attendance" with an average of 9,762 fans per game. The last MLB team to finish below 10,000 fans per home game was the '04 Expos in their "final season in Montreal." The Marlins are "headed for a ninth straight losing season, the longest drought in the majors." Building a fan base that was "never strong to begin with and has slowly eroded over time" is at the top of the team's to-do list as CEO Derek Jeter "sets about developing a 'sustainable' franchise." Padilla said the Marlins feel Miami-Dade is an "untapped" market. The team has scheduled a series of "Neighborhood Nights," which will be "involving 10 Miami communities" through the end of the season. The first "Neighborhood Night" will be held Saturday, when Doral residents can "receive ticket discounts" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/26).
