MLB's overall average March-April crowd is virtually flat this season at 26,560, less than a 1% drop from '18GETTY IMAGES
MLB's attendance problems are "not going away, as a significant dip" in '18 has "endured into the new season -- even with better weather and a boost from some big-name stars on the move," according to Gabe Lacques of USA TODAY. Twelve MLB clubs "will draw fewer fans in March-April than they did in a similar period last year -- with seven of those teams seeing double-digit percentage dips," led by the Blue Jays’ 33% drop-off. The average MLB team's average March-April crowd is "virtually flat -- 26,560, compared to 26,859, a drop of less than 1%." However, that baseline comes after the '18 season "saw a 4% drop in attendance across the major leagues, the largest in a decade." MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has "maintained that poor weather in the early part of the season was a significant reason for the slide." But weather is "far less of a factor this season, and perhaps a signal that those attendance losses will endure." The "most startling loss" comes in S.F. Bound for their "third straight losing season and with a concerted rebuilding effort at hand, the Giants are averaging 32,665 fans -- down 17% from an average of 39,278" in '18. Meanwhile, the Phillies after signing Bryce Harper are "averaging 37,280 fans -- a whopping 44% gain over the average of 25,811 to this point last year" (USATODAY.com, 4/30).
TROUBLE IN THE BAY: In S.F., Bruce Jenkins wrote the Giants "couldn’t have been terribly upset with the attendance figure" of 33,971 for Saturday's game against the Yankees, which was "about the same as Friday night’s crowd." However, Giants games have an "annoying element in place: overpricing." The Giants were "charging more than $100 for bleacher seats Friday night, with predictably vacant results." The price of one Club Level ticket Saturday had a "shocking" price tag of $243 (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/29).
