Truist Field in Charlotte saw a drop in 1st half attendance, but execs are attributing some of that to weather and rain-outsGetty Images
The Triple-A Int'l League Charlotte Knights have “increased revenue through the first half of this season compared with 2022” despite a “4% dip in average attendance,” according to Erik Spanberg of the CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL. Knights COO Dan Rajkowski attributed the “slight decline in attendance” to an “unusually rainy spring.” Spanberg notes the club “lost two of its 39 home games to rain,” and in other cases, "storms or threatening skies in the hours leading up to first pitch discouraged walk-up ticket buyers.” Through 37 home dates, the Knights have cumulative attendance of 261,481, an "average of 7,067 per game." Last season through 37 home games, those figures were 272,247 and 7,358, respectively. Still, the Knights' revenue is “up across the board,” including tickets (3%), merchandise (25%), concessions (27%) and in the children’s play area (30%). Rajkowski said that price increases were “nominal this year,” attributing the sales gains to “people continuing to be in a spending mood post-pandemic.” Spanberg noted the team “expected a jump in merchandise sales” as they "switched colors and updated the Knights logo ahead of the 2023 season." Rajkowski noted that the 25% gain is for “game-day sales alone;” adding that when all sales are tallied by the end of the year, he “anticipates the team will come close to doubling souvenir revenue over 2022” (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/3).
