WBC Nearing Attendance Mark Heading Into Championship Round

The World Baseball Classic has seen record crowds during the second round of games, lifting the tournament's total attendance to 788,299. The '09 tournament drew 659,554 fans through the end of the second round and a total of 801,410 overall. The second-round games this year saw a 58% increase from '09 (WBC).

The Bergen RECORD's Bob Klapisch writes, "Anyone who saw Team USA fall short (again) in the World Baseball Classic has undoubtedly figured out we’re never going to win this tournament. Not until someone actually takes it seriously, and that includes the players and managers … and Bud Selig. Especially him" (Bergen RECORD, 3/17). CBS Sports Network’s Gary Parrish said, “I never really felt the buzz about the World Baseball Classic. I just don’t know, in the middle of March Madness and the NBA season, how much this event actually matters to Americans” (“Lead Off,” CBSSN, 3/15).