Attendance of NL division leaders

[NYChez]

The Braves have a paid attendance of under 17,000 last night (looking on TV, actual attendance was well under 10,000). The Reds and Padres struggle to draw much over 20,000. This is really sad. It's quite possible that a majority of NL playoff games will be played in non-soldout parks. It makes you appreciate the incredible crowds that little ol' Milwaukee continues to draw, but it makes me worry that if Brewer fans ever feel turned off by the team again (like near the end of the Selig / Prieb administration), that even winning may not draw them back.

[JohnBriggs12]

Most experts pin the real unemployment(including those who stopped looking) rate at between 15-17%. Many that are working are worried. Housing values are in the tank. There's talk of a double dip recession. I'm honestly surprised attendance has held up as well as it has.

[Invader3K]

Yeah, I've been pleasantly surprised by the attendance levels holding up for the Brewers. I think Milwaukee has shown they will support a winner, so if the team can get back on a winning track next season, I don't think they have to worry about a major attendance dip.

[jerichoholicninja]

Even when they were winning 14 straight division titles the Braves didn't draw.

[joepepsi]

Most experts pin the real unemployment(including those who stopped looking) rate at between 15-17%. Many that are working are worried.

Count my wife and I among the worried. She went from making $62,000 a year to working 15 hours a week at KMart for $7.25/hour. Her unemployment ran out months ago. Unless your between the ages of 25 and 35, have a college degree, your

chances of finding anything fulltime for over minimum wage is zero. We both wake up in the middle of the night and stare in the darkness for hours.

 

Our daughter starts her freshman year of college in 3 weeks; our son goes back for his second year in a couple days. I know lots of people going through similar struggles. Of course going to a ball game is out of the question. I'd just like to have some reason to feel good about the future.

[owbc]

One factor that is rarely considered is the location of the ballpark. Miller Park is in a perfect location that is easily accessible. The Braves have trouble drawing on weeknights due to the terrible traffic in Atlanta. Anyone who has driven through knows what I am talking about. The Braves have been drawing big crowds on weekends. They are averaging almost 31,000 per game, which is 13th in the majors.

 

The Reds are up 4,000/game over last year. The Padres are up 2,000/game. Both of those teams are just beginning the stage where they will see the biggest increases from their success. A winning team in April-May-June does not draw much increased attention. The attendance boost comes in the late summer months during the playoff race and in the following season when advance ticket sales boost attendance.

 

The Padres and Reds will sell out all their playoff games easily (IF they make it). The Braves should come close.

 

Of bigger concern are cities that used to draw big crowds but are now stuck in a perpetual losing cycle--Houston, Seattle, Arizona, Baltimore, and especially Cleveland.

[logan82]

The Braves have a paid attendance of under 17,000 last night (looking on TV, actual attendance was well under 10,000).

 

The weather in Atlanta sucked last night. They were getting the weather similar to what we had last week.