Under 15,000?

[Warning Track Power]

Last night's attendance at the Brewers-Reds game was under 15,000. Really? A pennant chase in Cincinnati for the first time since the mid-90s and the fans don't show. I know it was 90 degrees and humid and its the first week of school for a lot of families but man....without doing the research, I doubt we saw anything like that in Miller Park in 2008.

Not trying to go all Cardinals fan on Reds fan, but those types of numbers should make MLB appreciate what the Brewers fans have done over the past 3 seasons all the more impressive.

[FVBrewerFan]

I was thinking the same thing watching the game. I never did see/hear what the attendance was, but I noticed how empty it was! Like you said, I know it's Monday night and back to scholl time, but man that was embarrassing.

[jeffy]

In the IGT, I believe someone had indicated that the last time the Brewers drew under 20,000 was in May of 2007.

 

On a Monday night here about a month ago the attendance for a game with the Reds was more than double what the Reds drew at home last night (32,000+). Another comparison will be coming up in Sept, it'll be interesting to see if the attendance here on Sept 20-22 is greater than this series in Cincinnati.

 

The lowly Brewers have outdrawn the Reds by about 1/3, during a season where they have been out of it almost from the beginning. Now most tickets are sold in advance, but still that was pathetic for a first place team last night. Looking back the Reds did not even have sellouts when they played St. Louis earlier this month (instead they drew just about what the Brewers are averaging):

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/te...name/cin/cincinnati-reds

[JohnBriggs12]

The unemployment rate in Ohio is 10.3%. That's the 9th highest in the nation. Neighboring Kentucky and Indiana are just as bad. That doesn't count discouraged workers who have given up looking. By contrast the rate in Wisconsin is relatively modest 7.8% Many others that are working are worried. Baseball isn't high up on their priority level.

 

Furthermore, in many areas, schools opened last week.

[jeffy]

Hmm, but that high unemployment did not keep 55,702 fans from shelling out for a meaningless pre-season football game a week and a half ago.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=300820004

[Warning Track Power]

The unemployment rate in Ohio is 10.3%. That's the 9th highest in the nation. Neighboring Kentucky and Indiana are just as bad. That doesn't count discouraged workers who have given up looking. By contrast the rate in Wisconsin is relatively modest 7.8% Many others that are working are worried. Baseball isn't high up on their priority level.

 

Furthermore, in many areas, schools opened last week.

I thought of that as well. I'd be curious to see how the Cincinnati market specifically compares with Milwaukee market specifically.

 

My point in the original post was more of a pat on the back for the amount of support Brewers fans have shown over the past 3 seasons and also amazement of the lack of support based on the amount of time it has been since the Reds were in a pennant race, regardless of hot weather, back to school time or recession.

 

[bucks2281]

The Bengals flirted with blackouts last year and all indications point to the same this year. They even had trouble selling playoff tickets. Their preseason game against Philadelphia was blacked out. I think it's a Cincinnati-wide thing.

[FVBrewerFan]

I don't buy unemployment and the economy as valid reasons. Rgardess of the unemployment rate, there are hundereds of thousands of people in the metro Cincy area who are gainfully employed. I know the economy is bad, but if you're a real fan, have a job, and can't come up with $20 then that's sad. 15,000 is pathetic.

[TooLiveBrew]

Reminds me of the Brewers' attendance down the stretch in 1992.

[ilovebeer]

the last time the Brewers had a crowd below 20000, was may 31,2007 a Thursday night, game that drew 17704, saw the brewers beat Florida on a walk off home run by Helms i believe.

[berniebrewer4life]

the last time the Brewers had a crowd below 20000, was may 31,2007 a Thursday night, game that drew 17704, saw the brewers beat Florida on a walk off home run by Helms i believe.

I was the usher in that bleacher section that game.

[ilovebeer]

I was sitting in the bleachers that night

[owbc]

It seems like we have this discussion every year. Attendance lags one year behind success. The Brewers drew a crowd of 25,000 in September 2007 despite being 0.5 games back of first place at the time.

 

Besides, there's no drama. The Reds have a huge division lead. The crowds will show up when the Reds are close to clinching.

[jeffy]

25,000 is quite a bit more that 15,000. 15,000 is not all that much higher than what the lowly Pirates have been drawing on weeknights.

 

Pirate last 3 weeknight games attendance:

 

12,393

13,302

12,686

[owbc]

Yeah, I have to admit that 15,000 is pathetic. But it doesn't necessarily mean that the Reds have bad fans. The Brewers will see under-20,000 crowds again someday.