MLB Games Experiencing Major Attendence Drops
America’s pastime may have moved well past its prime. Sure, Major League Baseball is all over television, with regional network deals that bring just about every game into every wired home.
But the games are not bringing people to the ballpark. And this is a continuing problem.
USA Today Sports examined the sport’s attendance through March and April – essentially the first month of the season, given the early appearance this year of Opening Day, and found 12 of 30 teams with lower attendance than at the comparable time in 2018. Last year’s early part of the season saw poor attendance because of bad weather in so much of the country’s northern tier.
It has been obvious to anyone tuning in on a TV that the only thing in the stands is the stands. The Miami Marlins drew more than 10,000 fans in only two of their first 10 home games, including one with fewer than 6,000. Empty seats don’t eat hot dogs, drink soft drinks or beer, buy hats or pay to park.
USA Today Sports notes that attendance overall is only off minimally, but has not rebounded since last year’s 4 percent drop. And the trouble spots – Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Miami, Tampa Bay – are clearly a drag.
Some teams brought this on themselves. The Orioles are terrible, have been for several years, have an unpopular owner and the Washington Nationals just down the road. The Reds? Five straight last-place finishes. The Pirates? Cheap owner, a little talent, three straight playoff misses.
MLB itself can share the blame. Games average more than three hours and the in-game delays for pitching changes are endless. When the sport reaches its apex with the World Series, TV dictates late starts (for the East Coast) that keep kids – the future fans – from seeing more than a few innings. As a result, baseball has the oldest fan base of the major sports.
Think about it for just a minute. When is the last time you attended a major league game? Hard to remember, isn’t it?
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman
-
The Bears got Claypool in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers cut a deal...
-
Belichick has cycled through several players in search of the right one. Recently, the New England Patriots have been...
-
The field needs new posts after overzealous fans dumped the old ones in the river. Over the weekend, the...
-
Hutchinson grew up idolizing the Patriots and Tom Brady. This Sunday, the Detroit Lions are scheduled to take on...
-
Judge has broken Babe Ruth’s record and tied with Roger Maris. Last week, New York Yankees center fielder and...
-
Judge is one homer away from beating the Bambino’s record. Babe Ruth, AKA The Great Bambino, AKA The Sultan...
-
Trout is one homer off from an MLB record. Last night, the Los Angeles Angels played the Cleveland Guardians....
-
Jones spoke about the new offense at their training camp. The New England Patriots are currently in the midst...
-
A fight broke out on the last day of joint practice. Thursday was the last day of joint practice...
-
Donaldson clinched the game for his team in extra innings. Wednesday night saw a major nail-biter game between the...
-
The Yankees have landed two impressive players from the Oakland Athletics. The New York Yankees, superstars of the American...
-
NFL+ offers game coverage for $4.99 a month. Following suit with other companies and brands establishing their own streaming...