Tagged: Attendance
Attendance Analysis: A Final Look
There were many interesting moments over the course of the final season in the Metrodome, and many fans turned out to see them. In the first 81 regular season games, the total attendance ranked third all-time for the Minnesota Twins; second only to 1988 and 1992, the two years following the team’s World Series titles.
(1) 3,030,672 – 1988
(2) 2,482,428 – 1992
(3) 2,362,149 – 2009
(4) 2,302,431 – 2008
(5) 2,296,347 – 2007
(6) 2,293,842 – 1991
(7) 2,285,018 – 2006
(8) 2,277,438 – 1989
(9) 2,081,976 – 1987
(10) 2,048,673 – 1993
It would take 82 home games before the team’s fate could be decided however, and in the final Metrodome game, a regular season record, 54,088 fans showed up to take the 2009 regular season attendance total to 2,416,237 for the season.
In 2008, the team averaged a total of 28,405 fans per game. This season, in the final season indoors, the Twins averaged 29,466 fans per game, an increase of 1,405 fans per game. Overall, the team brought in 113,806 more fans in 2009 than last season to give them the third highest attendance in team history.
The average attendance around Major League Baseball in 2009 was right around 2,400,000; with an extra game the team was able to surpass that.
With an expected capacity of 39,800 at Target Field next season, the most fans the team could draw in 2010 is 3,223,000. After making the playoffs, and with 2010 being the Inaugural Season at Target Field and the 50th Season in Minnesota for the organization, next season could see historic attendance totals.
Attendance Analysis: 12 Games Remain
Through 54 home games, the Minnesota Twins were averaging 29,212 fans per game, about 3,500 more fans per game than last season at the same point. Over the past month, and a total of 15 games, the team’s pace to break last season’s attendance mark has dipped.
After 69 home games, the Twins have drawn a total of 1,985,948 fans to give them an average of 28,782 fans per game. The average is still above where the team was last season at the same point, but the margin has gone from 3,371 more fans per game after 54 home matches to only a 1,049 fans per game difference 15 home games later.
Last season the team drew just over 2,300,000 fans through the 81 games at the Metrodome. To meet that mark, the team must draw 26,171 fans per game over the final four weeks and 12 scheduled games.
To meet the league average for attendance, which is set to be on pace for about 2,400,000, the Twins must draw 34,504 fans per game in the final month. Beating last season’s mark still looks doable, but meeting the league attendance average won’t be an easy task.
With the final regular season game at the Metrodome already ruled a sellout, the Twins are assured of about 55,000 fans in one of the remaining games, and by sticking in the race, a series with Detroit and other possibly critical games could draw large crowds.
Tracking the Attendance
While most of the league has seen a decline in attendance this season, the Minnesota Twins have been one of few teams who have remained unscathed. In fact, the Twins have seen an increase in attendance from last season.
Thus far, the Twins have played a total of 54 home games and have an average attendance of 29,212 fans. Last season through 54 games at the Metrodome, the team was averaging 25,841 fans. The difference of 3,371 fans per game is quite spectacular with the economy and the downfall in attendance in most other markets.
In the last 20 home games, the Twins have drawn at least 30,000 fans to 17 of them. The three games that have not drawn 30,000 fans have drawn over 27,000 once and over 29,500 twice. In that span, there have been four 40,000-plus games and two others have been within 1,000 fans of the mark.
Overall this season the Twins have drawn 1,577,429 fans compared to a total of 1,395,409 fans to the same point in 2008. The difference is over 180,000 fans and the team still has 27 games to widen the gap.
The league average for attendance is currently on pace to be just above 2,400,000 fans at season’s end. To reach that mark, the Twins will need to draw about 30,000 fans per game over the next two months. If the team remains in the division race, that is more than doable; last season the team finished with just over 2,300,000 total fans.
Attendance Analysis will become a series updated at various points the rest of this season and in the future.
A Voice From Twins Territory 