Spring training attendance down at Arizona sites **UH-OH**

[cboy4]

Could be a sign of things to come this year in MLB? ... Too bad there's no Barry Bonds to help make the game more interesting as he would be nearing 800 homers by now.


A sparse crowd at Phoenix's Maryvale Park watches Milwaukee Brewers
first baseman Prince Fielder walk back to the dugout after striking
out in a game against the Rockies last week. Average Cactus League
attendance was down more than 1,200 after 11 days of games.



By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Derrick Hall, CEO and president of the Arizona Diamondbacks, couldn't believe what he was hearing or seeing last week.

He was at HoHoKam Park, spring training home of the Chicago Cubs, and instead of the sound of Cubs fans, there were loud roars for the Diamondbacks.

"We're beating the Cubs, and the place is erupting," Hall says. "It was so strange. I know we're in our home state, but during spring training, you usually can't get a ticket in Mesa, and they're all Cubs fans. This time, the place wasn't sold out, and the majority were Diamondback fans.

"That just showed me how the economy is keeping people from traveling here from Chicago."

The San Francisco Giants had a similar experience in their spring opener in Scottsdale. They were anticipating a sellout crowd for their Feb. 26 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but instead, the place was half-empty, with an announced crowd of 5,803.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/spring/2009-03-08-arizona-spring-training-attendance_N.htm

The recession has hit hard in the Phoenix area, and exhibition games in Arizona haven't been immune. Through the first 11 days of exhibitions, average attendance was 4,472, down from 5,719 at a similar point in 2008.

[Upton]

1. One thing about Bonds

he brought the crowds out, even if it was just to boo...MLB sure could use him now.

Those spring training numbers don't bode well, everything points to a significant reduction in attendance ...which will further affect the free agent market next year too.

[TZ]

2. Hmm I don't think MLB thinks so.

Even the lowly Nats who had attendence issues last year made it clear that they have no interest in Bonds.
Its the economy stupid. Trust me, no one is gonna spend their hard earned cash to go boo someone now...:eyes:

[Upton]

3. The only reason

nobody has showed an interest in Bonds the last 2 years, is because of the trumped up perjury charges hanging over his head...and while his presence might not make up for all the expected drops in attendance, he would be a help at a time when baseball needs a larger than life figure such as Barry.

[nickgutierrez]

4. Sure, Barry Bonds > recession.

Babe Ruth in his prime could come back from the dead, and attendance would still be way down. Baseball is going to be hit harder than any other sport on a game-by-game basis, simply because there are so many games. I haven't done any research on this, but I'd bet NBA attendance is down this year, too.

[cboy4]

7. Believe me, if Bonds was pushing 800 HR's, people would

be lined up around the block to see him, and his home run king swing.

[TZ]

11. Thats right. People would ignore losing their jobs and having their houses

forclosed on to go see Barry FUCKING Bonds! Geezus. Do you not get that people are hurting and AREN'T gonna be spending money on a ballgame?!

[madinmaryland]

5. As Bill Clinton would say: ITS THE ECONOMY STUPID!

Regardless of how many games BB could have played over the last two years, he would have effected only 324 (at most) of all of the 2,430 regular season games played.

Sometimes you can be utterly stupid beyond belief.

[cboy4]

6. Says the person who's never heard of the mantra, every little

bit helps.

I guess we should just pull all of the hybrids off of the road because such a small percentage of Americans drive them, ha?

You're idiotic enough to be a commentator for CNBC.

Should I buy Bear Stearns?

I didn't say Bonds would be the savior .. I said he would help draw people to the ballparks who might otherwise stay home.

:crazy:

[madinmaryland]

8. As I said, "Sometimes you can be utterly stupid beyond belief."

:eyes:

You really think an injury plagued Barry Bonds, ravaged by the usage of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, who was only the shell of his prime years in the late 90's, could have actually drawn additional crowds?? This assumption being made that there would have been no criminal charges against him.

Better yet, have Hank Aaron or even Ted Williams come back. Just thaw out Williams and put him up to face Clemens!!

:rofl:

[Upton]

9. Lets look at some facts

The Giants ranked second in the NL in road attendance every year from 2001 through '04. The average crowd for a Giants road game in 2004, when Bonds hit .362 with 45 home runs, was more than 36,000.

The next year, with Bonds injured nearly the entire season, the average fell to 31,740...In other words, during that period, Bonds' presence was good for approximately an extra 4500 a game. Who's to say he wouldn't have a similar impact now?

[madinmaryland]

10. Maybe we need to put your facts into context.

Assuming that Bonds added 4,500 per game. If you average that out over all of the major league games, that would add a total of 300 fans per game. That would assume that Bonds would be capable of playing to the level of what he did in 2004, which is a highly dubious claim. I don't see how that would have much of an impact when MLB is looking at possible 20% decline in attendance according to the statistics cboy quotes.

[TZ]

12. Uh duh--we didn't have high unemployment and people losing their houses

in 2001. You cannot make the comparison. The fact is ALL sports are gonna be hurt by the economy. I'm sorry Barry does not come before feeding your family..:crazy:

[FLAprogressive]

13. I bet they're glad they've abandoned Florida for AZ. The Reds are leaving my town after this year.

:sarcasm:

[cboy4]

14. Do we want to talk about the average attendance in Florida

over the years?

Of course we don't. That's because traditionally, teams draw half of what the Giants and Cubs and others bring in.

I pay attention to that, and some teams in Florida are lucky to draw 5,500 for a weekend game.

So don't get too cocky.

The Cubs and Giants often draw more during the spring than the Marlins and Rays do during the regular season.