For the third consecutive year, Florida Spring Training Baseball surpassed the 1.6 million mark in total attendance as 1,677,858 fans watched the 18 Florida Grapefruit League teams in 17 locations around the Sunshine State during the month of March.  Per game attendance at the 259 games established a new record with an average attendance of 6,478 fans per game.

The total attendance was compiled from daily box scores by the Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion and development organization of the State of Florida, and verified by each team.

The new average per game attendance topped the previous mark of 6,244 fans per game during the 2005 season.  Florida Spring Training Baseball experienced only eight rain out games this season.  The total number of games was also less during the 2008 season due to the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles not playing a full month of games in Fort Myers and Vero Beach, respectively.  The Red Sox traveled to Japan for games and the Dodgers played games on the west coast.

Seven teams established new total attendance records and new per game attendance records.  Six teams surpassed the 100,000 mark as the New York Yankees led the way with 139,497 fans attending games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.  The Yankees, which officially changed the name of the field to honor owner George Steinbrenner at their final home spring training game of 2008, also led the Grapefruit League with an average of 10,731 fans attending 15 games, a new team record.

Teams with new total attendance marks include;
Cincinnati Reds, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota – 90,489
Cleveland Indians, Chain of Lakes Park, Winter Haven – 87,301
Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland – 123,484
Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter & Dolphin Stadium, Miami – 127,093
Houston Astros, Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee – 61,027
New York Mets, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie – 97,929
Toronto Blue Jays, Knology Park, Dunedin – 64,444

Teams establishing per game average attendance records include;
Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter & Dolphin Stadium, Miami – 7,061

Los Angeles Dodgers, Holman Stadium, Vero Beach – 6,404
Minnesota Twins, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers – 7,808
New York Yankees, Steinbrenner Field, Tampa – 10,731
Philadelphia Phillies, Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater – 8,194
Pittsburgh Pirates, McKechnie Field, Bradenton – 5,404
Tampa Bay Rays, Progress Energy Park at Al Lang Field, St. Petersburg – 4,996

“Baseball is the nation’s pastime, and we are honored to host Florida Spring Training Baseball in the Sunshine State,” said Governor Charlie Crist.  “Each year we welcome the teams and their fans to Florida.  It’s a time of year that is cherished by fans of all ages and from all parts of the United States.”

Governor Crist hosted the 2008 Governor’s Baseball Dinner on February 26 at the Tropicana Dome in St. Petersburg to kick off the season.  During the 2008 Florida Legislative session, he welcomed Major League Baseball Hall of Famers Jim Palmer and Reggie Jackson to Tallahassee on March 26 to recognize Florida Spring Training Baseball before the Florida House of Representatives and Senate.

Other Florida Spring Training attendance notes:

The Florida Marlins attendance totals include two games played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami against the New York Yankees.  Each game drew more than 30,000 fans.

The Cleveland Indians total attendance record topped the previous mark set in 1999 when the Indians played 16 games at Chain of Lakes Park.  The record was set in 2008 in 15 games.

The Atlanta Braves had four games with better than 10,000 attendance at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista including the largest crowd at a Spring Training venue in 2008 when 11,606 fans saw the Braves play the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, March 20.

The Cincinnati Reds record attendance of 90,489, at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, topped the previous record set last year by more than 3,000 fans.

With expansions to their stadiums, the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees set individual game attendance records during the 2008 season.  The Tigers hosted the Cleveland Indians at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland before a record crowd of 9,781 on Sunday, March 23.  The Yankees packed Steinbrenner Stadium with a record attendance of 11,079 when they faced the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, March 21.

Jupiter’s Roger Dean Stadium, the only Florida Spring Training venue to host two teams, the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, drew a total of 152,335 fans to 30 games. 

Team by team individual attendance figures

Atlanta Braves, Champion Stadium, Disney's Wide World of Sports, Lake Buena Vista

15 games; 135,367 total attendance; 9,024 average per game

Largest crowd: 11,606 vs. Detroit Tigers, Thursday, March 20

Baltimore Orioles, Fort Lauderdale Stadium

14 games (one cancellation); 74,373 total attendance; 5,312 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,391 vs. Boston Red Sox, Friday, March 7

Boston Red Sox, City of Palms Park, Fort Myers

11 games; 86,893 total attendance; 7,899 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,048 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, March 13

Cincinnati Reds, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota

17 games; 90,489 total attendance; 5,318 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,564 vs. Detroit Tigers, Monday, March 17

Cleveland Indians, Chain of Lakes Park, Winter Haven

15 games; 87,301 total attendance; 5,826 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,826 vs. New York Yankees, Tuesday, March 25

Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland

16 games; 123,484 total attendance; 7,718 average per game

Largest crowd: 9,781 vs. Cleveland Indians, Sunday, March 23

Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

18 games; 127,093 total attendance; 7,061 average per game

Largest crowd: 32,229 vs. New York Yankees (at Dolphin Stadium), Saturday, March 29

Houston Astros, Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee

15 games (one cancellation); 61,027 total attendance; 4,068 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,726 vs. New York Mets, Sunday, March 16

Los Angeles Dodgers, Holman Stadium, Vero Beach

11 games; 72,649 total attendance; 6,604 average per game

Largest crowd: 9,293 vs. Boston Red Sox, Sunday, March 9

Minnesota Twins, William Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers

16 games; 124,934 total attendance; 7,808 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,207 vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, March 21

New York Mets, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie

16 games; 97,929 total attendance; 6,121 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,353 vs. Boston Red Sox, Monday, March 10

New York Yankees, Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

13 games (one cancellation); 139,497 total attendance; 10,731 average per game

Largest crowd: 11,079 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, March 21

Philadelphia Phillies, Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater

14 games (one cancellation); 114,715 total attendance; 8,194 average per game

Largest crowd: 10,178 vs. Minnesota Twins, Saturday, March 15

Pittsburgh Pirates, McKechnie Field, Bradenton

15 games (one cancellation); 81,067 total attendance; 5,404 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,106 vs. Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, March 26

St. Louis Cardinals, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

14 games; 87,596 total attendance; 6,257 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,798 vs. Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March 16

Tampa Bay Rays, Progress Energy Field at Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg

11 games (two cancellations); 54,960 total attendance; 4,996 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,759 vs. Cincinnati Reds, Friday, March 28

Toronto Blue Jays, Knology Park, Dunedin

14 games; 64,444 total attendance; 4,603 average per game

Largest crowd: 5,510, three occasions

Washington Nationals, Space Coast Stadium, Viera

13 games (one cancellation); 54,040 total attendance; 4,157 average per game

Largest crowd: 5,914 vs. Florida Marlins, Sunday, March 2

Florida Spring Training Totals

259 games; 1,677,858 total attendance; 6,478 average per game

See each team's page on this web site for year-by-year totals by team.