Florida Spring Training Baseball tops 1.5 million total attendance for sixth straight year

Although there were two less teams playing baseball during the 2009 Major League Baseball Spring Training season in Florida, more than 1.5 million fans attended Grapefruit League baseball games for the sixth consecutive year.  From late February to early April, a total of 1,561,873 fans watched the 16 teams comprising Florida's Grapefruit League pre-season in the Sunshine State.

 

A total of 259 games were played between Major League teams beginning February 25 through April 4 for an average of 6,030 fans per game.  Only two games were rained out in the 39 days of the 2009 Florida Spring Training season.

 

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 World Baseball Classic provided Grapefruit League teams with opposition in Florida in early March and a total of 87,127 fans watched 24 exhibition games on March 3-5.

 

The 2008 World Series participants, the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays saw significant increases in their Spring Training attendance totals as fans packed Bright House Field in Clearwater and the Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte.

 

The 2008 World Series Champion Phillies drew a record 133,620 fans in Clearwater and the American League Champion Rays drew 97,642 in Port Charlotte.  When the Phillies and Rays met in Clearwater on February 27, a total of 10,270 fans packed Bright House Field for their first matchup since the November, 2008 when the Phillies won the World Series.

 

Five teams established new total attendance records and six teams surpassed the 100,000 total attendance mark.  The New York Yankees led the way with 168,922 fans attending games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.  The Yankees also led the Grapefruit League with an average of 10,558 fans attending 16 games.

Teams with new total attendance marks include;

The Houston Astros with 62,326 fans attending 17 games at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.

The 2008 World Series Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies, drew 133,620 to Bright House Field in Clearwater, a 14% increase in total attendance from 2008.

The Pittsburgh Pirates drew 87,195 fans to 19 games at McKechnie Field in Bradenton

Dunedin Stadium hosted 68,674 fans for Toronto Blue Jays games.

The Tampa Bay Rays and Charlotte Sports Park had 97,642 fans, a 19% increase over the Rays previous record and 23% increase in per game average.
 
Governor Charlie Crist kicked off the 2009 Florida Spring Training season hosting Governor’s Baseball Dinner on February 26 at the Tropicana Dome in St. Petersburg for the second consecutive year.  The dinner was attended by Major League Baseball Commission Bud Selig and Baseball Hall of Fame legends Wade Boggs, Mike Schmidt, Al Kaline, Robin Roberts, Phil Niekro, Tony Perez and Bill Mazeroski.

 

 

Team by team individual attendance figures

 

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

16 games; 133,016 total attendance; 8,314 average per game

Largest crowd: 10,955 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, March 28

 

Baltimore Orioles, Fort Lauderdale Stadium

16 games (two cancellations); 73,415 total attendance; 4,588 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,269 vs. Boston Red Sox, Saturday, March 14

 

Boston Red Sox, City of Palms Park, Fort Myers

15 games; 117,832 total attendance; 7,855 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,279 vs. Detroit Tigers, Monday, March 23

 

Cincinnati Reds, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota

15 games; 77,758 total attendance; 5,184 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,530 vs. Boston Red Sox, Thursday, March 19

 

Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland

16 games; 111,131 tottal attendance; 6,946 average per game

Largest crowd: 9,680 vs. New York Yankees, Wednesday, March 11

 

Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

17 games; 69,726 total attendance; 4,102 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,131 vs. Boston Red Sox, Saturday, March 21

 

Houston Astros, Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee

17 games; 62,326 total attendance; 3,666 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,6,78 vs. New York Yankees, Wednesday, March 18

 

Minnesota Twins, William Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers

17 games; 122,555 total attendance; 7,209 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,027 vs. Baltimore Orioles, Monday, March 16

 

New York Mets, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie

16 games; 82,116 total attendance; 5,136 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,135 vs. Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March 22

 

New York Yankees, George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa

16 games; 168,922 total attendance; 10,558 average per game

Largest crowd: 11,113 vs. Boston Red Sox, Tuesday, March 24

 

Philadelphia Phillies, Bright House Field, Clearwater

16 games; 133,620 total attendance; 8,353 average per game

Largest Crowd, 10,335 vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, March 15

 

Pittsburgh Pirates, McKechnie Field, Bradenton

19 games; 87,195 total attendance; 4,589 average per game

Largest crowd: 5,866 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, March 14

 

St. Louis Cardinals, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

18 games; 101,740 total attendance; 5,652 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,306 vs. Boston Red Sox, Thursday, March 12

 

Tampa Bay Rays, Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte

15 games; 97,692 total attendance; 6,513 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,621 vs. New York Yankees

 

Toronto Blue Jays, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin

16 games; 68,674 total attendance; 4,292 average per game

Largest crowd: 5,742, vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, March 20

 

Washington Nationals, Space Coast Stadium, Viera

14 games; 54,154 total attendance; 3,868 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,182, vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday, March 21

 

Florida Spring Training Totals

259 games; 1,561,873 total attendance; 6,030 average per game

 

Florida Spring Training (1999-2009)
2009:  1,561,873 total attendance; 6,030 average per game
2008:  1,677,858 total attendance, 6,478 average attendance
2007:  1,716,840, total attendance; 6,243 average attendance
2006:  1,604,393, total attendance; 5,855 average attendance
2005:  1,598,454, total attendance; 6,244 average attendance
2004:  1,557,934, total attendance; 5,792 average attendance
2003:  1,397,144, total attendance; 5,272, average attendance
2002:  1,538,444, total attendance; 5,028, average attendance
2001:  1,500,184, total attendance; 5,320, average attendance
2000:  1,598,255, total attendance; 5,473, average attendance
1999:  1,502,617, total attendance; 5,042, average attendance