# Why is MLB attendance so low **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 11, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040 "2013-05-11T00:40:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/21 "2013-05-11T20:20:34Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > And this has just happened since last season? I think it’s a generational thing. That is, I don’t see the next generation as being as big into baseball as this current one. Just my prediction. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/22 "2013-05-11T20:27:05Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > I think it’s a generational thing. That is, I don’t see the next generation as being as big into baseball as this current one. Just my prediction. That’s an interesting opinion but it obviously cannot explain why one team would have a dropoff in attendance in one year. If you don’t like baseball, that’s your prerogative, but what the hell does it have to do with the Cleveland Indians’ attendance? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/23 "2013-05-11T20:37:29Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > That’s an interesting opinion but it obviously cannot explain why one team would have a dropoff in attendance in one year. If you don’t like baseball, that’s your prerogative, but what the hell does it have to do with the Cleveland Indians’ attendance? They lost a generation of fans to the Cavs? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/24 "2013-05-11T23:23:07Z")
I know why I don’t go to Rangers games… 1. It’s in fucking Arlington. Arlington is a crappy city that’s like 15 from Dallas, and 20 from Fort Worth. It takes me the better part of an hour without traffic to get there. 2. It’s expensive. The moderately cheap seats start at $22 each. Concessions are the usual extortionate prices. 3. Baseball is boring as shit. I can handle about 3-5 innings, and after that, I usually take out my binoculars and start looking for hot girls in the stands. 4. Watching one game is 1/162th of the season. That’s 0.6% per game. That game that you paid all that money for is a minuscule statistical point on the team’s season, and unless you’re in a pennant race in September, really doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Shooby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Shooby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shooby)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/25 "2013-05-11T23:44:44Z")
The overall MLB attendance figures from 2000 - 2012: 72,702,420 72,567,108 67,944,389 67,630,052 72,968,953 74,385,295 75,959,167 79,447,312 78,584,286 73,401,938 73,171,239 73,451,522 73,951,759 Doesn’t take into account more teams via expansion, but overall it seems like baseball has been holding steady over the last 10+ years or so, with some ups and downs. Even though there are more entertainment options out there (women’s sports, soccer, better video games, etc.), baseball is hanging in there. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/26 "2013-05-12T00:09:40Z")
> [@Shooby](#): > > Doesn’t take into account more teams via expansion, but overall it seems like baseball has been holding steady over the last 10+ years or so, with some ups and downs. Even though there are more entertainment options out there (women’s sports, soccer, better video games, etc.), baseball is hanging in there. Assuming the top line is 2000, attendance seems to track the economy pretty well. Dropped after the 2001 Recession, rebounded through the middle of the decade and then dropped again during the Great Recession in 2008. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/27 "2013-05-12T00:49:09Z")
I wonder if the minor league teams pose a problem to Cleveland? Cleveland’s market map overlays with 8 minor league teams, 4 of which are affiliated with the Indians (Akron, Columbus, Lake County, Toledo, Mahoning Valley, Avon, Charleston & Princeton (WV), and Erie (PA)) Akron has a great stadium, and when I went to Lake County it was pretty fun. It’s cheaper and very kid-friendly, and easier to park than downtown. And you’ll see Indians players roll through all the time on rehab. Lots of people in the Tribe’s market are much, much closer to those stadiums and are big fans of the minor league teams. I have friends with kids in Akron and their kids are obsessed with the Aeros, and friends in Columbus who regularly take their kids to Clippers games. Not sure how the minors come in to play in other markets, though. Cleveland might not be exceptional, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/28 "2013-05-12T02:26:14Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Not sure how the minors come in to play in other markets, though. Cleveland might not be exceptional, I don’t know. San Francisco has the best attendance in MLB baseball. In addition to having a major league team right across the Bay, there are minor league clubs in San Jose, Stockton and Sacramento, and independent teams in San Rafael and Vallejo. St. Louis has two independent teams, including one whose park is only about 5 miles from Busch Stadium. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/29 "2013-05-12T03:05:52Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > San Francisco has the best attendance in MLB baseball. By what standard is this true? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/30 "2013-05-12T03:53:09Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > By what standard is this true? **kunilou** ’s link - [attendance](http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance). Looks like in terms of home games they were #1 in total attendance and percentage ( percentage of filled available seats? ), #2 in average per game. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/31 "2013-05-12T04:15:31Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > One factor is that MLB has a 162 game regular season. Attendance is spread across more games than for the NHL or NBA with 82 game seasons, and far more than the NFL with a 16 game season. For more perspective on this effect, a low-attendance MLB team averaging 15,000 tickets per home game will end the season with double the spectators of an NFL team that sells all 75,000 tickets every game. These are just rough numbers, of course, but: 81\*15,000 = 1.215 million 8 \* 75,000 = 600k So keep in mind that the phenomenon of low attendance in baseball is still double the attendance of the NFL. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/32 "2013-05-12T04:24:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > That’s an interesting opinion but it obviously cannot explain why one team would have a dropoff in attendance in one year. If you don’t like baseball, that’s your prerogative, but what the hell does it have to do with the Cleveland Indians’ attendance? Er the OP was asking about Baseball attendance in general. Have a read of it again as you’re getting a little too excited. Unlike how you would likely be attending an actual baseball game. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/33 "2013-05-12T12:46:26Z")
It’s funny that people are slamming seeing baseball live because while I would never sit and watch a Baseball game on TV, I think it is a lot of fun at the Park although I haven’t done so in many years (as a tangent, I find Football the opposite. My expediences seeing Football games live have run from meh to poor but I love watching Football on TV). I think the problem is the economy. The “recovery” has been a non recovery for the average person. People have less money to spend so things like Baseball games go first. I think it is as simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/34 "2013-05-12T14:39:07Z")
Homer Simpson’s take on watching the game without beer: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwGybS6TWEM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwGybS6TWEM) ---
**Author:** ![Shooby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f475e1/32.png) [@Shooby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shooby)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/35 "2013-05-12T18:01:39Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Assuming the top line is 2000, attendance seems to track the economy pretty well. Dropped after the 2001 Recession, rebounded through the middle of the decade and then dropped again during the Great Recession in 2008. You assume correctly, good sir. I’m honestly surprised that baseball attendance hasn’t actually declined - I’m always under the impression that we’re being assaulted with more and more entertainment options that I imagine would undermine the traditional ones. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/36 "2013-05-12T19:12:13Z")
> [@K364](#): > > Homer Simpson’s take on watching the game without beer: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwGybS6TWEM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwGybS6TWEM) Yeah, that’s the problem, America has too many Homers who lack the ability to follow the complex narrative of a baseball game, instead we watch football which is a three hour beer commercial with 12 minutes of action; a game so simple, anyone can follow it after 30 seconds of explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/37 "2013-05-12T22:30:26Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Yeah, that’s the problem, America has too many Homers who lack the ability to follow the complex narrative of a baseball game, instead we watch football which is a three hour beer commercial with 12 minutes of action; a game so simple, anyone can follow it after 30 seconds of explanation. Yes, calling people morons will get them back into the seats. Baseball isn’t really that complex, it’s just that boring though. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/38 "2013-05-13T03:13:50Z")
People on this thread keep saying baseball won’t last because it is boring. OTOH, I see attendance rising at the professional football club (soccer) we have in town. I also think that basketball is the most boring sport inflicted on mankind and really don’t know anyone who watches basketball. I would rather watch a rain delay in golf than have to watch ten guys slap each other. Since the OP does not mention the decline in NBA attendance, I will guess that people have different interests. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/39 "2013-05-13T12:39:01Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > Yes, calling people morons will get them back into the seats. > > Baseball isn’t really that complex, it’s just that boring though. I don’t care if you come to the game or not. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040/40 "2013-05-13T16:00:05Z")
Some people have been complaining about baseball being on its deathbed for being too boring since I was kid in the 1960s. Reports of its demise are premature at best. A sport that has 73M attend games during a year is doing at least OK. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mlb-attendance-so-low/658040.md?page=3)