Florida Spring Training Attendance Tops 1.5 Million
Spring Training for Major League Baseball has wrapped and Brevard County’s own, the Washington Nationals, had impressive attendance numbers. Of the 14 games played, the Nationals averaged 5,900 fans a game and the total attendance reached near 83,000. (SpaceCoastDaily Image)
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Spring Training for Major League Baseball has wrapped and Brevard County’s own, the Washington Nationals, had impressive attendance numbers. Of the 14 games played, the Nationals averaged 5,900 fans a game and the total attendance reached 82,641.
The largest crowd for the Nationals came against Miami where 7,400 fans came out to watch the Nationals and Marlins duel it out on a Sunday, back on March 29.
Governor Rick Scott announced that the 33-day Florida Spring Training season had an 8.1 percent increase in total attendance in 2015 where all 15 teams topped total attendance figures from the 2014 season.
Total attendance for the 2015 season was 1,587,463.
Gov. Rick Scott
“Florida’s tourism industry creates jobs and opportunities for millions of Florida families, which is why we worked with the Legislature in 2013 to create a program that provides more than $3 million annually to be used only for Spring Training facilities,” said Governor Rick Scott.
“It’s great news that attendance at Spring Training games is on the rise in Florida and we will continue to work to make our state number one for jobs and opportunity.”
Since 2000, total attendance has surpassed 1.5 million in 13 of the last 16 years.
Over 25 million fans have attended Florida Spring Training games since 2000.
John Webb
“We are proud of the marketing and promotional efforts of the 15 teams in Florida, the Regional Sports Commissions, the Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus and the Florida Sports Foundation Staff who spread the word of the Florida Grapefruit League,” said Florida Sports Foundation President John Webb.
“These entities spend months promoting the team schedules, the ballparks and their amenities and the family-friendly opportunities the Florida Spring Training experience has to offer. “
The New York Yankees (Tampa) led the Florida Grapefruit League with a total attendance of 171,915 for a league-leading 10,113 average per game.
The Yankees had the largest Florida Grapefruit League crowd of the season when 10,936 saw the Yankees and Atlanta Braves meet, on Thursday, March 12.
2015 Team-by-Team Florida Spring Training Attendance
Atlanta Braves – Disney’s Wide World of Sports, Lake Buena Vista
16 Games: 127,112 total attendance; 7,945 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,980 vs. New York Yankees, Wednesday, March 18
Baltimore Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota
15 Games (1 rain out): 112,238 total attendance; 7,483 average per game
Largest Crowd: 8,535 vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, March 22
Boston Red Sox – JetBlue Park, Fort Myers
16 Games (1 rain out): 148,862 total attendance; 9,924 average per game
Largest Crowd: 10,156, vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Tuesday, March 10
Detroit Tigers – Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
17 Games: 134,377 total attendance; 7,905 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,817 vs. New York Yankees, Friday, March 20
Houston Astros – Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee
13 Games (1 Rainout): 47,781 total attendance; 3,675 average per game
Largest Crowd: 5,097, vs. New York Yankees, Sunday, March 28
Miami Marlins – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter
14 Games: 70,982 total attendance; 5,070 average per game
Largest Crowd: 6,860 vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday, March 17
Minnesota Twins – Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers
16 Games: 118,579 total attendance; 7,411 average per game
Largest Crowd: 8,951 vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, March 15
New York Mets – Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie
15 Games: 91,329 total attendance; 6,089 average per game
Largest Crowd: 8,205 vs. New York Yankees, Sunday, March 22
New York Yankees – Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
17 Games: 171,915 total attendance; 10,113 average per game
Largest Crowd: 10,936, vs. Atlanta Braves, Thursday, March 12
Philadelphia Phillies – Bright House Field, Clearwater
16 Games: 127,479 total attendance; 7,967 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,815, vs. Boston Red Sox, Sunday, March 15
Pittsburgh Pirates – McKechnie Field, Bradenton
15 Games: 106,038 total attendance; 7,069 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,018, vs. Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, March 18
St. Louis Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter
15 Games; 98,623 total attendance; 6,575 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,662, vs. Boston Red Sox, Monday, March 9
Tampa Bay Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte
14 Games: 80,406 total attendance; 5,360 average per game
Largest Crowd: 8,934 vs. Detroit Tigers, Saturday, April 4 (at Tropicana Field)
Toronto Blue Jays – Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, Dunedin
14 Games: 69,101 total attendance; 4,936 average per game
Largest Crowd: 5,550, vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, March 18
Washington Nationals – Space Coast Stadium, Viera 14 Games: 82,641 total attendance; 5,903 per game average Largest Crowd: 7,413 vs. Miami Marlins, Sunday, March 29
Florida Spring Training Total Attendance
230 Games: 1,587,463 total attendance; 6,902 per game
The 2015 Florida Spring Training attendance is compiled by the Florida Sports Foundation from daily box scores of games played in the state of Florida between Major League teams and confirmed by each of the 15 teams.
For more information about the Florida Grapefruit League, visit www.flasports.com, follow on Twitter @flaspringtrain or download the Mobile Phone App.
