Major League Baseball sets new Spring Training attendance record, eclipsing four million fans for the first time

Major League Baseball set a new Spring Training attendance record with 4,034,708 fans attending games over 481 dates for an average of 8,388 per game, it was announced today.

         The 2015 total eclipsed the previous record of 3,823,479 set in 2013, while the average attendance of 8,388 eclipsed the previous best of 8,078 in 2014. Total Spring Training attendance showed an 11.7 percent increase over last season's total of 3,610,738, and the record-setting average reflected a 3.8 percent increase over last year.

         "On behalf of Major League Baseball and the 30 Clubs, I would like to thank our fans for their enthusiastic support, evident by a record-setting Spring Training," Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said. "With Opening Week now upon us, all of us throughout the game join our fans in looking forward to an exciting season on the field."

         Among the 30 Clubs, highlights include:

• The Chicago Cubs drew 222,415 fans to Sloan Park, marking the largest single Spring Training attendance total for any team in history. The Cubs also set several single-game marks in excess of 15,000 fans, including 15,342 on March 27^th against the Chicago White Sox, which set an all-time single-game Spring Training record.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates established records for total attendance and single game attendance during the 2015 Grapefruit League season, drawing a total of 106,038 in 15 games at McKechnie Field. On March 18^th, the Pirates drew 9,018 fans to their night game against the Detroit Tigers, setting a single-game mark at the ballpark. Three days later, on March 21^st, 8,963 fans attended the game against the Red Sox, establishing a record for a day game at the ballpark.

• The Milwaukee Brewers total of 85,022 and average of 5,668 marked their highest total and average since 2008, their second-highest total and average since 1993, and their fourth-highest total attendance in franchise history.

• The Baltimore Orioles set a new per-game attendance mark at Ed Smith Stadium, drawing 7,484 fans per game for 15 home games. The Orioles also tied a franchise record with nine sellouts this spring, including a record of eight consecutive sellouts from March 7^th-22^nd.

• The Kansas City Royals drew a Club record 105,271 fans to its 14 Cactus League home games at Surprise Stadium, shattering the previous high of 96,798 set in 2009. The Royals per game average of 7,519 was also a record, besting the 2008 Spring Training average of 6,394 over 13 home dates.
   
• The Boston Red Sox sold out each of their 15 completed home Grapefruit League games with a total attendance of 148,862, and have sold out all 63 Grapefruit League games at JetBlue Park dating back to its opening in 2012. The average attendance of 9,924 set a new Red Sox record for Grapefruit League play.
• Goodyear Ballpark (Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds combined) set a new attendance record of 150,102 with 31 games in 2015, surpassing the previous mark of 146,242 over 33 games in 2013.

• Camelback Ranch (Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox combined) set its single-season attendance record with 232,305 fans, exceeding the 2014 total by over 30,000 fans, and surpassing the previous best of 228,725 in its inaugural season of 2009. The Dodgers established attendance bests of 147,066 fans and an average of 9,804 per game for games played at Camelback Ranch. The White Sox drew a total 85,239 fans over 14 games at Camelback this spring.

• In 15 home games at Peoria Sports Complex this spring, the San Diego Padres drew 106,368 fans, surpassing their mark of 76,096 over 14 home games in 2014. The Seattle Mariners averaged 8,282 fans over their 16 games at the ballpark. Combined, Peoria Sports Complex drew a total of 238,847 fans this spring, a new record for the ballpark, surpassing the previous best of 230,662 in 2002. The Mariners total of 132,519 was the most for the Club since 2005 (135,013) and the fourth-most overall in Mariners history.

• The New York Mets recorded five sellouts, marking the most in Port St. Lucie history, and the crowd of 8,205 against the New York Yankees on March 22^nd was the largest in Tradition Field history.

• The San Francisco Giants averaged nearly 10,000 fans per game at Scottsdale Stadium this spring, and the Club's spring total of 253,477 was one of their highest totals in history.

• The New York Yankees averaged 10,101 fans per game this year at Steinbrenner Field, nearly 150 more fans per game over 2014 (9,955 average).

• The Los Angeles Angels had 111,672 fans attend games in Tempe this year, marking the fourth consecutive year that the Angels have topped the 100,000 mark at their spring home and the 10^th time in the last 12 years.

• The Oakland Athletics drew 110,059 fans in their first season at the newly renovated Hohokam Stadium, marking the A's second-best Spring Training total in Arizona in Oakland history.