World Baseball Classic sets attendance records leading into Round Two
Attendance Reaches Nearly One Half Million For Games In Six Countries and Territories on Three Continents<br />2013 Tournament Smashes Several Previous Highs
The World Baseball Classic has recorded its largest attendance in its history through the completion of the first round. The competition has registered nearly one half million fans (463,017) for games completed prior to the second round. This total does not include the second round games that have taken place in the Tokyo Dome. The previous record entering the second round was 453,374 in 2009.
With the goal of growing the sport around the world, the tournament has expanded to feature 28 countries playing first round and qualifying games in six countries and territories on three continents.
The 2013 tournament set a record with the largest attendance ever for a baseball game in Taiwan when a crowd of 23,431 watched Chinese Taipei play Korea in Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on March 5th.
The First Round Pool in Arizona, which registered a total of 115,183, surpassed the attendance of the First Round Pool in Arizona in 2006 (91,205). The First Round Pool in Arizona also hosted the game that registered the highest attendance of the entire first round when the United States vs. Mexico at Chase Field attracted 44,256 on March 8th. This game was the second most attended World Baseball Classic game ever in North America trailing only the 2009 Championship Game which registered 54,846 at Dodger Stadium. It is also the third most attended game in the tournament's history.
In addition, the First Round Pool in Puerto Rico registered total attendance of 95,058, which represents the highest attendance for a World Baseball Classic pool there in the tournament's history surpassing the previous high recorded in the Second Round of the 2006 tournament (92,163). This is the fourth World Baseball Classic pool that Puerto Rico has hosted.
Tickets for World Baseball Classic games are available at www.worldbaseballclassic.com as well as at the Ticket Offices for Marlins Park in Miami and AT&T Park in San Francisco. Fans can also obtain tickets to the Second Round by calling 877-MARLINS or to the Championship Round by calling 877-4SFGTIX.