This past season I have kept tabs a bit more closely than in years past the attendance figures around MLB. Some of the talking points regarding MLB attendance has been that free agent spending is how you grow attendance. Another one is that winning grows attendance. Personally my take on it is that free agent spending on average will increase attendance for the short term meaning that immediate season but if it is not followed with winning baseball the attendance boost can be short lived.
From my understanding things known to help increase attendance other than Free Agent spending is having made the postseason the prior year, a new ballpark and or having a great season in that season. Taking these things into account I made an attempt to bring it all together below.
According to ESPN’s top 3rd of MLB teams to spend the most on Free Agent spending this off season six of them saw an increase in their attendance this season. Four of those six are coming of playoff seasons last year (2 of which reached the W.S.) and three of those four returned to the post season this year. Then from the remaining two one opened a new ballpark within the last three years.
Leaving the only team from the top 3rd in Free Agent spending this off season to have an increase in attendance and not be opening a new ballpark within the last three years or be coming off a playoff season or having reached the post season this year as the Los Angeles Dodgers. Who happened to have new ownership finalized back in May which saw the end of the Frank McCourt era.
Then of the four teams in the top 3rd of MLB teams to spend the most on Free Agent spending this off season who did not see an increase in attendance two reached the post season last year but none this year and none opened a new ballpark within the last three years.
Now at the other end of the spectrum the bottom 3rd of MLB teams to spend the most on Free Agent spending this off season none reached the post season last year or opened a new ballpark within the last three years. Only three saw an increase in attendance this year and of those three two reached the post season this year.
Then of the seven who did not see an increase in attendance one reached the post season this year.
I also looked at attendance in correlation to Opening Day payroll. According to ESPN’s Opening Day payroll of the top 3rd of MLB teams four saw an increase in attendance. From those four three made the post season last year (2 of which reached the W.S.) and reached the post season also this year. The last of those four opened a new ballpark within the last three years.
Then of the six teams in the top 3rd of MLB teams in Opening Day payroll who did not see an increase in attendance three reached the post season last year and of those three one reached the post season this year. Then of the remaining other three one reached the post season this year.
Then at the other end of the spectrum the bottom 3rd of MLB teams in Opening Day payroll six saw an increase in attendance. Two of those six made the post season last year and another made the post season this year. The four who did not see an increase in attendance none reached the post season last year or this year and none opened a new ballpark within the last three years.
This is just a 1 year look in other words small sample size but it’s a starting point at least. How do you come down on all this? Let us know.
Attendance figures courtesy of Baseball-Reference
3 comments
srt
10/6/2012-3:56pm at 3:56 pm (UTC -4)
Nice research here on this.
Which begs the question….what comes first – the chicken or the egg?
Do you invest money in the team in hopes it will increase revenue?
Or do you wait for revenue to invest the money back in the team?
In the Mets case these past few years, since ownership was in danger of having to sell the team, investing in it was not an option.
After next year’s ASG revenues and Bay/Johan’s money coming off the books, the financial outlook should be better. Going to be interesting to see what they do going forward.
Pacific NorthTex
10/7/2012-12:24am at 12:24 am (UTC -4)
It’s a battle I fight every day at work. Do you invest in bodies to handle new work or do you wait to get the work and then scramble to get the bodies to handle the work… Granted. It ain’t my money, but taking a $20 mil hit this year to make that back the next would, in my mind, be investing to make a return down the road. Especially if they can refinance the loans. Bring a buzz back to the team, the AS game, etc. etc. no brainer in my mind.
darknova306
10/7/2012-12:44am at 12:44 am (UTC -4)
When I worked in the defense industry, the philosophy was that we needed the talent in house before being able to bid on work, cause we needed to get rolling quick and all those background investigations take time. Then you lose a huge legacy contract and BAM! you have to dump 10% of your workforce… Fun times!