Grasshoppers to break attendance mark

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Greensboro Grasshoppers are poised to break Greensboro, NC's all-time professional baseball attendance figure this Saturday, July 23 at First Horizon Park. The Grasshoppers will surpass the previous leading 260,340-mark set by fans of the Greensboro Hornets at World War Memorial Stadium in 1981.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers begin a seven-game homestand on Thursday having already seen 243,492 fans pass through the gates. Needing only 16,849 more fans to break the record and averaging 5,797 people a game, the record is expected to break three games into the homestand. The average attendance for a Thursday game is 5,948 while Friday games average 6,943 fans. The Grasshoppers are averaging approximately 3,000 more fans this season than they had in 2004.

"Breaking the attendance record says great things about baseball fans in Greensboro," said Grasshopper President and COO Donald Moore. "This is a thrill for our entire community and we thank everyone for their support!"

The Grasshoppers previously broke 2004's attendance of 200,477 fans on June 19 during the last game of the first-half of the season. The Grasshopper's had 201,179 fans in First Horizon Park by that date. There are only six other years in Greensboro's 79 years of professional baseball that have surpassed the 200,000-attendance mark: 1980,1981,1982,1993,1994 and 2004. On Saturday, the Grasshoppers hope to outdo them all.

Greensboro has hosted professional baseball since 1902 when the team was the Greensboro Farmers. There have been 26 seasons since 1902 that there was not any professional baseball played in Greensboro.

Promotions abound this homestand beginning with Thirsty Thursday sponsored by Natty Greene's and Rock 92. On Friday there will be a spectacular fireworks display immediately following the game sponsored by Jefferson Pilot, 107.5 KZL and WFMY News 2. Saturday night the Grasshoppers will give away a mystery bobblehead doll to the first 1,500 fans through the Bellemeade and Plaza entrance gates. Sunday The Grasshoppers will have another give-a-way handing out 1,000 stadium baseballs sponsored by Partners Healthcare. Both give-a-ways will be handed out at the Bellemeade Gate and Plaza Gate entrances only. Sunday is also Family Day and children and their parents can play catch on First Horizon Park's field beginning at 3:30PM. Game time on Thu-Sat is 7:00PM and Sunday the game will begin at 5:00PM.

The homestand will continue with 7:00PM games until Wednesday, July 27.