MiLB attendance record broken in '05
Prior to 2004, the MiLB attendance record had stood for over 50 years and was established in a different era, under entirely different circumstances. The previous record was set in 1949, when there were 448 teams in 59 leagues riding the post-World War II boom.
According to Mike Moore, president and chief executive officer of Minor League Baseball, "The continued growth of Minor League attendance is a tribute to the hard work of our clubs and leagues."
Moore, who just completed his 14th season as president, says Minor League Baseball has established itself as, and should continue to be, an affordable form of entertainment for families across the country.
"These teams are an important part of the fabric of their local communities and a major option for family entertainment. We look forward to continued success and growth as we move forward."
That would seem a safe bet, as five of the six highest fan totals in the 104-year history have been recorded in the past five seasons, and 13 of the 15 leagues saw increases over their 2004 totals.
Four leagues broke their previous single-season records, including the Pacific Coast League, which became the first league ever to surpass 7 million fans in one year, drawing 7,346,408.
The Eastern, Texas and South Atlantic leagues all set new season highs as well. It was the third straight record-breaking year for the Sally and the second in a row for the EL.
| Attendance by league | ||||
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International: Pacific Coast: Mexican: Eastern: Southern: Texas: California: Carolina: |
6,687,496 7,346,408** 3,321,651 3,944,195* 2,416,231 2,834,335* 1,580,563 1,589,346 |
Florida State: Midwest: South Atlantic: New York-Penn: Northwest: Appalachian: Pioneer: |
986,771 3,486,775 3,541,992* 1,789,962 879,738 311,484 616,332 |
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TOTAL: 41,333,279**
* New league record |
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