I know we've brought this up before, but the attendance of 21942 at chase field tonight kinda disappoints me. I dont even think thats 50% full, to come watch a pitcher who is now 8-0, and on top of it, the best team in MLB. When will the people in Arizona get it? I live in Cleveland and what I would of gave to have been there tonight to see Webb.
Chase Field seats a maximum of 49,033 people. The attendance for last night's game was 21,942 (44.7% full). I don't know why people wouldn't want to go see a very good team like the Diamondbacks. They are one of the best teams in the majors, and they are getting even better.
The average attendance is 28,692 people per game (58.5% full), which is 17th best in the majors.
They had 48,000+ people for each of the 4 playoff games last season, and they can't get 30,000 people for a regular season game. I don't get it either.
(2) It has only been ten years and it takes time to build fan allegiance
(3) Arizona has many other diversions, great weather, golf courses, fine restaurants, et al...
(4) We are saturated with baseball. We have Universities playing ball, we have about a dozen Spring Training teams that train here, the novelty is not as great as it is elsewhere...
(5) Tucson has a wonderful ballfield and just lost their AAA franchise to Reno of all places. Even after we had the bes team in mionor league history 3 years ago, we still couldn't support the team in Tucson. I just think we have too many other diversions and too many transplants that don't feel that loyalty that has been built through generations in other cities.
The economy has a lot to do with it, especially the price of gas in the valley with such long distances to drive to the ballpark with no alternative transportation available yet.
I think another reason, though, was that it was an early game on a weekday. It wasn't a night game.
So the kids were at school.....or supposed to be.....and people were working.
But from the looks of how empty the stands were, I'd say 21,000 was pushing it. They might have bumped those numbers up like they usually do at ballparks.
I would have loved to have gone to see the game, and most games for that matter. I think part of the problem with fan attendenance is that many of the Diamondbacks true fans are not located in the Phoenix metro area. I can't make week day games and even on the weekends it is not easy getting to the ball park from here in southeast Tucson. Also I get to sit at home in my recliner and catch the game in HD.
I will how ever make it up there this year for some games but cannot make to many home games in a season.
Like Benji said....too many transplants....no tradition yet. HOWEVER! Phoenix has a solid group of fans who are "frontrunners". Come July, if the D'Backs are in first place and still one of the best in the NL, watch the fans appear. Even some of the fans who had been cheering for their "old" home team will jump on the D'Back's bandwagon. (But I guess that happens elsewhere too.)
It would be nice to see more people in the stands, but yesterday was a weekday day game. To get 21k is good, people have to work. The bandwagon will be rolling by the allstar break. Phoenix is still focused on the suns, it's all they talk about on the radio, they try to talk Dbacks and give the team its due, but 80% of the Phoenix sports media is still suns now, and where is D'Antoni going, and what's going to happen to the team, and is the window closed. Once the Suns hangover is gone the people will roll the bandwagon down to Jefferson St and start attending the Dbacks games in more regularity.
In addition to money being tight and the suns hangover, they are putting in a light rail right now in down town phoenix and the major streets are all messed up. It sucks getting around there right now, I know I have to put up with it every day going to work. Next year hopefully when that thing is functional we'll be able to park further and ride the train to the game.
As well I think the nose bleed seats at Chase suck. Not the greatest view and its a hike to get up there. But what I can't understand is why the outfield is half full sometimes. Those seats rock. And there only fifteen bucks. Compared to a Cardinals game where the lowest price on the lower level is like $80. Granted there is only eight regular season games at home but compared to the quality of play we are getting right now from the D-backs, there should be a waiting list for those seats.
Ya, I don't get, people will go to a losing team like the Cardinals and have a full house each week, but when the D-Backs are playing they are struggling to get half the seats filled. I think the reason for this is because 1/3 of all Arizona's citizens where actually born here, 2/3 of the population are form some place else according to the census bureau. If you have people from someplace else they should be rooting for another team, but I don't know that just my theory.
Economy really blows in Phoenix right now but with a population of approximately 2.5 million in the greater Phoenix are you would think they would get a much better crowd. The best bargain for the buck is at Friday's Front Row where you can basically go to watch the game for free and the drinks cost a lot less then they do in the stadium.
