Just how big are the Braves? (Atlanta, Boston: price, stadiums, gas)

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

I still can't understand why weekday games don't sell out when the Braves are sizzling right now and is in first place.

and here we go

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

I still can't understand why weekday games don't sell out when the Braves are sizzling right now and is in first place.

I honestly think it is cost... especially on weekdays.

Baseball isn't all that cheap anymore, but it doesn't stop many families from across the south making an annual pilgrimage here to see the Braves play.

The Braves belong to Atlanta, but they also belong to Georgia and much of the South.

You can go from New Orleans to the Carolina and N. Florida to Tennessee and find a good many loyal Braves fans. It also means you get more weekender visits.

But there is a much more important issue than that... Baseball, outside the excitement that was generated in 91 and 92, does not sell out every game....especially weekday games.

The great thing about Baseball is there are so many games, they don't have to pack the house to survive and it is easy to casually see a game with moderate crowds.

2013 MLB Attendance - Major League Baseball - ESPN

They seem to be doing just fine to me... They aren't a the very top, but definitely not at the bottom or producing weak figures.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

I honestly think it is cost... especially on weekdays.

Baseball isn't all that cheap anymore, but it doesn't stop many families from across the south making an annual pilgrimage here to see the Braves play.

The Braves belong to Atlanta, but they also belong to Georgia and much of the South.

You can go from New Orleans to the Carolina and N. Florida to Tennessee and find a good many loyal Braves fans. It also means you get more weekender visits.

But there is a much more important issue than that... Baseball, outside the excitement that was generated in 91 and 92, does not sell out every game....especially weekday games.

The great thing about Baseball is there are so many games, they don't have to pack the house to survive and it is easy to casually see a game with moderate crowds.

2013 MLB Attendance - Major League Baseball - ESPN

They seem to be doing just fine to me... They aren't a the very top, but definitely not at the bottom or producing weak figures.

I can't go along with that, because metro Atlanta is pushing 6 million people. Even the Pittsburgh home game on ESPN last night was sold out. Pittsburgh metro area is about 2.5 million.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

I can't go along with that, because metro Atlanta is pushing 6 million people. Even the Pittsburgh home game on ESPN last night was sold out. Pittsburgh metro area is about 2.5 million.

Well you should... Click the link.. We are solidly outperforming their attendance this season.

[HH82]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

I can't go along with that, because metro Atlanta is pushing 6 million people. Even the Pittsburgh home game on ESPN last night was sold out. Pittsburgh metro area is about 2.5 million.

Sorry man, but the Pirates are second to last in average attendance in the National League this year, only ahead of the Miami Marlins, and they're in first place right now in a supposed "great sports town." They haven't had a winning season since the Sid Bream slide in 1992, and now that they have a good team, the fans still aren't showing up yet. This current series against the Cardinals is drawing well, but that doesn't make up for it. Black and yellow, my ass.

[HH82]

By the way, the very premise of this thread offends me to my core. I don't see apathy in Braves fans at all. And the Braves have the third most fans in the nation behind only the Yankees and Cubs. They are a regional team, with the ninth largest TV market at their core. I don't see apathy. I see a passionate fanbase in a sprawling metro area that has some trouble getting to games because of gas prices, concession prices, ticket prices, terrible traffic, lack of transit, lack of anything else to do in the area, and the fact that everybody owns a TV and can watch from home and NOT drink a nine-dollar beer. I live less than a mile from Turner Field, and I've got a three month old baby and I can't afford to go. The economy still sucks, and for people in the outlying areas, it's a pain in the ass to plan the whole thing out and get the whole family to more than a couple games a year. Then there's the ridiculous division-heavy schedule. You wanna talk about Tuesday night attendance? Who the hell wants to see the Braves play the Marlins on a Tuesday night for the NINETEENTH TIME THIS SEASON? They've got to fix this schedule to where there are more games against old rivals like the Giants, Dodgers, Cardinals, Reds, and Cubs, instead of just having them come to Atlanta ONCE a season. It's just stupid. So whoever started this thread in an attempt to run down Braves Country, go back to Boston and root for your bulls**t Red Sox and get the f**k out of my town. How's that for apathy?

[noah]

Yes Yes Yes.

The Braves have consistently drawn well. A few thousand fans more per game and they are in the top 9.

Interesting to note the braves draw nearly double of another first place team - Tampa Bay.

And if we draw a connection between population why are the Mets so low with such a large metro in NYC plus a brand new stadium.

Originally Posted by HH82

By the way, the very premise of this thread offends me to my core. I don't see apathy in Braves fans at all. And the Braves have the third most fans in the nation behind only the Yankees and Cubs. They are a regional team, with the ninth largest TV market at their core. I don't see apathy. I see a passionate fanbase in a sprawling metro area that has some trouble getting to games because of gas prices, concession prices, ticket prices, terrible traffic, lack of transit, lack of anything else to do in the area, and the fact that everybody owns a TV and can watch from home and NOT drink a nine-dollar beer. I live less than a mile from Turner Field, and I've got a three month old baby and I can't afford to go. The economy still sucks, and for people in the outlying areas, it's a pain in the ass to plan the whole thing out and get the whole family to more than a couple games a year. Then there's the ridiculous division-heavy schedule. You wanna talk about Tuesday night attendance? Who the hell wants to see the Braves play the Marlins on a Tuesday night for the NINETEENTH TIME THIS SEASON? They've got to fix this schedule to where there are more games against old rivals like the Giants, Dodgers, Cardinals, Reds, and Cubs, instead of just having them come to Atlanta ONCE a season. It's just stupid. So whoever started this thread in an attempt to run down Braves Country, go back to Boston and root for your bulls**t Red Sox and get the f**k out of my town. How's that for apathy?

[HH82]

Originally Posted by noah

Yes Yes Yes.

The Braves have consistently drawn well. A few thousand fans more per game and they are in the top 9.

Interesting to note the braves draw nearly double of another first place team - Tampa Bay.

And if we draw a connection between population why are the Mets so low with such a large metro in NYC plus a brand new stadium.

And nobody talks about this, but the Yankees didn't sell out a single home game in the 2009 PLAYOFFS, IN THEIR BRAND NEW STADIUM WHEN THEY WON THE FREAKING WORLD SERIES!!!! Yeah...the almighty Yankees. Of course, ESPN doesn't tell you about that, because they certainly wouldn't want to hurt the indomitable Yankee brand. They'll harp on Braves attendance all day, but they won't tell you about New York's attendance woes.

[westau]

For anyone that lives on the north side of town trying to get to a weeknight Braves game is a huge pain. Traffic on the downtown connector could make a 30-40 minute weekend drive close to 2 hours to get to a weeknight game. Trying to drive to a MARTA station and park and ride isn't any faster to the game and is much slower having to wait for a bus and walk through Underground after a game than driving home. Then you don't get home until midnight or later and have to get up early and go to work the next day. It just isn't as fun as going to weekend games.

[alco89]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

I can't go along with that, because metro Atlanta is pushing 6 million people. Even the Pittsburgh home game on ESPN last night was sold out. Pittsburgh metro area is about 2.5 million.

Look at WHO Pittsburgh played and when, sir. They're playing their division-rival Cardinals. Both teams had the 2 best records in the league before the series started, and they're currently battling for 1st place, creating a playoff atmosphere.

We're playing......the Rockies.

And as others have said, we're drawing 7,000 ppl more than Pittsburgh per game.