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Minor league baseball attendance has dropped for the third consecutive season
Posted on 10/14/26 at 2:48 pm
Posted on 10/14/26 at 2:48 pm
LINK
I’ve been to a few midweek Biloxi Shuckers games over the past few years and the attendance has been pretty dismal. Maybe 2,000 people at best.
What’s alarming is ticket prices are dirt cheap and there are plenty of food and drink specials.
quote:
Minor League Baseball attendance continued its steady decline in 2026, dipping below a significant threshold.
For the first time in decades, fewer than 30 million fans attended MiLB games over a full season. Overall, the 120 MiLB teams drew 29,984,636 fans in announced attendance, down from 30,365,760 fans in 2025.
This is the third consecutive season in which attendance has dropped.
I’ve been to a few midweek Biloxi Shuckers games over the past few years and the attendance has been pretty dismal. Maybe 2,000 people at best.
What’s alarming is ticket prices are dirt cheap and there are plenty of food and drink specials.
This post was edited on 10/14/26 at 2:54 pm
Posted on 10/14/26 at 2:50 pm to Paul Allen
I don't watch MLB, much less attend games.
I surely am not going to go to minor league games.
I spend my baseball time on my own kids and LSU.
I expect that I am not alone.
I surely am not going to go to minor league games.
I spend my baseball time on my own kids and LSU.
I expect that I am not alone.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 2:52 pm to Paul Allen
Shuckers concessions are expensive. Tickets not too bad, but people on the MS coast aren't going to be passionate about seeing future Brewers.
Parking is hit or miss. I went to a game once where a deaf girl signed the national anthem. I missed the anthem looking for parking. Only empty spot was Bishop Kihneman's. (I actually could have taken it because he was out of town. Too bad I didn't know it when I drove past it.)
Parking is hit or miss. I went to a game once where a deaf girl signed the national anthem. I missed the anthem looking for parking. Only empty spot was Bishop Kihneman's. (I actually could have taken it because he was out of town. Too bad I didn't know it when I drove past it.)
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:10 pm to Mahootney
quote:
I don't watch MLB, much less attend games.
I surely am not going to go to minor league games
I also don't GAF about pro baseball (unless the braves are in the postseason then I'll tune in) and couldn't care less about minor leagues.
However, I have 2 young kids and my wife gets "suite" tickets through work for our local minor league team. We will go to 4 or 5 games in teh summer on Sunday afternoons as a great way to kill half a day. We have the ability to be inside or out so it's not too hot, food/concessions/parking are all dirt cheap and the tickets are free to us.
The actaul baseball itself isn't anything to keep up with but there are definitely worse ways to spend an afternoon, especially with youngins.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:14 pm to Paul Allen
Haven’t been to a Zephyrs game in several years
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:17 pm to Paul Allen
The team in Pensacola has definitely seen a noticeable drop in attendance. The first couple of years, you could get an SRO ticket for like $5, now it’s triple that. Not to mention the ballpark has nowhere to run from the rain (STH lounge and Hancock Club, excepted) except for the small team store or restrooms. I try to go fairly often before it gets hot, but I have no desire to sit out there and sweat on a summer night.
On the flip side, the unaffiliated local hockey team is having a renaissance and averaged close to 6k the past couple of seasons.
I will be curious to see if there is an increase should there be an MLB work stoppage next season
On the flip side, the unaffiliated local hockey team is having a renaissance and averaged close to 6k the past couple of seasons.
I will be curious to see if there is an increase should there be an MLB work stoppage next season
This post was edited on 10/14/26 at 3:19 pm
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:21 pm to cubbynole
There was a lot of initial excitement when the Barons moved to their new stadium, and you still have some of the after work crowd from places with corporate offices downtown, but it is a haul from the suburbs to take your family there. I still go to about 4 or 5 a year, but when I worked downtown we'd go a few times a month. I think Tuesday was $1 hot dog night, $2 beers on Thirsty Thursday, and Friday night they always do fireworks after the game. Plenty of value for the money, easy and relatively cheap parking, but its just not going to draw a lot of dedicated fans.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:33 pm to Paul Allen
There to busy watching wnba games
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:52 pm to Paul Allen
quote:
Biloxi Shuckers
Looks like a cool stadium. When I was stationed down there 15+ years ago they only had the minor league hockey team.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:55 pm to Paul Allen
Give promotional stuff out like jerseys and people will come.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 3:58 pm to Paul Allen
Well, MLB took over and immediately cut out rookie leagues. In their place, there are affiliate draft leagues, so the players and franchises are still around to some extent.
That said, when one corporation owns almost half of MiLB franchises, you could probably look to them. I’m sure this has absolutely nothing to do with a slight hike in ticket sales and parking, costly concessions, and merch prices that are through the roof. Locally, I’ve noticed the giveaways aren’t as good, and other ballpark entertainment lacks.
A staple of minor league games was good giveaways and promos and some appearances by name entertainment.
You can also point to people having the attention span of a gnat, so baseball doesn’t appeal to them. I’ve heard complaints about the 6-game series and fans seeing the same teams over and over. I get that.
Fact is, minor league baseball is one of the last frontiers of family-friendly entertainment that is affordable, but I’m afraid that last part is becoming an issue. Personally, I will go to a game and get a beer and I’m $20 in. There’s free parking nearby, so that’s a plus. I’ve been to about 70 minor league parks, and I realize I’m lucky. I visited about 10 parks across the southeast this year, and tickets were noticeably higher, and free parking didn’t exist. Not to mention, “we’ve gone cashless and there will be a convenience charge on this item”
That said, when one corporation owns almost half of MiLB franchises, you could probably look to them. I’m sure this has absolutely nothing to do with a slight hike in ticket sales and parking, costly concessions, and merch prices that are through the roof. Locally, I’ve noticed the giveaways aren’t as good, and other ballpark entertainment lacks.
A staple of minor league games was good giveaways and promos and some appearances by name entertainment.
You can also point to people having the attention span of a gnat, so baseball doesn’t appeal to them. I’ve heard complaints about the 6-game series and fans seeing the same teams over and over. I get that.
Fact is, minor league baseball is one of the last frontiers of family-friendly entertainment that is affordable, but I’m afraid that last part is becoming an issue. Personally, I will go to a game and get a beer and I’m $20 in. There’s free parking nearby, so that’s a plus. I’ve been to about 70 minor league parks, and I realize I’m lucky. I visited about 10 parks across the southeast this year, and tickets were noticeably higher, and free parking didn’t exist. Not to mention, “we’ve gone cashless and there will be a convenience charge on this item”
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:03 pm to lsubatman1
quote:
There to busy
Definitely and instance where 2 is not better than 1.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:08 pm to Paul Allen
Minor league baseball is boring as hell once you’re over the age of 12. Before that, I was at least excited about the prospect of catching a foul ball.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:11 pm to danilo
quote:
Haven’t been to a Zephyrs game in several years
You and pretty much everyone else on this board! They haven't been called the Zephyrs in a decade and left NOLA before Covid.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:28 pm to Paul Allen
quote:Bet you could add up the growth in 9-12U travel ball attendance over those three years and it'd be an eerily similar number.
This is the third consecutive season in which attendance has dropped.
Because we all know that paying $50 for you and your kid to watch pros playing the game doesn't do as much for his development as traveling 6 hours, paying $500 for hotels and going 1-5 does.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:29 pm to armytiger96
quote:I’ve been to multiple “zephyrs” games! (I live in Wichita, where they moved to). Fun fact: Manfred screwed them in the realignment and they got sent down to double a (as the twins affiliate)
You and pretty much everyone else on this board! They haven't been called the Zephyrs in a decade and left NOLA before Covid.
This post was edited on 10/14/26 at 4:29 pm
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:40 pm to Paul Allen
Clickbait. MLB eliminated dozens of teams. Attendance is up at the remaining locations.
People don’t travel in for minor leagues. It’s always a great experience but it’s for locals and tourists visiting the town. Less teams = less attendance
People don’t travel in for minor leagues. It’s always a great experience but it’s for locals and tourists visiting the town. Less teams = less attendance
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:52 pm to Paul Allen
I've missed out on Shuckers games because I'm usually gone most of spring - fall. Winter is when I'm home the most.
Also, one corporation is buying up all of the minor league teams and killing the fun of everything as they always do.
Also, one corporation is buying up all of the minor league teams and killing the fun of everything as they always do.
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:54 pm to Horsemeat
We have the Astros AAA team about 20 minutes away, tickets are cheap and it's always empty
Posted on 10/14/26 at 4:56 pm to Paul Allen
I haven’t watched an MLB game in 5 years
I completely ceased to care about minor league baseball when MLB destroyed it with greed in 2020.
Great to hear that minor league baseball is dying a slow death.
I completely ceased to care about minor league baseball when MLB destroyed it with greed in 2020.
Great to hear that minor league baseball is dying a slow death.

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