Who are the most loyal fans in baseball? The argument could last longer than it takes for Albert Pujols to get out of the batters box.
However, media relations specialist Ashlea Green and her team at eBay, were curious enough to find out the answer to this question.
Green conducted an exclusive study by examining attendance records of Major League Baseball games over the last 50 years.
The results were interesting, but not quite astonishing.
As far as the American League West was concerned, the “highest and most consistent attendance of any team in the division over the last 50 years” has been the Los Angeles Angels. However, the best year in attendance in the AL West was 2004. Green says this was the year that Ichiro Suzuki broke the all-time hit record previously set by George Sisler.
The American League East was not too shocking when the graph shows the New York Yankees take over every other team in per game attendance over the last 50 years. But in the 1990’s, it was actually the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays that dominated fan attendance. Somewhere, a young Cal Ripken Jr. and Jim Palmer are tipping their hats.
Green also made a note that even though Fenway Park—home to the Boston Red Sox—could be too small to compete with the other teams in the division, they still stand out in a different way.
When it comes to filling their stadium, no other team comes close.
The American League Central Division shows that loyalty in the late 90’s stuck with the Cleveland Indians.
However, that division’s best season was 2006.
Though the Cleveland Indians experienced perfect attendance during the late 1900’s, says Green, the best year for the division comes in 2006 when the Detroit Tigers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
The St. Louis Cardinals dominate the National League Central with the highest attendance rates, but in the 1970’s, the Cincinnati Reds were No. 1 in attendance win they won back-to-back World Series Championships in 1975 and 1976.
When it comes to the National League East, there wasn’t exactly one winner. Over the last 50 years, Green says the results changed:
The team with the highest attendance in the NL East fluctuates back-and-forth between the Braves, Mets, and Phillies. There’s a noticeable spike in attendance during the 1993 expansion season when the Miami Marlins join the division. Still, following their World Series loss, the Phillies have experienced near-perfect attendance.
The National League West should not surprise anyone when it shows the San Francisco Giants have had nearly perfect attendance since 2000.
With all being said, the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants have the most loyal fans. Which means, America is full of trophy chasers.
I’m kidding, sorta.
Over the past 50 years there were spikes in 1993 and 1998, which were the years of the most recent expansions.
Photo: USA Today