Minor League Leaders (160 teams)
Rank
Club
Attendance
Average
1
Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs
622,421
9,153
2
Columbus Clippers
611,223
8,732
3
Dayton Dragons
588,689
8,532
5
Indianapolis Indians
595,043
8,501
4
Round Rock Express
595,584
8,389
6
Louisville Bats
570,003
8,143
7
Sacramento River Cats
586,090
8,140
8
Albuquerque Isotopes
568,417
8,120
9
Toledo Mud Hens
550,900
7,870
10
Pawtucket Red Sox
521,023
7,551
The Dayton Dragons’ sellout streak reached 913 games in 2012, a professional sports record that has shown no sign of ever ending.
Despite a last-place finish in the Midwest League Eastern Division, the Dragons finished the season with the third-highest average attendance in minor league baseball. They drew 588,689 fans to Fifth Third Field, an average of 8,532.
Only two Triple-A teams, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (9,153) and the Columbus Clippers (8,732), averaged more.
“It’s a good testament to some of the things we’re doing at the ballpark,” said Eric Deutsch, the Dragons’ executive vice president. “and we’ve had great community support, great fan support, great corporate support for 13 years.”
The Dragons were the only Single-A team to rank in the top 10. The rest, including the Clippers and one other Ohio team, the Toledo Mud Hens, were Triple-A. Another Reds affiliate, the Louisville Sluggers, ranked sixth in average attendance (8,143).
Thirteen of the top 14 teams in the rankings came from Triple-A, and the Dragons outdrew 28 of the 30 Triple-A teams.
“That indicates the sustainability of what we have here in Dayton,” Deutsch said. “We never had that honeymoon period of having a good first year or second year and then seeing the attendance tail off. Dayton has become a special place in the summer.”
Deutsch expects the sellout streak to continue next year. He said 95-97 percent of the tickets are sold before April.
“There’s definitely a lot of hard work in the offseason,” he said. “We’re going through season-ticket renewals now.”
The Dragons also learned Tuesday they had been named the winner of the Midwest League’s John H. Johnson President’s award for the third time. The award honors a “complete baseball franchise that has demonstrated franchise stability and made significant contributions to its community, its league and the baseball industry.”
Midwest League update
The Wisconsin Timbler Rattlers, a Brewers affiliate, won the Midwest League Championship, beating Fort Wayne 4-2 on Sunday in Game 4 of the best-of-five championship series.
It was the franchise’s first championship since 1984 when it was it was known as the Appleton Foxes.
About the Author
