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USA Today Sports Images The Nationals are averaging 31,994 fans per game this season. |
Six weeks into their first season as defending NL East champs, their prophecy is coming true. The Nationals have enjoyed the largest increase in attendance of any Major League Baseball franchise so far in 2013, drawing an average of 6,577 more fans per game than they drew at this same point last year.
Average attendance through the first 17 home games at Nationals Park is 31,994, a substantial increase from last year's average of 25,417 through the same number of games.
That increase outranks any other MLB club to date, just ahead of the Blue Jays, who are drawing 6,302 more fans per game so far this season. Only 11 MLB franchises have seen attendance numbers rise this year, while six franchises have seen attendance drop more than 5,000 per game: the Twins, Brewers, Red Sox, Cubs, Phillies and Marlins (who are down a staggering 10,994 fans per game to date).
Though attractive opponents (including the Cardinals and Tigers) have played some role in the Nationals' increase, the biggest factor has been an increase in season-ticket sales. Club officials don't reveal exact numbers, but last year's season-ticket base was believed to be around 14,000. That number is believed to have increased to nearly 20,000 this year, evidenced by the fact the Nationals have yet to draw a crowd smaller than 24,412.
34 comments:
Well deserved
LaRoche, five game hitting streak, where he's gone (yeah, I know, cherry-picking small sample size, but, still): 20 plate appearances: 7 hits and 6 walks -- a .538 BA and .650 OBP.
Mostly all singles. His ISO still way too low. Now, he's becoming like Werth. Little power, but lots of savvy if he decides to use it instead of K'ing out trying to hit for power.
Until that changes ... I'll take Tyler Moore.
I think most weekend will be near sell outs the rest of the way.
"Little power, but lots of savvy if he decides to use it instead of K'ing out trying to hit for power.
Until that changes ... I'll take Tyler Moore."
You mean the guy who keeps striking out trying to hit...period?
3on2out said...
In other news, the Nats just passed all major league clubs in the average per-game increase in attendance. They are now averaging 31,994 for 17 games, which is 6,577 more per game than last year at 17 games in.
May 09, 2013 11:19 AM
Oh my goodness! I beat Mark to the punch by almost 2 hours AND I got a question answered on Baseball Talk. I have hit the Nats Insider Daily Double! A win from Haren will make it a perfect day!!
You can take Tyler Moore, but Davey is taking the Shark.
#Nationals lineup vs. DET: Span 8, Bernadina 7, Harper 9, Zimmerman 5, LaRoche 3, Desmond 6, Espinosa 4, Ramos 2, Haren 1
Ramos overall can get into a real groove offensively and that is what Davey needs to take advantage of by playing him some more games back to back
Davey needs a bat in there. Its why you see Tyler Moore instead of Bernadina. He's not saying it but he is worried. There still IS NO offense outside of Harper. And his numbers, while good, aren't what Zim's have been in the past for example. Or just look at Morse who also has been in a bit of slump there genius boy Eric.
They tried Rendon and as Mark so aptly put it ... he needs to play every day and get experience first.
If its not Moore they need to find out now.
You mean the guy who keeps striking out trying to hit...period?
Yeah, the guy who doesn't have almost 150 at bats still trying to reach the Mendoza line who happens to be 25 years old. Not 33 going on 34. A guy who hit 10 homers and 9 doubles in just around 150 AB's. Yeah that guy.
You're going to be wrong Eric and I can tell you are going to be one of those who hate that.
Feffer was on with Charlie and Dave during the rain delay last night. He was pretty good at spinning their retreat on rainchecks. Urged everyone who can't go today to exchange their seats soon because games are filling up. And reminded people that they might not be able to get as good a seat in exchange as they have for this afternoon. Everyone knew that already, of course.
Also made it clear that you can still buy a plan for the rest of the year if you want it. No mention of that 20,000 limit that I heard, but I didn't catch the whole interview.
"You're going to be wrong Eric and I can tell you are going to be one of those who hate that."
Wrong? About what? I've made no assertion.
I can assure you, though, that I couldn't care less about being unable to know the future.
NatsLady: "You can take Tyler Moore, but Davey is taking the Shark.
#Nationals lineup vs. DET: Span 8, Bernadina 7, Harper 9, Zimmerman 5, LaRoche 3, Desmond 6, Espinosa 4, Ramos 2, Haren 1"
peric: "Davey needs a bat in there. Its why you see Tyler Moore instead of Bernadina. "
Epic!
You can take Tyler Moore, but Davey is taking the Shark.
Today. But not permanently. He's still trying to get some offense. The Shark batting second seems a bit desperate. I think he can do it but in the past the FO has been less than impressed with the Shark.
I'll remember that when LaRoche ends up batting seventh with 4 home runs at the All Star break Eric. Didn't you claim he was about to start hitting? That he was about to break out?
As I said then we shall see and when you are proven wrong ... watch out for the boldface dude.
Eric may or may not turn out to be wrong about Moore, but either way he seems pretty good-natured about it to me. FWIW.
And Natslady? Maybe they should pick up Rick Ankiel your fav player? Isn't he available again?
Eric may or may not turn out to be wrong about Moore, but either way he seems pretty good-natured about it to me. FWIW.
That's not my impression there Sofa.
"Didn't you claim he was about to start hitting? That he was about to break out?"
Did I? It's possible. Has he started hitting? I'd say yes. Has he broken out? Maybe not quite, but he seems to be on the right track. But, I honestly have no idea if I claimed he would do either. I think the only thing I've ever said about LaRoche is that it was too early to say his season was over and he's washed up.
"watch out for the boldface dude."
Huh?
If ALR hasn't been moved down to 7th in the order yet, my guess is he isn't gonna be. Not at the All Star break, not ever.
This is a rare game where Davey has gone with three lefty batters in a row at the top of the order. Could be interesting late in the game, though Ty-Mo could always come off the bench to bat for Bernadina if necessary, and with Harper behind him, Leyland is unlikely to counter with a righty.
Sec. 3, indeed, it's all very entertaining. But, sarcasm doesn't always come across well on the Internet. Also, I'm making no claims about Moore. I have no idea how he'll end up doing.
It just strikes me as odd to replace a guy that's finally getting hits with a guy that's currently a strikeout machine.
Whether these rolls will reverse in a week or in a month, I have no idea.
I think the only thing I've ever said about LaRoche is that it was too early to say his season was over and he's washed up.
As I recall you claimed that he just hit ONE double how many does he have now? And he was hitting fly balls close to the track, one that without the wind might have gone out?
I suppose I could find what you said attempting to gainsay or needle my assertion that he looks about done as a power hitter. As with Werth who is about a year older.
is that what you are looking for?
Eric, peric is talking about himself, not you. He plans to quote you in boldface if, by some chance, you happen to be incorrect about something. Look out!
Fear the boldface.
Welcome back peric.
It just strikes me as odd to replace a guy that's finally getting hits with a guy that's currently a strikeout machine.
There's still no run production. Moore is run producer. LaRoche is supposed to be. Werth is supposed to be. Neither are anymore.
They can't just rely on Harper. Desmond is the only guy who is truly making some inroads. And Espinosa still has a much higher ISO than LaRoche with fewer strike outs.
Welcome back peric.
I never left.
You mean like Rick Ankiel in CF last season Natslady? Instead of the Shark or Harper?
Haren has the lowest GB% of our rotation (36.7%). For his career, he's usually about 40%, That's not quite Clippard territory (under 30%), but basically, if you want a guy in there who ain't gonna hit, you want the one in there who can play the outfield. Hence, Bernadina over Moore.
Moore over LaRoche is not going to happen, and certainly not against a righty.
"As I recall you claimed that he just hit ONE double how many does he have now? And he was hitting fly balls close to the track, one that without the wind might have gone out?
I suppose I could find what you said attempting to gainsay or needle my assertion that he looks about done as a power hitter. As with Werth who is about a year older.
is that what you are looking for?"
I'm not really looking for anything. You said I made claims or assertions that will be proved wrong, but I'm not sure I made any claims at all. If I did, and they ARE proved wrong, I can't begin to tell you how little I will be bothered by that.
That said, I do think in light of LaRoche's hitting lately it's too soon to *know* that he's done hitting for power. He could be, but I think the jury's still out. Werth, on the other hand, has yet to flex much since coming back from his broken wrist. It could be that his place at 1 or 2 is his new home.
"He plans to quote you in boldface if, by some chance, you happen to be incorrect about something. Look out!"
Holy crap! Thanks for the warning. If anyone needs me, I'll be cowering under my desk.
Eric -- I appreciate your common sense and good humor in the face of ... whatever. (Also Nats Lady, but that's not news.)
Just remember -- fear the boldface! (And another warning, that your desk ain't gonna save you if he brings out the ALL CAPS too.)
That's entertainment.
NatsLady and Peric arguing. What's funny is NatsLady schooled him big time with some real facts:
"Haren has the lowest GB% of our rotation (36.7%). For his career, he's usually about 40%, That's not quite Clippard territory (under 30%), but basically, if you want a guy in there who ain't gonna hit, you want the one in there who can play the outfield. Hence, Bernadina over Moore."
"Until that changes ... I'll take Tyler Moore."
For a contrary opinion, I commend to you all the insight at http://natsbaseball.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-little-things-matter-and-tyler-moore.html. For a great read on setting realistic expectations for ZNN, see http://natsbaseball.blogspot.com/2013/05/get-excited-about-znn-just-not-too.html.
baseballjones, I specifically refrained from sharing that Nats Baseball blog post about Moore ;).
"(And another warning, that your desk ain't gonna save you if he brings out the ALL CAPS too.)"
OMG. I hear my crawl space is nice this time of year. But, please don't tell me he ever... combines them?
::: eep :::
peric, I mean no harm, but please understand I don't take any of this very seriously at all. If LaRoche's power doesn't wake up, I will be disappointed for the future of the Nats, not about being wrong about some claim I may have made on the Internet.
PS, bbjones: thanks for the heads up on the JZinn overview. That's a great post!
FWIW, I am rooting for all of them--LaRoche, Bernadina, and Moore--to get their offense in high gear.
I'll never be tempted to root against a Nats player just because I made a dogmatic ascertain on a blog. Even if I express doubts about a Nats player (and I have), I cheer when the player proves me (for a game at least) wrong.
Eric, that will put Peric on a rant that LaRoche should sit on the bench and move Zimm to 1st and Rendon to 3rd.
That's still a year and 5 months away after LaRoche is gone as Davey probably won't remove LaRoche even if his power never returns. Besides that wall scraper in NY last month, LaRoche's best contact is netting him about 385 and getting caught.
"rmoore446 said...
FWIW, I am rooting for all of them--LaRoche, Bernadina, and Moore--to get their offense in high gear.
I'll never be tempted to root against a Nats player just because I made a dogmatic ascertain on a blog. Even if I express doubts about a Nats player (and I have), I cheer when the player proves me (for a game at least) wrong."
Some were celebrating Zimm was fixed after his triple on Saturday. His stats since he has returned at 2/14 with 7 K's isn't looking to good right now. Almost looking like he did before he left that if you make a mistake pitch he will hit it hard and if you make a good pitch he will swing at air. Saw a lot of that last night. 0/4 3 punchouts.
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