If you noticed lately that it seems like there are more fans at Oracle Park this year, you are not imagining it. The SF Giants have seen one of the largest year-over-year bumps in attendance this season.
SF Giants have seen one of the largest year-over-year bump in attendance this season
With 2,669,204 fans in attendance this year, they have already surpassed last year's mark of 2,647,736 fans. Not only that, but this season is the highest attendance the Giants have had since 2019, and they will presumably surpass that mark with six home games remaining. This does include some years of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which attendance was understandably lower than expected.
The Giants are averaging over 36,000 fans in attendance this year, which is seventh in baseball. Last year, they were 10th in baseball with just over 33,000 fans. That is a year-over-year increase of 8.25 percent.
Only the New York Mets (25.6 percent) and Detroit Tigers (19.0 percent) have seen a larger percentage increase in attendance this year. Along with San Francisco, what do these two teams have in common? They are competitive teams. Well, that has not been the case with the Mets lately, but overall, they have put together a solid season. Winning brings fans to the game.
On the other hand, the Baltimore Orioles have seen one of the largest year-over-year decreases in attendance at 27.5 percent. Not surprisingly, they have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball, and the attendance numbers reflect that.
In the 2010's, the Giants sold out Oracle Park on a nightly basis. They went years of selling out every home game. The Giants won a lot during that era and routinely surpassed three million fans annually.
The Giants are not only winning, but they have an identity for the first time in years. When Buster Posey took over as team president of baseball operations, he mentioned that he was in the memory-making business.
To his credit, Posey has quickly put together a core of players that should make a lot of memories in the coming years. Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman were holdovers from the previous regime, even if Posey played a role in completing that Chapman deal. He added Willy Adames in the offseason and traded for Rafael Devers in June.
Very quickly, the Giants have put together a core of players that excite fans. That excitement is observable on a nightly basis, as Oracle Park is as full as it has been in years.
Why does this matter? It could certainly be viewed as a signal to the ownership group to continue investing in the roster this offseason. Presumably, they made more money this offseason and will be able to project higher attendance numbers for the foreseeable future.
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