The American League and National League have evenly split the last 24 World Series, each winning 12. But, as Yahoo Sports’ Kendall Baker pointed out, the latter dominates the former in attendance.
As of May 30, seven of the top eight MLB teams in average home attendance play in the National League, and seven of the bottom nine play in the American League. In total, National League teams draw an average of 30,557 fans per game, while American League clubs occupy only 23,784 seats.
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That gap is nothing new (National League teams have averaged more fans in each of the last 20 seasons), but it is growing. The National League’s lead is larger than at any time during that span.
A closer look at the data reveals that just two divisions drive most of the disparity: the National League West and the American League Central.
The National League West has been the dominant division in attendance in every season since 2006. The Los Angeles Dodgers have drawn the biggest crowds in MLB for more than a decade straight, while usurping the New York Yankees as the team with the most wins in the baseball regular season. The addition of pitchers Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in free agency this offseason should help maintain their edge for years to come.
The San Diego Padres have risen to second place in major league attendance after ranking in the bottom half of clubs in 2018. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies faithful have consistently shown up to support their team in the recent years despite its absence. of success in the field.
One season after riding the moneyball comet that arrives roughly every 10 years to the World Series, the Arizona Diamondbacks have seen an increase in attendance in 2024. Although crowds across MLB overall are down a 7% year over year. , the Diamondbacks’ 29,936 fans per game reflect a 24% increase and rank 13th.
On the other end of the spectrum is the American League Central. The Cleveland Guardians are the highest-ranked franchise in the division at 22nd in MLB, followed by the Minnesota Twins (23rd), Detroit Tigers (24th), Kansas City Royals (26th) and Chicago White Sox (27th).
The lesson learned from the dichotomy between these two divisions: if you build it, they will come.
The two largest offseason spending commitments in MLB history came from the Dodgers in 2024 and the Padres in 2023. Each NL West team ranks among MLB’s top 16 total payrolls, according to Spotrac, with the Rockies’ $145.8 million bringing up the rear. .
Compare that to the American League Central, where the White Sox are the top spending team at $136.3 million and 18th in the majors.
It’s also true: if you don’t build it, they won’t come. Look no further than the Oakland Athletics, who have the stingiest payroll in MLB and have fewer fans on average than minor league hockey and college wrestling teams.
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