MLB attendance drops 1.1 percent, still 11th-highest season
Stephen Piscotty #55 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits an RBI single against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on October 2, 2016 in St. Louis, Missouri. Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images/AFP
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball’s average attendance dropped 1.1 percent this season but still was the sport’s 11th-highest year.
The 30 teams combined to draw 73,159,044 fans and average 30,169, the commissioner’s office said Tuesday. That was down from last year’s total of 73.76 million and average of 30,517. The average was the lowest since 30,138 in 2010.
The record total of 79.5 million and average of 32,785 were set in 2007.
The NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers led in home attendance at 3.7 million, followed in the NL by St. Louis (3.44 million), San Francisco (3.37 million) and the Chicago Cubs (3.23 million).
Toronto topped the AL at 3.39 million, followed by the New York Yankees (3.06 million) and Los Angeles Angels (3.02 million).
Tampa Bay had the lowest home attendances at 1.29 million, and Oakland was 29th at 1.52 million. Cleveland was 28th at 1.59 million despite winning the AL Central for the first time since 2007.
Miami drew an NL-low 1.71 million.
