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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 8, 2022 16:05:54 GMT -5
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Post by rf1 on Jul 8, 2022 17:41:01 GMT -5
The Woosox have an average of 7,054 ytd through 44 games for a new ballpark in its second season.
The PawSox had a higher average attendance for the full season for EVERY year from 1999 to 2014 in a ballpark that originally opened in 1942.
Year | # Of Openings | Attendance | Average Attendance | Home |
1999 | 72 | 596,624 | 8,286 | Pawtucket |
2000 | 67 | 585,107 | 8,733 | Pawtucket |
2001 | 70 | 647,928 | 9,256 | Pawtucket |
2002 | 68 | 615,540 | 9,052 | Pawtucket |
2003 | 67 | 550,157 | 8,211 | Pawtucket |
2004 | 70 | 657,067 | 9,387 | Pawtucket |
2005 | 72 | 688,421 | 9,561 | Pawtucket |
2006 | 66 | 613,065 | 9,289 | Pawtucket |
2007 | 69 | 611,379 | 8,861 | Pawtucket |
2008 | 70 | 636,788 | 9,097 | Pawtucket |
2009 | 70 | 625,561 | 8,937 | Pawtucket |
2010 | 71 | 592,326 | 8,343 | Pawtucket |
2011 | 70 | 578,930 | 8,270 | Pawtucket |
2012 | 69 | 521,023 | 7,551 | Pawtucket |
2013 | 69 | 540,034 | 7,827 | Pawtucket |
2014 | 70 | 515,665 | 7,367 | Pawtucket |
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Post by hchoops on Jul 8, 2022 17:58:49 GMT -5
Logical question
What happened after 2014 ?
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Post by rf1 on Jul 8, 2022 18:04:39 GMT -5
Logical question What happened after 2014 ?
Larry Lucchino purchased the team and immediately started efforts to get a new ballpark. Local fans were consequently very much turned off.
Ben Mondor bought the PawSox team in 1977 and died in 2010. His wife Madeleine Mondor owned the team for the next four seasons selling to the Lucchino group in February 2015.
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Post by timholycross on Jul 8, 2022 18:18:00 GMT -5
The attractiveness of the product (AAA baseball) wasn't as great as it had been....and that may bite Lucchino in the arse in a few years.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 8, 2022 18:31:09 GMT -5
There was nothing wrong with McCoy Stadium, unless you were afraid of heights. My mind always wanted the grandstand to slope down to the field instead of the first row being one story up. But minor league parks should have quirks.
Worcester was excited when the Independent League Tornadoes arrived, Rich Gedman was the manager, local Eddie Reilly started the first game on the mound, popular DJ and professional comedian Frank Foley entertained on the radio play by play, and they won the pennant the first year. After a few years new ownership screwed up the Tornadoes, too.
If it wasn't for the Paw Sox territorial protection, Worcester would have been happy with a lower level of organized ball at a much less expensive stadium than the nine figures Polar cost.
But at least Fitton Field got improvements paid for before the Tornadoes blew themselves out.
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Post by Wormtown Railers Fan on Jul 8, 2022 21:19:21 GMT -5
The attendance at McCoy is zero this year.
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 9, 2022 0:23:15 GMT -5
The attractiveness of the product (AAA baseball) wasn't as great as it had been....and that may bite Lucchino in the arse in a few years. It has never been a good product. |
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Post by sader1970 on Jul 9, 2022 4:25:52 GMT -5
“Good product” is a relative term. Is it MLB? Of course not.
But in the markets they are in, having been in and watched games with young sons with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Columbus Clippers and the Pawtucket Red Sox (sans older sons by that time) they were great family fun with their mascots and creative between innings; pre and post game events including oftentimes fireworks displays.
Of the 3 teams, Columbus by far had the nicest stadium of course because it was the Yankee farm team. Syracuse was also a Yankee team but transitioned to the Blue Jays.
My sons also got to see up and coming future MLB players, get autographs from them.
There is definitely a place in our society for AAA baseball entertainment.
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Post by alum on Jul 9, 2022 5:59:19 GMT -5
Minor league baseball is sensational family entertainment for people with young kids. A set up like the Woo Sox have with nearby bars and restaurants is attractive for folks without kids. The product on the field can be mixed from the serious fan’s perspective (I am amazed how mediocre defensively AA players can be) but it is good stuff.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 9, 2022 12:12:49 GMT -5
The attractiveness of the product (AAA baseball) wasn't as great as it had been....and that may bite Lucchino in the arse in a few years. Lucchino's arse has a shelf life. He turns 77 in two months. The big sponsorship and limited partner money generated by the initial excitement has been booked. Then again, people aren't taking the hint that they are old anymore. With a younger wife maybe there will be a Lucchino running the WooSox until Polar Park is fully paid for. |
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Post by rf1 on Sept 25, 2022 15:41:49 GMT -5
The Worcester Red Sox concluded their 2022 home season today at Polar Park. The team drew 532,152 for 73 dates for an average of 7,290. The average will end up being in the top five for MLB minor league baseball this season. This season's average places it 17th for the team's combined 50+ year tenure of being located in Pawtucket and Worcester. AAA Red Sox Attendance Year | # Of Openings | Attendance | Average Attendance | Home | Principal Owner | 2005 | 72 | 688,421 | 9,561 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2004 | 70 | 657,067 | 9,387 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2006 | 66 | 613,065 | 9,289 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2001 | 70 | 647,928 | 9,256 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2008 | 70 | 636,788 | 9,097 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2002 | 68 | 615,540 | 9,052 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2009 | 70 | 625,561 | 8,937 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2007 | 69 | 611,379 | 8,861 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2000 | 67 | 585,107 | 8,733 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2010 | 71 | 592,326 | 8,343 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 1999 | 72 | 596,624 | 8,286 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2011 | 70 | 578,930 | 8,270 | Pawtucket | Madeleine Mondor | 2003 | 67 | 550,157 | 8,211 | Pawtucket | Ben Mondor | 2013 | 69 | 540,034 | 7,827 | Pawtucket | Madeleine Mondor | 2012 | 69 | 521,023 | 7,551 | Pawtucket | Madeleine Mondor | 2014 | 70 | 515,665 | 7,367 | Pawtucket | Madeleine Mondor | 2022 | 73 | 532,152 | 7,290 | Worcester | Larry Lucchino |
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Sept 25, 2022 17:00:42 GMT -5
So, 2014 was the most recent year with better per game average attendance than 2022.
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Post by longsuffering on Sept 25, 2022 17:01:45 GMT -5
I thought Polar Park's capacity was about 9500. Your figures would make the capacity 12,678 for 57.5% of capacity to equal 7290 fannies.
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Post by rf1 on Sept 25, 2022 17:36:25 GMT -5
I thought Polar Park's capacity was about 9500. Your figures would make the capacity 12,678 for 57.5% of capacity to equal 7290 fannies.
I got the percent number from both Spectrum and the Telegram who indicated it was per the team. I have edited my post and removed it.
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Post by sader1970 on Sept 25, 2022 18:20:11 GMT -5
rf1, you do realize that no matter what you write, the team's not coming back here to RI, right? If it makes you feel any better, my intention is not to go up 146 to Polar Park except to watch Holy Cross play. Nothing against the WooSox or the PawSox but I don't have little kids and my grandkids aren't about to make the trip. . . . . .oh, maybe, my granddaughter loves mascots but that's for another thread.  |
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Post by rf1 on Sept 25, 2022 18:48:11 GMT -5
So, 2014 was the most recent year with better per game average attendance than 2022. Larry Lucchino has owned the team beginning in the 2015 season. this was his best attendance season under his management. Ben Mondor and his wife had sixteen seasons with higher average attendance. |
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Post by longsuffering on Sept 25, 2022 20:02:29 GMT -5
Larry is no Spring Chicken. Any info on what his plans are for his ownership interest?
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Post by HC92 on Sept 25, 2022 22:52:37 GMT -5
I couldn’t let care less about Woosox attendance but being in the top 5 in minor league baseball seems good. It doesn’t really matter what the PawSox drew a in prior decades. The world has changed and the Woosox have a pretty new stadium in a much more attractive area to spend time than Pawtucket. How long they’ll continue to do well relative to their peers, I have no idea.
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Post by bfoley82 on Sept 25, 2022 23:01:42 GMT -5
I couldn’t let care less about Woosox attendance but being in the top 5 in minor league baseball seems good. It doesn’t really matter what the PawSox drew a in prior decades. The world has changed and the Woosox have a pretty new stadium in a much more attractive area to spend time than Pawtucket. How long they’ll continue to do well relative to their peers, I have no idea. I think the newness will wear off within the next five years and then what happens... |
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Post by WorcesterGray on Sept 26, 2022 8:27:21 GMT -5
Keep up the good work . . .
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Post by rf1 on Sept 26, 2022 11:21:57 GMT -5
I couldn’t let care less about Woosox attendance but being in the top 5 in minor league baseball seems good. It doesn’t really matter what the PawSox drew a in prior decades. The world has changed and the Woosox have a pretty new stadium in a much more attractive area to spend time than Pawtucket. How long they’ll continue to do well relative to their peers, I have no idea. I think the newness will wear off within the next five years and then what happens...
Per history for other teams that have opened up new ballparks, it will eventually drop for the WooSox. All teams have gotten an initial bump with a new stadium. This season's Polar Park average attendance is therefore likely to be near the high water mark. That might mean that the eventual average norm in a few years might settle somewhere in the 6k range.
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Post by cmo on Sept 26, 2022 19:50:41 GMT -5
Newness wears off after 7 years.
Big, if true.
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Post by longsuffering on Sept 26, 2022 19:56:55 GMT -5
6,000 is not bad. Hope Worcester locked in the low interest rates of a couple of a couple of years ago for thirty years. Inflation should make payback less of a "B" word.
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Post by longsuffering on Oct 20, 2022 11:26:57 GMT -5
President Biden just landed in Pittsburgh. The small meeting party at the airport included either Larry Lucchino or his doppelganger. It looked just like him on the news clip. I think he is from Pittsburgh.
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