On Monday, the website Ballpark Business released their annual “mega-rankings” for per-game attendance for minor league baseball. This list incorporates not only affiliated minor league teams, but also Independent Leagues and summer Collegiate Leagues.
In the rankings, 258 teams are listed and ranked. A 259th team, the Sonoma County Grapes in the North American Independent league is a road-only team.
Here’s how the Pirates affiliates ranked overall:
- AAA Indianapolis Indians were 4th overall with 8,501 fans/game.
- AA Altoona Curve were 69th overall with 4,295 fans/game.
- The erstwhile Short Season State College Spikes were 91st overall with 3,502 fans/game.
- Low A West Virginia Power were 142nd overall with 2,356 fans/game.
- High A Bradenton Marauders were 194th with 1,515 fans/game.
Some other interesting items gleaned from the report were that the Pirates new short-season affiliate, the Jamestown Jammers, were ranked 236th with 1,031 fans/game.
Most of the teams at the top end of the chart were AAA level franchises, with a few AA franchises mixed in, too. However, the 3rd highest overall franchise was the Dayton Dragons in the Low A Midwest League with 8,532 fans/game. It seems as if this market could be on track in the future for a Double or Triple A affiliation.
