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Hurricane Ian effect? MLB Spring training attendance figures in for Red Sox, Twins

dan deluca, fort myers news-press
·2 min read

The Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins wrapped up their Major League Baseball spring training seasons this week in Lee County. With the past three years marred by reduced game schedules and attendance limits due first to the COVID-19 pandemic and then the 2022 MLB lockout, how did fans respond to the first full spring training since 2019?

Here's a look at the reported attendance numbers for both teams.

From February:Lee County needs a tourism spending boost after Hurricane Ian. Can spring training deliver?

From Oregon to Ohio: License plates reveal Red Sox fans come from all over

Twins draw smallest average crowd since 2013

The Twins hosted 17 Grapefruit League games at Hammond Stadium this year, drawing more than 103,000 spectators. The team's average crowd of 6,089 fans was its fewest for a full spring training season since 2013, when it averaged 6,697 fans. It was also a 15% decline from 2019, when the Twins averaged 7,165 fans per game.

This spring, the Twins drew 7,000-plus fans to just three of their games, including a season-best 8,745 to a matchup with the Detroit Tigers on March 5. On average, Hammond Stadium, which has a listed capacity of 9,300, was 65% full for Twins' games this spring.

Red Sox draw fewest fans in JetBlue Park era

The Red Sox also played 17 Grapefruit League games at JetBlue Park this year, drawing more than 143,000 spectators. The team's average crowd of 8,452 fans was its fewest for a full spring training season since 2011, when it averaged 7,538 during its final season at City of Palms Park. This was also the first season since moving to JetBlue Park that the Red Sox failed to average 9,000 fans per game, aside from the shortened springs in 2021 and 2022. The team reached that total four times this spring, including a high of 9,540 fans for a game with the Yankees on March 12.

On average, JetBlue Park, which has a listed capacity of 10,823, was 78% full for Red Sox games this spring.

Hurricane Ian impact likely

The sale of the Outrigger on Fort Myers Beach is under contract according to a sign in front of the property. The popular hotel was heavily affected by Hurricane Ian.
The sale of the Outrigger on Fort Myers Beach is under contract according to a sign in front of the property. The popular hotel was heavily affected by Hurricane Ian.

While the number of fans attending spring training games in Florida was already in decline prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurricane Ian's impact on Lee County likely played a role in depressing the crowds at Red Sox and Twins games this year. At the start of the exhibition season in late February, Lee County's available hotel room inventory was hovering under 70%, with the remaining rooms inaccessible due to damage from the storm.

Further, Southwest Florida International Airport reported 967,416 passengers in February, 16% fewer than in February 2022. Last year after two months, RSW counted 2,194,434 passengers. This year, the January-February total was nearly 300,000 less at 1,900,312.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Spring training attendance for Red Sox, Twins following Hurricane Ian