Overall figures:
- Total July 2014 Tampa Bay Rays home attendance: 224,521
- July home games: 12
- Average attendance per game: 18,710.08
- Highest attendance: 26,659 on Sat, July 26
- Lowest attendance: 12,150 on Wed, July 9
- Highest average attended series: 25,005 vs Boston, July 25-27
- Lowest average attended series: 12,791 vs Kansas City, July 7-9
Competing area sporting events:
- Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football home game - July 26 (att: 14,770)
- Tampa Bay Rowdies home soccer game - July 12, 26 (att: 3,896 / 4,868)
- 53 Minor League Baseball games (avg attendance: 1,893 per game).
Since 2007, July has been the highest average month for the Rays. July is the only month to never be the least attendance month of the year. July was the highest attendance month in 2007 and 2011, but was the 4th lowest in 2013. Since 2007, the average July attendance is 12.53% higher than the overall 2007-2013 average attendance.
- 2007-2013 Average Attendance: 20,475.72
- 2007-2013 July Average Attendance: 23,041.56
- Difference: 2,565.84
- Percentage: 12.53%
We will be using this July difference when we calculate how the Rays drew in 2014 compared to past results.
Note: Due to the irregularity of games against the Brewers, we are using the overall average of interleague games separated only by weekdays or weekends. So we will have to live with the error of bumps resulting from the popularity of one National League team over another.
- 2007-2013 Rays interleague avg home attendance: 22,225
- 2007-2013 Weekday interleague avg home attendance: 20,299
- 2007-2013 Weekend interleague avg home attendance: 23,234
(All numbers include annual games vs FLA/MIA.)
The following chart shows the percentage difference between the mathematically predicted Rays attendance and the actual attendance.
- 2007-2013 Avg = Rays average attendance vs specific opponent on that day since 2007. Calculated here.
- Post-game concert = Average increase in attendance due to post-game concerts on specific days since 2007. Calculated here.
Rays attendance exceeded their past average only one time (July 30). They failed to meet their past average the other eleven times.
On July 30th, the Rays exceeded attendance expectations by 8.61%. July 30th was "Parks and Recreation Day" and campers from around the Tampa Bay area came to Tropicana Field en masse.
Comparing July 2014 with Previous Years
We will now compare the July 2014 average attendance to June attendance in other recent years.
July 2014 was the second worst July since 2007, topping only 2013 by less than 1,000 fans per game. However, July 2014 was 7,724 fans per game (41.82%) below July 2009.
The below chart compares games played, record, and average attendance of the July 2013 Rays and the July 2014 Rays. Over the same amount of games, the 2013 Rays won more games but the 2014 Rays drew more fans.
Through Game 56
We can't only compare attendance by past averages and overall months, we have to look at the trends based on where we are in the season. Through the end of July 2014, the Rays played 56 of their scheduled 81 home games. The following chart depicts the Rays average attendance through Game 56 from 2007 to 2014.
2014 is the 2nd earliest the Rays have reached Game 56, five days later than they did in 2008. The latest they reached Game 56 was in 2009.
The Rays 2014 Game 56 average is below their 2007-2013 Game 56 average by 2,769 fans per game. The average attendance at Game 56 in 2014 is the second worst since 2007, trailing only 2007.
However, the average attendance after Game 56 in 2014 is tied with 2007 for the least amount of weekend games and the most amount of weekday games on this chart. The 2014 season to date has also had one less game versus the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, the Rays' two highest drawing opponents, than the average season.
Comparing 2014 to 2013 through Game 56, the Rays drew 567 fans per game less in 2014. However, they played two less weekend games and two less games versus the Red Sox or Yankees.
The following graph shows how the Rays 2014 Game 56 attendance compares to previous years.
Tampa Bay Rays attendance is 2014 is close to attendance trends in 2013. In 2013, August was the highest attended month. Our next attendance review will cover August.