First, a look at the Yankees average annual and per game attendance from 2007-2016. From 2007-2016, the Yankees average annual attendance was 101,095,. The Yankees per game average in the 641 games at Steinbrenner Field from 2007 to 2016 was 1,606.
Click here for Tampa Yankees season average attendance 2007-2016 charts and analysis.
Next, we will look at Yankees average attendance by month from 2007 to 2016. The following graph depicts the Yankees average attendance per month.
The following chart depicts their best and worst average attended months.
This chart shows the annual attendance ranking by month each year spanning from 2007 to 2016 as well as the month’s average finish.
(Yellow highlights = Best month/ Red highlights = Worst month)
The next few charts depict average attendance per month per year from 2007 to 2016.
April average per game attendance 2007 to 2016:
The Tampa Yankees average attendance in April increased every year from 2007 to 2012. April average attendance declined in 2013 and 2014 and has leveled in the last two years. This new level is similar to their average April attendance in 2008 and 2009, but still 26% above their 2007 average April attendance.
May average per game attendance 2007 to 2016:
This chart is slightly misleading. It appears the Yankees had a huge decrease following 2007. However, in May 2007, the Yankees had a Roger Clemens rehab assignment that drew over 10,000 fans.This event, combined with the Yankees usual May promotions, caused May 2007 to be far above average.
Excluding 2007, Tampa Yankees average May attendance was between 2,000 and 3,000 every year until 2016.
June average per game attendance 2007 to 2016:
This is a strange chart. We may be able to link the Tampa Yankees May decrease in 2008 and 2009 with the increase in interest in the Rays during those years. After 2009, attendance climbed until reaching a peak in 2014. 2015 and 2016 attendance could be affected by the Tampa Bay Lightning long playoff runs.
July average per game attendance 2007 to 2016:
Outside of a blip in 2010, July average attendance had increased every year from 2007 to 2013. In 2014 Tampa Yankees average July attendance started declining and has not stopped. Average July attendance in 2016 was nearly 50% of what average July attendance was in 2013.
August/September average per game attendance 2007 to 2016:
While the drop 2008 could have also been attributed to Tampa increase in interest in the Rays, I am perplexed as to why the steep drop in 2016.
Percentage Changes Since 2007:
- April: up 26%
- May: down 53%
- June: down 39%
- July: down 25%
- August/Sept: down 50%
Analysis:
Overall, Tampa Yankees per game attendance has decreased 37% per game since 2007 - from 1,848 per game to 1,163 per game in 2016. April is the only month that has not seen a decrease in average attendance since 2007.
The Yankees play in the middle of Tampa in an accessible, highly visible baseball stadium. Lack of ticket purchases could be indicative of a marketing problem. Or perhaps the Yankees are losing baseball fans to Rays television ratings.
I was surprised by the drop in the Yankees attendance in 2016. Through this analysis, we see the decline hit hardest in June and August. What caused these months to be worse than the same month in previous year will need to be explored.
There is a possibility that the new upgrades at Steinbrenner Field could increase attendance in 2017 and beyond.