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The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance

Sports teams often go through sharp swings in popularity. Attendance rises and falls. This frequently has to do with how well a team performs. When teams do well, people outside of their primary fan base become interested and start going to games. An example of this is the Florida Marlins, who won the world series in 2003 and saw attendance rise 60 percent in a single year.

Attendance for the four major league sports – NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL – remained relatively flat from 2001 to 2010. The total fan increase for all NHL teams—the strongest performer of the four—was only 2.59 percent. The weakest, the NFL, only grew .49 percent.

Despite the relatively anemic growth overall, some teams have done extraordinarily well drawing fans. MLB teams such as Los Angeles and Minnesota saw crowds increase more than 50 percent, while Philadelphia’s attendance doubled. NFL teams such as Arizona, Atlanta, and Dallas jumped more than 25 percent.

Using records provided by ESPN, 24/7 Wall St. was able to examine changes in attendance for the four major league sports from 2001 to 2010 to identify the twelve teams that decreased more than 20 percent. The majority of these teams have performed poorly in recent years, causing fans to lose interest. The win-lose record and number of championships has been included to reflect the former and current state of each team.

These are the top 12 major league sports teams with the worst attendance records as researched and compiled by 24/7 Wall St.:

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance12. Oakland Raiders
Decrease in attendance: 21.32 Percent
2001 W-L record: 10-6 (finished 1st in AFC West)
2010 W-L record: 8-8 (finished 3rd in AFC West)
League championships last decade: none

In the 2002 season, the Raiders went 11 and 5 and won the AFC championship. From that point on, the team’s luck changed dramatically. From 2003 through their 8-8 season last year, the team went through six different coaches, and became the first team in NFL history to lose at least 11 games for seven straight seasons. The team’s combined record over those seven years was 29 wins and 83 losses. In 2001, Oakland had 472,000 total fans in home attendance. By 2010, the total had dropped by more than 100,000, to 371,000.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance11. Columbus Blue Jackets
Decrease in attendance: 21.76 Percent
2001 W-L record: 28–39–9–6 (finished 5th in Central Division)
2010 W-L record: 32-35-15 (finished 5th in Central Division)
League championships last decade: none

Columbus entered the NHL as an expansion team in 2000, along with the Minnesota Wild. The team had the 12th-highest turnout in the league in that first season, with 715,000 fans in attendance for home games. Two years later, the team had the second-worst record in the league, and ticket sales began to plummet. To date, the team has finished in the bottom ten (out of a total 32 teams) every year except 2008 — the one year it had a winning record. And apart from that year, attendance has declined every year since 2002. Between 2000 and 2010, annual ticket sales at Nationwide Arena dropped from 715,000 to 546,000.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance10. Indiana Pacers
Decrease in attendance: 24.32 Percent
2001 W-L record: 41-41 (8th in Eastern Conference)
2010 W-L record: 32-50 (10th in Eastern Conference)
League championships last decade: none

During the 1999-2000 season, the Indianapolis-based Pacers had the second-best winning record in the NBA, behind the LA Lakers, who would beat them in the Finals, four games to two. The Pacers scored poorly in the following two years, however, until a series of trades got them back in the running. The team had the best record in the NBA in the 2003-2004 season under newly-acquired star Ron Artest, losing in the conference finals to the Pistons. The following year, Artest got into a serious brawl and was suspended for the entire season. From then on the team declined, and would not make the playoffs once between 2005 and 2010. Ticket sales declined from 733,000 in 2001 to 582,000 in 2010 — the fourth-worst attendance in the league.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Decrease in attendance: 24.78 Percent
2001 W-L record: 9-7 (finished 3rd in NFC Central Division)
2010 W-L record: 10-6 (finished 3rd in NFC South Division)
League championships last decade: won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002

Unlike many of the teams that have seen a massive decline in ticket sales, Tampa Bay has actually been an above-average team for most of the past ten years. The team made the playoffs in 1999, 2000, and 2001, and had a commanding run in 2002, culminating in a decisive Super Bowl victory over the Raiders. The team spent the remainder of the decade in a state of flux, alternating between making the playoffs and having abysmal seasons. One such season was 2009, when the Bucs amassed only three wins. Ticket sales hovered above 500,000 through most of the decade, but dropped precipitously in the last two years. In 2008, there were 516,000 game attendees. By 2010, that number had dropped to just 394,000.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance8. Philadelphia 76’ers
Decrease in attendance: 24.94 Percent
2001 W-L record: 56-26 (1st in the Eastern Conference)
2010 W-L record: 27-55 (13th in the Eastern Conference)
League championships last decade: none

In 2001, the Philadelphia 76’ers were among the top five in ticket sales in the NBA. The team had an outstanding playoff run under the leadership of Allen Iverson, but lost convincingly to the Lakers in the finals. The 76’ers made it to the playoffs the following two years, but never made it past the quarter finals. The team has only had a winning record once since the 2003-2004 season. After multiple disappointing seasons, the team now has the fifth-worst attendance in the NBA.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance7. Arizona Diamondbacks

Decrease in attendance: 25.05 Percent

2001 W-L record: 92-70 (finished 1st in NL West)
2010 W-L record: 65-97 (finished 5th in NL West)
League championships last decade: won World Series in 2001

MLB ticket sales rose more than 10Percent in the past decade. Some teams, like the Phillies, the Twins, and the Angels, saw sales increase by more than 50Percent. This is not the case with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Led by star pitchers Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, the team won the world series in 2001. Then players began to leave, and its performance diminished rapidly. In 2004, the team had the worst record in baseball. It has only made the playoffs once since, in 2007. Since 2001, annual stadium attendance has dropped more than 25Percent, from 2.7 million to 2.05 million.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance6. Detroit Lions
Decrease in attendance: 25.18 Percent
2001 W-L record: 2-14 (5th in NFC Central Division)
2010 W-L record: 6-10 (3rd in NFC North Division)
League championships last decade: none

Nothing mirrors the hard luck of the city of Detroit more than the hometown football team. Once an NFL powerhouse, the Lions entered the 21st century with a respectable 9-7 season under their belt. From that point forward, nothing would go right for the team. Between 2001 and 2010, Detroit’s record combined for 39 wins and a staggering 121 losses. In 2008, the year the housing crisis decimated Motor City, the Lions had the honor of becoming the only team in the history of the modern NFL to lose every single game they played.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance5. Oakland Athletics
Decrease in attendance: 33.51 Percent
2001 W-L record: 102-60 (finished 2nd in AL West)
2010 W-L record: 81-81 (finished 2nd in AL West)
League championships last decade: none

The novel and soon-to-be-released film Moneyball detail General Manager Billy Beane’s brilliant overhaul of the A’s. His unique statistical methods brought Oakland much success in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. However, the A’s have fallen on hard times lately, finishing in the bottom of the division in 2009. The number of people going to the games fell from 2.1 million in 2001 to 1.4 million in 2010, the second-worst attendance in baseball.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance4. Pittsburgh Pirates
Decrease in attendance: 33.78Percent
2001 W-L record: 62-100 (finished 6th in NL Central)
2010 W-L record: 57-105 (finished 6th in NL Central)
League championships last decade: none

Pittsburgh is one of the most avid sports cities in America, with a competitive team in 3 of the 4 major sports categories. The exception to this is the Pirates, who have not fielded a competitive team in more than a decade. Since 2001, the team has not finished better than third in its division (out of five) and has had among the five worst records in baseball nearly every single year. In 2001, the team had 2.1 million fans in attendance. By 2010, that number had dropped to 1.4 million.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance3. Seattle Mariners
Decrease in attendance: 40.54 Percent
2001 W-L record: 116-46 (finished 1st in AL West)
2010 W-L record: 61-101 (finished 4th in AL West)
League championships last decade: none

Seattle, led by powerhouses Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki, started the decade strong. In 2001, the team had the best record in baseball. By 2010, it had the worst record in the American League. The loss of Griffey and the decline of Suzuki hurt the Mariners, and after that year, the team hasn’t even made it to the playoffs. In 2001, the team had an attendance of 3.5 million people, more than any team in baseball. In just ten years, that number has dropped to 2 million.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance2. Baltimore Orioles
Decrease in attendance: 44.00Percent
2001 W-L record: 63-98 (finished 4th in AL East)
2010 W-L record: 66-96 (finished 5th in AL East)
League championships last decade: none

Baltimore’s golden years were arguably during the Cal Ripken Jr. era of the 90’s. The team was competitive nearly every year, and had the best record in the American League in 1998. After Ripken retired, the team’s talent — and most of its fan base — began to wane. The team is in a division with three of the best teams in the American League (the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Devil Rays) and the odds are stacked against it gaining a playoff berth. The team has not made the playoffs since 1997. In 2001, the annual stadium attendance in Baltimore was just over 3 million. Today, it is 1.74 million.

The 12 Major League Sports Teams With The Greatest Decline in Attendance1. Cleveland Indians
Decrease in attendance: 56.08Percent
2000 W-L record: 91-71 (finished 1st in AL Central)
2010 W-L record: 69-93 (finished 4th in AL Central)
League championships last decade: none

Cleveland set a Major League Baseball record in 2001 after selling out every single home game since June 1995. The team only made the playoffs once since 2001, losing a heartbreaking loss to the Red Sox in the American League Championship. Attendance then plummeted even further, dropping to just 1.39 million from 3.17 million ten years ago. In 2001, Cleveland drew the fifth-most fans in all of baseball. Last year, the team had the lowest attendance. The team also set a major league record for the lowest attendance in a single game — just 9,853 people showed up to the second home game of the season.

Correction: An earlier version of this story referred to Cleveland Indian’s loss against the Boston Red Sox in the World Series in 2007. In fact, Cleveland lost to the Red Sox in the American League Championship that year. Additionally, baseball player Kenneth Griffey Jr. left the Seattle Mariners in 1999 and did not play for the team between 2000 and 2010. Also, The Diamondback’s 2001 win-loss record was 92-70 (finished 1st in NL West) and not 85-77 (finished 3rd in NL West).

(Michael B. Sauter/Becket Adams — 24/7 Wall St./The Blaze)

Comments (116)

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  • TennBill
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:04am

    Go to local affiliates of the major league teams. We have the Johnson City Cardinals here and they are fun to watch. The local fans are great and it only costs $3 to get in toa game. Oh yeah, a hamburger costs around a buck fifty. Great games and lots of fun for the kids. GO LOCAL!

    Report Post »  
    • BeerSnob
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:30am

      I enjoy our local teams Toledo Walleye (hockey) and the Mud Hens. The only problem with minor leagues is that there’s not much point in having a favorite player. As soons as a player starts doing really well, he gets called up. A few years back the Mud Hens were having an awesome season, and the Tigers were doing horrible. Right before the playoffs hit, the Tigers called all the good players up, and the Mud Hens gotten taken out in the first round.

      Report Post » BeerSnob  
    • sbleve
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:55am

      Good point. Go local. If we the people controlled the village squires-town councils/county super’s, and expected no more from them commiserate with what we individually give, the National quagmire of representative gov’mt would not exist. Congress is the legal body of gov’mt, not a singular person authority such as an executive via a appointed committee.

      Super sports – pricing themselves out of existence, maybe? Local sports may not have the total collective (look out for this word) power structure, but this local village entertainment offers far more for the family unity than the infatuation with the sears roebuck catalog-wish list.

      Report Post » sbleve  
    • Slick Willie
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:58am

      I agree with you. I go to all my Son’s High School games. MUCH MUCH better.

      Report Post » Slick Willie  
    • PA PATRIOT
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:11am

      Hey, HOW ABOUT THEM AMERICAN LEAGUE O’s

      Report Post » PA PATRIOT  
    • old white guy
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:23am

      i think the cost is a big factor. fans will support a losing team but not at winning team prices. even the grapefruit league is getting too expensive. this year some games were over 90 dollars for a seat. that is a bit much to watch second stringers and the top players warm up.

      Report Post »  
    • one years food ration like glenn says
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:29am

      Yeah well, maybe if these over grown big babies stop threatening strike everytime they want another million in salary the attendance would get better…

      Report Post » one years food ration like glenn says  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 9:31am

      When the world is crashing and burning all around you ,
      And your children are being spent into slavery , its hard
      to watch sports and pretend nothings wrong !!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 11:10am

      Wow !

      Just like politics!

      GO LOCAL !

      Our country was DESIGNED for small representation. If we KNEW our representatives, and if we had MANY MANY MANY more Congressional Districts, and even MANY MORE, SMALLER states, we would be better able to elect honest people that we personally know.

      I believe the anonymity afforded politicians by massive Districts and states is part of the reason we elect populist candidates of whom we have no prior knowledge.

      Imagine if it were a local business owner, from whom you purchased groceries each week.
      You would know if they dealt honestly with you.

      IMHO
      .
      .
      .

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • randy
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 12:03pm

      I have a much better time attending the local high school football games.
      I’m not being frisked as I enter.
      I have an unlimited choice of seats.
      Usually a perfect fall day.
      Hot chocolate and blankets
      Surrounded by people I know. (even in NY, very few Obama Voters) :)
      And best of all, Free or very close to being free entertainment

      Report Post » randy  
    • TangoBravo
      Posted on September 17, 2011 at 1:11am

      I love that my kids (15 &17) can afford to go to our local AAA baseball games, get a little food & come home safe & sound. Five bucks a ticket for our home team is a great value
      It’s so American to be kids & go to the local ball park. So cool. Plus I love to support the low paid little guy who hasn’t made it big yet.
      I do love Sunday football but I could fill my closet with a months worth of food for one ticket to a game. I like sports but I like my money more, go local!!!

      Report Post »  
  • endgamer
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:55am

    No no and no… The economy and disposable income to attend the games is the main culprit. If you look at the Buccaneers ( I live here) and the median income of the area even in the best of times is was a stretch to go to games.. It’s just not in the budget. Even if I could get free tickets, parking, gas and food and beverage would break the bank. The Bucs are usually 20,000 short of a sellout. Jacksonville usually has a buyer of the seats likely at discount and they sell out. The The Glazers (owners of the Bucs) are so greedy they won‘t offer it or the companies here are struggling so badly THEY can’t afford to buy the seats and give them away. If I could I would just for the publicity! The problem is Greed across the board.. We need to fix the money. The reason for the 2008 collapse was a created bubble and Keynesian economics failing again. The boom and bust cycle is indicative of Keynesian economics and fiat currency. The DEBT they keep creating is NEEDED to inflate the bubble again. Remember when only one parent needed to work, then it went to 2 then the kids didn’t move out because it was cheaper to live with their parents? This constant squeeze is caused by debasing the currency and the fractional reserve system debases the currency every time you make a deposit. The bank only needs a 10% reserve and can loan out 90% more out of thin air!! SO it‘s the economic system we have had in place since 1971 that’s the reason you can’t afford to attend a game.

    Report Post » endgamer  
    • Ranubis
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:43am

      Thank You Mr. Paul … Now back to sports………..

      Report Post » Ranubis  
    • biohazard23
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:17am

      The Buccaneers are definitely now the Suckaneers. The Glazers keep pouring money into their new darlings, Manchester United. It seems like they want to screw the fans of their original investment by putting a crappy team on the field. The team hasn’t been the same since they canned Dungy, although I was very happy to see Gruden take the team to San Diego and kick Oakland’s butt all over Qualcomm.

      And as for the article, they got the name of our baseball team wrong. It’s the Tampa Bay RAYS, not the Devil Rays.

      Report Post » biohazard23  
    • rolla020980
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 10:04am

      Reinflate the bubble? The last time I tried to reinflate a popped balloon, it didn’t inflate… I just ran out of breath. How’s that for an analogy?

      Anyways, I live in Columbus, and the Blue Jackets are a dying franchise. The problem is that they are just aweful, besides Columbus is not a hockey town. We have Ohio State football, which can sell over 100,000 tickets per game. We have the Clippers… they might not sell out every time, but it is hard for me to remember the ballpark being empty, even at Cooper Stadium. Hell, even the Crew isn’t doing so bad. People around here go to watch sports, but hockey just isn’t part of this town.

      Report Post »  
    • JLGunner
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 10:16am

      I remember when the Rays first season started and just to park was $20.00. The tickets were not that cheap and the cost of food and drinks were through the roof. As many St.Pete residents are retired, they are on a limited income. The rest of us that had families couldn’t afford to go to more than one game a month. Turnouts for games were not that impressive. Then there was the sportscaster from Channel 8. He actually got on tv one night and chastised the residents of the Tampa / St. Pete area for not activly supporting the team. This coming from a guy who received free parking, tickets and food. Back then, I found that my responsibility to provide for my family as apposed to supporting a bunch of snot-nosed millionairs was more imortant. Honestly, $20.00 to park? What would that cover? What services was I to get for that money?
      On the other side of the coin, I will say the Rays have since improved a bit on prices and it is a really good time to go to the games. Unfortunantly the economy dictates where entertainment dollars are spent.

      Report Post » JLGunner  
    • kimoblaze
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 12:20pm

      You are so correct….the owners leverage their purchase of the team and want to make in excess of what their loan interest is and when the economy is down, they should “take one on the chin” and lower prices or give free parking or other incentives…..These people just do not care….Poor ownership, poor teams….accountable to noone but the sportswriters and the fools who spend their stretched dollars because they are “fans.” A reality check is needed ….so the owners can realize that the fans are not just people who will spend on an attraction which sometimes borders addiction.

      Report Post »  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:27pm

      @biohazard23.. it used to be the devil rays the shortened it to the rays..

      Report Post » swampbuck  
    • endgamer
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:03pm

      If you are from St. Pete. A few years back there was a vote on moving the ballpark downtown that failed.
      I know the engineer that designed the ventilation for the new open air stadium and he told be about the cost of Air conditioning Tropicana Field for one game.. When he said $250,000.00 I almost puked! I said Progress Energy is a major sponsor, they didn’t give you a break? He said Nope!! Just a little senseless trivia..

      Report Post » endgamer  
  • swampbuck
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:45am

    Surprised ATL is not on the list.. They can be in the playoffs and not fill all the seats.

    Report Post » swampbuck  
    • BlondLab77
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:25am

      That because not many people went to begin with, and this measured decline.

      Report Post » BlondLab77  
  • loadingmyclips
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:39am

    of course it has nothing to do with the fact that the cost of a ticket has risen from $3.75 to up to $100 bucks!!!! NAAAAA coouldn’t have anything to do with that could it????

    Report Post » loadingmyclips  
    • loriann12
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:57am

      What, they’re not using Obamabucks to give away free tickets in Detroit?

      Report Post »  
    • swampbuck
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:29pm

      when were tickets $3.75? 1969

      Report Post » swampbuck  
  • MAXIMUS_MARIUSZ
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:36am

    I must applaud fans for realizing that this is strictly entertainment and purchasing tickets and the overpriced concessions helps support these athletes multi-million dollar salaries and therefore is a waste of money, especially in this economy. You’d think these greedy morons (owners and players) would make a point of, at a minimum, dropping ticket prices so the average person would be able to take his family to a game for under $200, plus the exorbitant price of concessions. Let these folks feel the pinch like everyone else.

    Report Post »  
  • Dustyluv
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:31am

    Let’s see…3 Retirement cities, 8 Union thug run cities and a Canadian city….I cannot imagine why things are declining for these teams…

    Report Post »  
    • stogieguy7
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 9:24am

      Please educate me on which Canadian city was on the list. Could the Canadians have annexed part of the US without my knowing it? Apparently so, at least according to you.

      Report Post » stogieguy7  
    • winnie10
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 10:28am

      Let me see, Columbus, Ohio is not a retirement city and not a union thug city – oh yes, it must be the Canadian city as I don’t see any others on the list!!! And who says America is not “dumbing down”!!

      Report Post »  
  • manster35
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:30am

    Much of this has to do with the teams winning or loosing. But in my opionion much more of it has to do with the economy and ticket prices. No reason it should cost as much as it does for a night at the ball park with the family. Tickets come down, concessions come down people come back. Much like lowering taxes. Funny how that works.

    Report Post »  
  • POdVet
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:27am

    As long as Cleveland has football team named the Browns, the curse will live on and No team from Cleveland will win a world championship in ANY sport! During the few seasons there was a chance for the Indians to win it all until a tragic plane crash claimed several of it’s starting pitchers. Then the Browns name was resurrected and back comes the curse of mediocrity.

    Report Post »  
    • Ranubis
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 7:01am

      Wrong…you forget the MISL Cleveland Crunch, or was it the Force

      Report Post » Ranubis  
    • POdVet
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:23am

      I was talking about the MAJOR leagues but I guess I should have stipulated that…

      Report Post »  
    • 66 bronco
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:35am

      @ ranubis

      Even Clevelanders don’t count the “Crunch” and the “Force” championships as actual “championships.”

      Report Post »  
    • CommonSenseis Missing
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 11:13am

      Please try not to comment on things when you have no idea what you are talking about. It was not a plane crash, it as a boating accident. Pitchers Tim Crews, 31, and Steve Olin, 27, were killed in the boating accident. A third pitcher, Bob Ojeda, barely survived. These were promising relievers, and it definitely hurt the team and their morale.

      Report Post »  
    • nkfremont
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 11:40am

      In the Indians case, the economy only is part of the problem. The biggest problem they have is competitiveness. After 2002, they blew up the team that had 455 straight sellouts and with new ownership went with a youth movement. That has brought some success, but too many people feel that ownership won’t pay the price to stay competitive, and that hurts attendance. They’ve done lots to keep ticket prices low and even season tickets, but what they need is talent, and they can’t afford it.

      Report Post »  
  • SummerB
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:15am

    I would think that the economy also has some effect on attendance — Baltimore, Philadelphia.

    Report Post »  
  • PoliticalJunkieToo
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:01am

    Sports are over-hyped and WAY over-priced.

    Then, the team owners and their over-paid players STILL expect the “city” to build them a brand new stadium and have the gall to keep all good seats for themselves and still charge a fortune to the fans to get in and rape them a 2nd time with food/drink prices.

    Watch the fans drop even more when fans have to be TSA style felt up before getting in.

    Better to kick back back and watch the game on TV.

    Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:55am

      EXACTLY!
      We had a partial game plan for the Phillies back in the late 70′s-early 80′s. In those daze I paid about $500 (total) for 4 seats for 8 games. These were good seats, too, only 9 rows from the field. Now, it’s over $100 a seat x 4 seats for one game (right-field bleachers).
      The fact that some owners would buy the best players at any cost to win without doubt was the driver that made prices skyrocket beyond the reach of many would-be attendees.
      So, if you field a losing team, expect few fans to attend. Eventually, this house of cards will fall.

      Report Post »  
  • Uriel
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:53am

    Don’t worry about the Lions, Bucs, or Raiders. They’re in the CFL (Communist Football League). Next year, the fans from New York, D.C., and Dallas will be REDISTRIBUTED to Detroit, Tampa, and Oakland.

    Report Post »  
  • wboehmer
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:48am

    As I understand it, because of revenue sharing, the Pittsburgh Pirates make money before they sell a single ticket. Therefore, the business model prioritizes minimizing expenses (e.g., player salaries) over attracting fans with talented players.

    Result: 19 LOSING SEASONS

    The only surprise is that they retain 1.4 million gullible fans!

    Report Post »  
  • Bro Geo Too
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:48am

    In my sixth decade of being an Ohio sports fan, I can only say “Thank God” for the University of Mount Union Purple Raiders. C’mon Raiders – take the Stagg Bowl this December!

    Report Post »  
  • fadz89
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:29am

    “The team never performed again at the winning level it had in the 90’s, only making the playoffs once over the decade, losing a heartbreaking world series to the Red Sox.”

    It’s not possible for the Indians to lose a World Series to the Red Sox, since they’re both in the American League.

    Report Post »  
    • Ranubis
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:46am

      Ya I caught that too. It was 2004 and the Tribe played the BoSox for the AL pennant, it was one of the best series I can remember in my life. The tribe was up 3 games to 1 and the Sox came back and won the series, then went on to sweep St Louie in 4.

      Report Post » Ranubis  
    • Becket Adams
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 11:15am

      Dear Sir,

      My mistake. Good catch. Two errors in this report. My batting average isn’t so good, is it?

      Cordially,
      T. Becket Adams

      Report Post » Becket Adams  
  • Ranubis
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:29am

    If the Indians would just bring back Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, from retirement then they might have a chance … I hear he’s been drinking “Tiger Blood” lately … WINNING!

    Report Post » Ranubis  
  • reff44
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:19am

    It’s not about the economy or prices, but about winning, while both of the first two will keep some people out, if they are winning others will buy the tickets.

    Report Post »  
  • TxMadMac
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 5:17am

    I would to take my four grandchildren to a game. Could someone mail me about $1,000.00

    Report Post »  
  • gracie07
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 4:16am

    some of these teams are nothing new…the A’s have had hardly any one at their games for 10 years, the O’s even longer. And don’t even start with the Bucks…hardly anyone goes to a Bucks game..and if you do, the tickets are so easy to get. Now just try and get into a Steelers game!

    Report Post »  
  • Shelby56
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 3:52am

    Its the economy stupid

    Report Post »  
  • Californiasodbuster
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 3:09am

    Sorry for sounding negative, these people are way overpaid for throwing, catching, or hitting a ball, and young children look at them like some kind of hero.
    I think the real hero’s are our men and women in the military, humping 80 lbs. of gear in 120 heat, or any elected politician that is truly trying to defeat obama’s agenda.

    Report Post »  
    • sbleve
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 8:11am

      We are at war via the mentality of citizens that do not have a place in life and so choose to be a professional politician. Politicians for the past 100 years are the creators of war without a just end (probably for ever). The example may be viewed of WW2 ending. The war, on two fronts, was the deliverance of resources. Participants that gained something is singular. The looser did not die, but transformed into a butterfly. Communism vs Fascism vs Imperialism – who won?

      Way over Paid! No professional athlete needs a compensation beyond what an E-4 humping a hill in east Afghanistan is paid. Sure there are iniquities in life, the village needs to return to the purpose of self rule. Professional sports should pay their own way – including stadiums from ticket sales alone. TV pay has little finger print on local government.

      Who became the Imperialist post WW2?

      Report Post » sbleve  
  • EPROM
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 2:52am

    …How can the Cincinnati Bengals not be on this list?

    Report Post » EPROM  
  • abbygirl1994
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 2:46am

    Who can afford to go.. bring your prices WAY DOWN and maybe people will come!

    Report Post » abbygirl1994  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:34am

      Abby…..
      As our whole economic system will be devalued, so too will our entertainment industry, including sports. People will realize that all the ‘free trade agreements’ with third-world countries will have suceeded in bringing us down to their level. Witness all the companies that have moved off-shore. There has to be a consequence. Professional sports will be one of them.

      The reality of the changes for our country have, unfortunately, not yet sunk in.

      Some sports franchises will disappear altogether as people simply cannot afford to spend $150-200+ to take the family to one event. If that team is a loser, forget going, as food and clothing will trump sports.

      Athletes salaries will eventually drop. You will see some pro athletes be glad to receive 100k per year. We’re not there yet, but it is on the way. The good news for small-market teams is that they will once more be competitive.

      Report Post »  
  • mml35
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 2:45am

    no offense but the prices are outrageous and for baseball it would be nice to see more American players

    Report Post » mml35  
  • Californiasodbuster
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 2:36am

    The fans are probably afraid of getting shot or beat up in the parking lot.

    Report Post »  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 2:54am

      I used to be a huge fan of the Raiders…back when Stabler was their QB…the whole team seemed to be superstars.

      Then they seemed to become only popular when they had “free wind breaker” night…because every piece of garbage black gangbanger was wearing them.

      I lived in Quartz Hill California for a while and the mariners had their minor league “Jethawks” there. They had a great little stadium and I began to have more fun watching the minor league games than I ever had watching the “pro’s.”

      Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on September 16, 2011 at 6:40am

      That will be another factor, Sodbuster……
      In Philly, even public-transportation bus drivers (Septa) have been shot by stray bulletts from street criminals…while driving! You won‘t be able to go to a professional sports game if you ’could’ afford it.
      See my above reply to Abbygirl.
      We’re yet to see the profound changes to everything we took for granted as normal. Thank Washington for bringing us down to the level of Mexico.

      Report Post »  
  • IndyNWguy
    Posted on September 16, 2011 at 2:33am

    Interesting. Would make one connection regarding the Pirates piece – Pittsburgh doesn’t have a team in every major sport. No NBA team.

    Report Post » IndyNWguy  
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