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2019 MLB Attendance: Atlanta Braves look to finish strong in final homestand

By Clint Manry

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 20: Atlanta Braves fans doing the 'Tomahawk Chop' during the game against the Washington Nationals at Turner Field on August 20, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin Liles/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 20: Atlanta Braves fans doing the 'Tomahawk Chop' during the game against the Washington Nationals at Turner Field on August 20, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin Liles/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – MAY 29: Two fans wait out a weather delay prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on May 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – MAY 29: Two fans wait out a weather delay prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at SunTrust Park on May 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

But … not so fast

There’s one problem that doesn’t quite add up: The Atlanta Braves no longer rank inside the top-10 in the majors in attendance. And to add insult to injury, they rank behind four teams that aren’t even in contention anymore.

Here is the top half of the current rankings (Nos. 1-15 in MLB, in attendance per game):

-Numbers are through Sunday, Sept. 15

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: 49,013
  • St. Louis Cardinals:      42,868
  • New York Yankees:      41,777
  • Chicago Cubs:               38,283
  • Los Angeles Angels:    37,329
  • Colorado Rockies:        36,976
  • Boston Red Sox:           36,022
  • Milwaukee Brewers:   35,892
  • Houston Astros:           34,904
  • Philadelphia Phillies:   33,927
  • San Francisco Giants:  33,391
  • Atlanta Braves:            32,705
  • New York Mets:            31,046
  • San Diego Padres:       29,617
  • Minnesota Twins:        28,413

I can somewhat understand the Angels up there at No. 5. They have two of the most watchable players in baseball in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Who wouldn’t want to pay to watch those two play every night (though, both players are currently on the IL and expected to be out for the remainder of the season).

But the Rockies? The Phillies?? The Giants!!?

More from Tomahawk Take

It’s puzzling that Braves Country has been out-attended by four fanbases rooting for teams that are essentially playing out the string

There is one silver lining, though. This season it’s all but guaranteed the Atlanta Braves will surpass their end-of-year attendance mark from 2018.

At this exact amount of home games played last season, the Braves were averaging 1,028 fewer fans per game when compared to their current mark — a small illustration that perhaps the fan base is more willing to pay the price to see their Braves this year, especially since this year was supposed to be the year… not last season.

An average showing for these next six home games could push the Braves’ season total to roughly 2.7 million fans for the 2019 season (the 66-win Rockies current total right now!).

That figure is a bit disappointing, considering seven teams will most likely finish with at least 3 million fans.

But in a year where 901,475 fewer fans are attending MLB games league-wide (roughly 400 fans per game), coupled with exaggerations by the media predicting the death of baseball altogether… the Atlanta Braves should probably feel fortunate about their current 3.5-percent increase in attendance so far.

Either way, World Championships aren’t won from fan attendance, and I’m pretty confident that the Atlanta Braves’ focus is elsewhere at the moment.

Next. Come on, Riley. dark

Do you think the Braves’ ranking in attendance this season is an issue? If so, why? Let us know in the comments below.

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