With wins, Royals attendance on the rise

Through 43 games, the Kansas City Royals are sitting atop the AL Central while Kauffman Stadium continues to see a rise in attendance.

Following last seasons’ historic run to the final out of the World Series, it was hard to predict or envision how this season would unfold. Many fans would likely admit a hesitation to believe the team would be able to continue the level of play which was a Madison Bumgarner away from winning a title.

Manager Ned Yost brought back a team which lost only one starting pitcher, James Shields, and an average DH in Bill Butler.

Shields wasn’t great in the playoffs, and Butler was more of a fan favorite than he was a player which was suited for putting up big numbers.

Although the Royals haven’t had quite the same level of pitching as they received towards the end of last season, the starting rotation has been good enough, and the bullpen has hovered around dominant.  It’s been the offense, however, that has created the buzz in Kansas City.  The Royals rank among the top three in nearly every meaningful offensive statistic.

According to ESPN.com’s updated attendance ratings, Kauffman Stadium currently sits at fifth in the American League in attendance. Last weekend with the big-name New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals in town, the team averaged just over 31,000 fans in both series. Sprinkled in between was a two-game set against the Cincinnati Reds, which the Royals swept.

Find a fan that can remember the stadium consistently full each weekend, regardless of the weather, and regardless of the opponent. For nearly eight years, the Royals brass had sold fans on the idea that the roster is three years away from producing and competing for a league championship.  Now that sales pitch has resulted in tangible results and the fans are doing their part by showing up and creating one of the best environments in Major League Baseball.

Through the first 24 home games last season, the Royals were sitting at roughly 475,000 in aggregate attendance. This season, they have seen 763,000-plus fans stroll through the gates.

Anyone who has watched a game on a national broadcast such as ESPN Sunday Night Baseball can see how incredible the ballpark looks on TV, but Kauffman has a much more impressive lore about it in person. Much like the atmosphere of Arrowhead Stadium across the parking lot, or even Sporting KC, local sports fans and fans of Kansas City’s teams seem to come together to create an almost college-like atmosphere.

Recent weather hasn’t exactly produced the most picturesque evenings in the ballpark for fans, but they are still coming in droves. One can only assume that the sun, warm air, and a June Saturday or Sunday afternoon will produce sellout after sellout, particularly if the Royals are still winning.

With summer arriving, grab your friends, bring your family, and get out to the stadium to watch the best team in baseball in one of the best stadium atmosphere’s in baseball. The best part of all, ticket prices are always extremely reasonable.

Visit www.ticketsforless.com for the best deals in tickets for every home and away game of the season.

About This Author

John moved to Kansas from Northern California to study Journalism at the University of Kansas. Since 2004, he has covered Kansas Basketball and basketball recruiting for rivals.com, as well as some basketball recruiting coverage for Ohio State, both of which included several guest radio spots for KJHK university radio and KUsports.com podcasts. John is a certified personal trainer and currently trains at two facilities in the Overland Park area.

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