Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
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.
Using records provided by ESPN, 24/7 Wall St. examined changes in attendance for the four major league sports from 2001 to 2010 to identify the twelve teams that decreased more than 20 percent. Check the list after the jump…
5. 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
More on the A’s decline
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
• Decrease in attendance: 33.78 percent
• 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
More on the Pirates’ decline
3. 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
More on the Mariners’ decline
2. Baltimore Orioles
• Decrease in attendance: 44.00 percent
• 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
More on the Orioles’ decline
1. Cleveland Indians
• Decrease in attendance: 56.08 percent
• 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
(Story continues…)
Top 12/FULL list & story By Michael B. Sauter, 247wallstreet.com HERE
