We have more attendance news to pass along, this time from the Altoona Curve (Class AA; Eastern League), where the 2015 numbers are up by some 17 percent at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
From the team:
Through the season’s first 29 home dates, average attendance stands at 3,935 per game. That figure reflects an increase of 17 percent or 578 fans per game year-over-year. This year’s average attendance is also the highest it has been in six seasons through 29 dates. Not since 2009, when the average crowds numbered 3,983 per contest, has attendance been this strong.
“We’re really humbled by the response of our fan base so far this season,” said Curve General Manager Rob Egan. “Our staff has worked extremely hard since last September to determine ways to reach out to all potential fans whether they are our most loyal season ticket holders or a casual fan who may come out to a game or two per year. From that process, we’ve refined our marketing approach, come up with unique promotions, and gotten the message out to our region. The result has been a substantial increase in advance ticket sales to groups and individuals. This has not only meant good things for the first two months, but has set the table for a strong June, July, and August.”
On top of the marketing effort to reach fans, the interest and attendance of season ticket holders has been higher due to the team’s play for the first two-and-a-half months. The Curve have been at or near the top of the Eastern League’s Western Division all season long and currently hold a 3 ½ game advantage over second-place Bowie. In addition to a few of the top prospects in the system in Josh Bell and Tyler Glasnow, the Curve have maintained their top spot in the Western division thanks to terrific seasons from Jason Creasy, Chad Kuhl, Max Moroff, Gift Ngoepe and the recently promoted Jose Osuna, who joined the team when Keon Broxton went to Triple-A, among countless others.