We wrap up our look at 2016 Minor League Baseball attendance with a listing of teams ranked by average attendance — the most accurate way to evaluate how a team did this season.
Why? Total attendance can be skewed by rainouts and weather issues (which were especially prevalent in the 2016 season), and those rankings also benefit the higher-level leagues with the longest seasons. This ranking levels the playing field by providing a per-game look for the season.
Summer-collegiate attendance has already been posted, with independent baseball covered after the Atlantic League season ends.
(Sharp-eyed readers may notice that we’ve dropped the Mexican League from our 2016 listings. Though technically the Mexican League is an affiliated MiLB league, it is run differently enough from other MiLB leagues that we’ve decided to exclude it from these listings.)
Here are the complete attendance figures of affiliated baseball teams, as listed by per-game average, with a comparison of 2015 attendance figures. All stats come directly from league websites and last year’s Ballpark Digest attendance rankings.
Team | League | Total | Gms | Av. | 2015A | +/- | |
1 | Charlotte Knights | IL | 628,173 | 70 | 8,974 | 9,428 | -0.05 |
2 | Indianapolis Indians | IL | 636,888 | 71 | 8,970 | 9,331 | -0.04 |
3 | Columbus Clippers | IL | 602,171 | 68 | 8,855 | 9,016 | -0.02 |
4 | Lehigh Valley IronPigs | IL | 611,015 | 70 | 8,729 | 8,769 | 0.00 |
5 | Round Rock Express | PCL | 613,226 | 71 | 8,637 | 8,623 | 0.00 |
6 | Sacramento River Cats | PCL | 609,666 | 71 | 8,587 | 9,338 | -0.08 |
7 | Dayton Dragons | ML | 548,574 | 67 | 8,188 | 8,212 | 0.00 |
8 | Buffalo Bisons | IL | 562,755 | 70 | 8,039 | 8,228 | -0.02 |
9 | El Paso Chihuahuas | PCL | 564,259 | 72 | 7,837 | 8,154 | -0.04 |
10 | Toledo Mud Hens | IL | 532,008 | 68 | 7,824 | 7,699 | 0.02 |
11 | Albuquerque Isotopes | PCL | 522,266 | 67 | 7,795 | 8,007 | -0.03 |
12 | Durham Bulls | IL | 547,156 | 72 | 7,599 | 7,814 | -0.03 |
13 | Iowa Cubs | PCL | 504,160 | 68 | 7,414 | 7,531 | -0.02 |
14 | Salt Lake Bees | PCL | 503,659 | 71 | 7,195 | 6,823 | 0.05 |
15 | Louisville Bats | IL | 506,030 | 71 | 7,127 | 7,537 | -0.05 |
16 | Nashville Sounds | PCL | 504,060 | 71 | 7,099 | 7,965 | -0.11 |
17 | Frisco RoughRiders | TL | 463,564 | 66 | 7,024 | 6,918 | 0.02 |
18 | Oklahoma City Dodgers | PCL | 437,905 | 67 | 6,536 | 6,941 | -0.06 |
19 | Rochester Red Wings | IL | 434,897 | 68 | 6,396 | 6,291 | 0.02 |
20 | Fresno Grizzlies | PCL | 439,389 | 71 | 6,189 | 6,457 | -0.04 |
21 | Vancouver Canadians | NWL | 222,363 | 36 | 6,177 | 5,825 | 0.06 |
22 | Reading Fightin Phils | EL | 420,320 | 69 | 6,092 | 6,044 | 0.01 |
23 | Fort Wayne TinCaps | ML | 413,791 | 68 | 6,084 | 5,971 | 0.02 |
24 | Pawtucket Red Sox | IL | 407,097 | 67 | 6,076 | 6,572 | -0.08 |
25 | SWB RailRiders | IL | 424,991 | 70 | 6,071 | 5,753 | 0.06 |
26 | Birmingham Barons | SL | 418,361 | 69 | 6,063 | 6,352 | -0.05 |
27 | Kane County Cougars | ML | 400,931 | 69 | 5,811 | 5,920 | -0.02 |
28 | Richmond Flying Squirrels | EL | 390,693 | 68 | 5,745 | 6,055 | -0.05 |
29 | West Michigan Whitecaps | ML | 386,416 | 68 | 5,683 | 5,667 | 0.00 |
30 | Brooklyn Cyclones | NYP | 207,702 | 37 | 5,614 | 6,234 | -0.10 |
31 | Norfolk Tides | IL | 373,042 | 68 | 5,486 | 5,767 | -0.05 |
32 | Tulsa Drillers | TL | 366,734 | 68 | 5,393 | 5,858 | -0.08 |
33 | Portland Sea Dogs | EL | 374,746 | 70 | 5,354 | 5,497 | -0.03 |
34 | Lakewood BlueClaws | SAL | 353,080 | 66 | 5,350 | 5,634 | -0.05 |
35 | Omaha Storm Chasers | PCL | 356,135 | 67 | 5,315 | 5,516 | -0.04 |
36 | Tacoma Rainiers | PCL | 377,164 | 71 | 5,312 | 4,965 | 0.07 |
37 | Reno Aces | PCL | 365,883 | 70 | 5,227 | 5,377 | -0.03 |
38 | Greensboro Grasshoppers | SAL | 336,121 | 65 | 5,171 | 5,313 | -0.03 |
39 | Corpus Christi Hooks | TL | 350,964 | 68 | 5,161 | 5,338 | -0.03 |
40 | New Orleans Zephyrs | PCL | 339,400 | 66 | 5,142 | 4,710 | 0.09 |
41 | South Bend Cubs | ML | 350,803 | 69 | 5,084 | 5,039 | 0.01 |
42 | Spokane Indians | NWL | 187,848 | 37 | 5,077 | 5,017 | 0.01 |
43 | Akron RubberDucks | EL | 350,079 | 69 | 5,074 | 5,013 | 0.01 |
44 | Trenton Thunder | EL | 347,661 | 69 | 5,039 | 4,960 | 0.02 |
45 | Las Vegas 51s | PCL | 331,999 | 68 | 4,882 | 4,834 | 0.01 |
46 | Frederick Keys | CL | 314,443 | 65 | 4,838 | 4,907 | -0.01 |
47 | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | EL | 338,387 | 70 | 4,834 | 5,051 | -0.04 |
48 | Greenville Drive | SAL | 331,911 | 69 | 4,810 | 5,100 | -0.06 |
49 | Springfield Cardinals | TL | 316,990 | 67 | 4,731 | 4,964 | -0.05 |
50 | Arkansas Travelers | TL | 306,570 | 65 | 4,716 | 5,038 | -0.06 |
51 | Memphis Redbirds | PCL | 324,581 | 69 | 4,704 | 4,037 | 0.17 |
52 | San Antonio Missions | TL | 317,607 | 69 | 4,603 | 4,605 | 0.00 |
53 | Lansing Lugnuts | ML | 311,190 | 68 | 4,576 | 5,026 | -0.09 |
54 | Winston-Salem Dash | CL | 295,411 | 66 | 4,476 | 4,456 | 0.00 |
55 | NW Arkansas Naturals | TL | 312,001 | 70 | 4,457 | 4,469 | 0.00 |
56 | Lexington Legends | SAL | 276,062 | 63 | 4,382 | 4,367 | 0.00 |
57t | Tennessee Smokies | SL | 293,694 | 68 | 4,319 | 4,406 | -0.02 |
57t | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | SL | 302,340 | 70 | 4,319 | 4,421 | -0.02 |
59 | Wilmington Blue Rocks | CL | 276,199 | 64 | 4,316 | 4,153 | 0.04 |
60 | Charleston RiverDogs | SAL | 293,161 | 68 | 4,311 | 4,368 | -0.01 |
61 | Tri-City ValleyCats | NYP | 149,847 | 35 | 4,281 | 4,269 | 0.00 |
62 | Hudson Valley Renegades | NYP | 152,328 | 36 | 4,231 | 4,426 | -0.04 |
63 | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | PCL | 270,100 | 64 | 4,220 | 4,619 | -0.09 |
64 | Jacksonville Suns | SL | 264,401 | 63 | 4,197 | 4,128 | 0.02 |
65 | Syracuse Chiefs | IL | 274,427 | 66 | 4,158 | 3,803 | 0.09 |
66 | Altoona Curve | EL | 272,640 | 66 | 4,131 | 4,325 | -0.04 |
67 | Aberdeen IronBirds | NYP | 141,070 | 35 | 4,031 | 4,216 | -0.04 |
68 | Harrisburg Senators | EL | 269,172 | 69 | 3,901 | 4,371 | -0.11 |
69 | Midland Rockhounds | TL | 265,193 | 68 | 3,900 | 4,248 | -0.08 |
70 | Columbia Fireflies** | SAL | 261,134 | 69 | 3,785 | 1,962 | 0.93 |
71 | Lowell Spinners | NYP | 139,953 | 37 | 3,782 | 3,796 | 0.00 |
72 | Wisconsin Timber Rattlers | ML | 243,767 | 68 | 3,585 | 3,641 | -0.02 |
73 | Bowie Baysox | EL | 236,349 | 67 | 3,528 | 3,618 | -0.02 |
74 | Quad Cities River Bandits | ML | 234,923 | 67 | 3,506 | 3,906 | -0.10 |
75 | Myrtle Beach Pelicans | CL | 227,491 | 65 | 3,500 | 3,877 | -0.10 |
76 | Peoria Chiefs | ML | 230,277 | 66 | 3,489 | 3,360 | 0.04 |
77 | Hillsboro Hops | NWL | 131,851 | 38 | 3,470 | 3,774 | -0.08 |
78 | Ogden Raptors | PL | 124,200 | 38 | 3,450 | 3,300 | 0.05 |
79 | State College Spikes | NYP | 125,875 | 38 | 3,313 | 3,363 | -0.01 |
80 | Montgomery Biscuits | SL | 230,742 | 70 | 3,296 | 3,419 | -0.04 |
81 | Gwinnett Braves | IL | 225,259 | 70 | 3,218 | 3,808 | -0.15 |
82 | Delmarva Shorebirds | SAL | 209,120 | 65 | 3,217 | 3,230 | 0.00 |
83 | Eugene Emeralds | NWL | 121,587 | 38 | 3,200 | 3,182 | 0.01 |
84 | Chattanooga Lookouts | SL | 223,517 | 70 | 3,193 | 3,414 | -0.06 |
85 | Lake County Captains | ML | 213,738 | 68 | 3,143 | 3,358 | -0.06 |
86 | Boise Hawks | NWL | 114,476 | 37 | 3,094 | 2,893 | 0.07 |
87 | Salem Red Sox | CL | 200,478 | 65 | 3,084 | 3,355 | -0.08 |
88 | Potomac Nationals | CL | 195,448 | 64 | 3,054 | 3,459 | -0.12 |
89t | Erie SeaWolves | EL | 210,040 | 69 | 3,044 | 3,133 | -0.03 |
89t | Great Lakes Loons | ML | 210,054 | 69 | 3,044 | 3,360 | -0.09 |
91 | Carolina Mudcats | CL | 194,334 | 64 | 3,036 | 3,016 | 0.01 |
92 | Mississippi Braves | SL | 190,130 | 67 | 2,838 | 3,190 | -0.11 |
93 | Billings Mustangs | PL | 104,315 | 37 | 2,819 | 2,945 | -0.04 |
94 | Everett AquaSox | NWL | 104,162 | 37 | 2,815 | 2,648 | 0.06 |
95 | Lake Elsinore Storm | CalL | 196,684 | 70 | 2,810 | 3,146 | -0.11 |
6 | Asheville Tourists | SAL | 183,058 | 66 | 2,774 | 2,670 | 0.04 |
97 | Stockton Ports | CalL | 188,732 | 69 | 2,735 | 2,737 | 0.00 |
98 | Inland Empire 66ers | CalL | 190,933 | 70 | 2,728 | 2,814 | -0.03 |
99 | Clearwater Threshers | FSL | 181,594 | 67 | 2,710 | 2,723 | 0.00 |
100 | Biloxi Shuckers | SL | 180,384 | 67 | 2,692 | 2,604 | 0.03 |
101 | Bowling Green Hot Rods | ML | 174,722 | 65 | 2,688 | 2,953 | -0.09 |
102 | Mahoning Valley Scrappers | NYP | 92,117 | 35 | 2,632 | 3,002 | -0.12 |
103 | Binghamton Mets | EL | 172,859 | 66 | 2,619 | 2,766 | -0.05 |
104 | Augusta GreenJackets | SAL | 169,421 | 65 | 2,606 | 2,725 | -0.04 |
105 | Idaho Falls Chukars | PL | 96,866 | 38 | 2,549 | 2,456 | 0.04 |
106 | Cedar Rapids Kernels | ML | 166,413 | 67 | 2,484 | 2,550 | -0.03 |
107 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | CalL | 171,509 | 70 | 2,450 | 2,425 | 0.01 |
108 | San Jose Giants | CalL | 166,756 | 69 | 2,417 | 2,703 | -0.11 |
109 | Lancaster JetHawks | CalL | 165,947 | 69 | 2,405 | 2,296 | 0.05 |
110 | Rome Braves | SAL | 161,121 | 67 | 2,405 | 2,689 | -0.11 |
111 | Vermont Lake Monsters | NYP | 83,955 | 36 | 2,332 | 2,243 | 0.04 |
112 | Connecticut Tigers | NYP | 82,488 | 36 | 2,291 | 2,257 | 0.02 |
113 | Tri-City Dust Devils | NWL | 86,886 | 38 | 2,286 | 2,264 | 0.01 |
114 | Staten Island Yankees | NYP | 85,513 | 38 | 2,250 | 3,221 | -0.30 |
115 | Modesto Nuts | CalL | 157,239 | 70 | 2,246 | 2,382 | -0.06 |
116 | West Virginia Power | SAL | 143,755 | 65 | 2,212 | 2,468 | -0.10 |
117 | West Virginia Black Bears | NYP | 78,774 | 36 | 2,188 | 2,265 | -0.03 |
118 | Hickory Crawdads | SAL | 150,110 | 69 | 2,176 | 2,205 | -0.01 |
119 | Salem-Keizer Volcanoes | NWL | 80,469 | 37 | 2,175 | 2,259 | -0.04 |
120 | Grand Junction Rockies | PL | 79,470 | 38 | 2,091 | 2,137 | -0.02 |
121 | Jackson Generals | SL | 126,116 | 63 | 2,002 | 2,173 | -0.08 |
122 | Missoula Osprey | PL | 73,207 | 37 | 1,979 | 2,151 | -0.08 |
123 | Fort Myers Miracle | FSL | 124,273 | 65 | 1,912 | 2,028 | -0.06 |
124 | Clinton LumberKings | ML | 124,154 | 65 | 1,910 | 1,573 | 0.21 |
125 | Pulaski Yankees | AppL | 57,995 | 31 | 1,871 | 1,677 | 0.12 |
126 | Lynchburg Hillcats | CL | 122,929 | 66 | 1,863 | 2,386 | -0.22 |
127 | Visalia Rawhide | CalL | 123,079 | 69 | 1,784 | 1,729 | 0.03 |
128 | Williamsport Crosscutters | NYP | 60,429 | 35 | 1,727 | 1,780 | -0.03 |
129 | Johnson City Cardinals | AppL | 51,855 | 30 | 1,673 | 1,304 | 0.28 |
130 | Daytona Tortugas | FSL | 112,053 | 67 | 1,672 | 2,250 | -0.26 |
131 | Charlotte Stone Crabs | FSL | 95,588 | 60 | 1,593 | 1,630 | -0.02 |
132 | Orem Owlz | PL | 57,504 | 37 | 1,554 | 2,256 | -0.31 |
133 | Mobile BayBears | SL | 96,185 | 63 | 1,527 | 1,553 | -0.02 |
134 | Burlington Royals | AppL | 49,227 | 33 | 1,492 | 1,355 | 0.10 |
135 | Kannapolis Intimidators | SAL | 95,757 | 65 | 1,473 | 2,056 | -0.28 |
136 | Auburn Doubledays | NYP | 52,811 | 37 | 1,427 | 1,408 | 0.01 |
137 | St. Lucie Mets | FSL | 96,556 | 68 | 1,420 | 1,501 | -0.05 |
138 | Bradenton Marauders | FSL | 87,149 | 65 | 1,341 | 1,492 | -0.10 |
139 | Brevard Co. Manatees | FSL | 85,032 | 65 | 1,308 | 1,244 | 0.05 |
140 | Greeneville Astros | AppL | 41,651 | 33 | 1,262 | 1,644 | -0.23 |
141 | Hagerstown Suns | SAL | 82,526 | 66 | 1,250 | 1,073 | 0.16 |
142 | Great Falls Voyagers | PL | 43,500 | 35 | 1,243 | 1,262 | -0.02 |
143 | Tampa Yankees | FSL | 73,278 | 64 | 1,145 | 1,497 | -0.24 |
144 | Burlington Bees | ML | 75,429 | 68 | 1,109 | 998 | 0.11 |
145 | High Desert Mavericks | CalL | 76,051 | 69 | 1,102 | 1,425 | -0.23 |
146 | Beloit Snappers | ML | 67,975 | 63 | 1,079 | 958 | 0.13 |
147 | Palm Beach Cardinals | FSL | 70,991 | 66 | 1,076 | 1,017 | 0.06 |
148 | Helena Brewers | PL | 37,624 | 35 | 1,075 | 940 | 0.14 |
149 | Danville Braves | AppL | 31,540 | 33 | 956 | 874 | 0.09 |
150 | Kingsport Mets | AppL | 27,990 | 31 | 903 | 942 | -0.04 |
151 | Bakersfield Blaze | CalL | 62,922 | 70 | 899 | 740 | 0.21 |
152 | Jupiter Hammerheads | FSL | 59,306 | 68 | 872 | 1,034 | -0.16 |
153 | Batavia MuckDogs | NYP | 30,007 | 37 | 811 | 921 | -0.12 |
154 | Hartford Yard Goats* | EL | 41,569 | 52 | 799 | 4,051 | -0.80 |
155 | Dunedin Blue Jays | FSL | 50,593 | 66 | 767 | 798 | -0.04 |
156 | Bluefield Blue Jays | AppL | 22,651 | 31 | 731 | 803 | -0.09 |
157 | Elizabethton Twins | AppL | 19,427 | 31 | 627 | 712 | -0.12 |
158 | Bristol Pirates | AppL | 16,441 | 31 | 530 | 637 | -0.17 |
159 | Princeton Rays | AppL | 14,635 | 32 | 457 | 820 | -0.44 |
160 | Lakeland Flying Tigers | FSL | 20,387 | 61 | 334 | 973 | -0.66 |
*Played last season as New Britain Rock Cats
**Played last season as Savannah Sand Gnats
AppL = Appalachian League (Rookie)
CalL = California League (High A)
CL = Carolina League (High A)
EL = Eastern League (Class AA)
FSL = Florida State League (High A)
IL = International League (Class AAA)
ML = Midwest League (Low A)
NWL = Northwest League (Short Season A)
NYP = New York-Penn League (Short Season A)
PCL = Pacific Coast League (Class AAA)
PL = Pioneer League (Rookie)
SAL = South Atlantic League (Low A)
SL = Southern League (Class AA)
TL = Texas League (Class AA)
RELATED STORIES: 2016 Affiliated Attendance by Total; 2016 Affiliated Attendance by Level; 2016 Affiliated Attendance by League; 2016 Summer Collegiate Attendance by Average; 2016 Summer Collegiate Attendance by Total; 2016 Summer Collegiate Attendance by League