Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1482745
24 Worcester Business Journal | October 31, 2022 | wbjournal.com F A C T B O O K W O R C E S T E R R E D S O X BY TIMOTHY DOYLE WBJ Staff Writer T he Worcester Red Sox saw significant improvement in attendance in their second year at Polar Park, aer finishing sixth overall in an inaugural season amid the challenges COVID presented in 2021. On the field, the team finished in the middle of the pack in Minor League Baseball's International League East aer they won just more than half their games, but the WooSox finished fih of the 30 Triple A baseball teams in average per-game attendance and sixth among the 120 minor league teams at all levels. "e season was an extraordinary display of enthusiasm by fans. eir enthusiasm has exceeded our expectations," WooSox President Charles Steinberg said. In its first season, the team faced reduced capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of the season and the public's mixed feelings about safety during the spikes in cases throughout the year. At the end of the year, the WooSox were sixth place by total attendance and per-game attendance. e WooSox average attendance per game during the 2022 season improved 18.6% over their inaugural 2021. is puts them on par in terms of growth with other teams in the top 10 for average attendance per game like the Columbus Clippers (18.3%) and the Nashville Sounds (13.2%). However, six other teams in the top 10 for attendance outpaced the WooSox in attendance growth, including Lehigh Valley IronPigs (31.2%), Charlotte Knights (30.7%), and Indianapolis Indians (28%). One explanation for the discrepancy could be a difference in COVID restrictions in 2021. "e 2021 season saw different capacity limits from market to market, A 19% increase In their second season since moving from Rhode Island, the WooSox grew their attendance, again ranking 6th among minor league teams Dayton Dragons 7,935 6,258 26.80% Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs 7,665 5,842 31.21% Columbus Clippers 7,634 6,457 18.23% Nashville Sounds 7,611 6,721 13.24% Indianapolis Indians 7,425 5,799 28.04% WORCESTER RED SOX 7,290 6,145 18.63% Charlotte Knights 7,280 5,569 30.72% Albuquerque Isotopes 7,062 5,145 37.26% Las Vegas Aviators 6,910 6,590 4.86% Buffalo Bisons 6,846 3,187 114.81% Team 2022 2021 % increase Minor league baseball teams with the best per-game home attendance Note: All teams are on the Triple A level of Minor League Baseball, except for the Dayton Dragons, who play in Single A. Sources: Worcester Red Sox, Minor League Baseball The WooSox brought in 532,152 fans into the Canal District in 2022, an increase of 47% from 2021, as the team grew its per-game attendance and played 73 homes games, up from 65 in 2021. PHOTOS | COURTESY OF WORCESTER RED SOX