Worcester Business Journal

Our company attended WooSox games both years F L AS H P O L L Did your business get WooSox tickets for employees to attend a game this year? The Worcester Red Sox grew their per-game attendance at Polar Park by 19% in the 2022 season, their second overall year in Worcester. While other Triple A minor league baseball teams saw larger gains during the year, the WooSox had a significantly better 2021 season than most minor league teams and are one of the few to have exceeded their 2019 attendance levels, when the team played its last season in Pawtucket, R.I. When polled online, more than 60% of WBJ readers said their companies obtained tickets for employees to attend WooSox games in the past two years, with the majority of those respondents saying they got tickets both years. W O R C E S T E R R E D S O X F A C T B O O K so while comparing year-over-year gains you will find varying results as those were not in place for the start of the 2022 season," Mike Luteran, Major League Baseball's vice president of ticketing, said via email. e Albuquerque Isotopes saw a 37% increase in average attendance per game in 2022, but according to Forest Stulting, media relations manager for the Isotopes, the team was limited to 50% capacity for about half of the 2021 season. A strong start Victor Matheson, an economics professor at Worcester's College of the Holy Cross offered another explanation for why the WooSox growth seemed middling compared with other teams, saying the issue wasn't the team lagging behind others in growth in 2022. "It's that the WooSox did exceptionally well in 2021. New teams experience a novelty effect, or honeymoon effect, in their first year," Matheson said. In 2022, the WooSox outperformed other minor league teams that got their start in 2021, said Matheson. e Rocket City Trash Pandas (Double A) saw their attendance drop 12% in 2022. In Wichita, Wind Surge (Double A) attendance was down 17%, and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Single A) saw their attendance grow by 8% in their second year. In general, Triple A teams have not fully returned to 2019 attendance numbers. According to Luteran, 2022 Triple A attendance is 94% of attendance in 2019. e WooSox, though, have more than exceeded their attendance in 2019, which was the team's last season in Pawtucket, R.I. eir total attendance of 331,010 that year was the Yes, we did for the first time this year. 16% Yes, we did both last year and this year. 43% No, we didn't last year or this year. 39% 3% No, but we did last year. lowest since 1989. In 2022, the team attracted 532,152 fans to Worcester's Canal District. Teams, like the Isotopes, are facing issues with the uncertain economy and inflation, Stulting said "A family of four who would go to 10 games in the past might cut back to five," said Stulting. Capitalizing on the honeymoon e WooSox have benefited from the novelty factor of being a new team playing in a new market in the most expensive minor league baseball stadium ever built, at $160 million. at novelty will slowly begin to trail off, Matheson said. "is was the year that should be used as a high-water mark. Starting next year you can check the numbers to see if they start trailing as the novelty wears off," said Matheson. e WooSox have no intention of letting their attendance numbers decline, Steinberg said. In the off season, the team is making plans to reach out to fans of different ages, demographics, and geographical areas. e team is discussing new attractions to lessen barriers for families and fans who are older or have disabilities. Steinberg said the team is looking into adding more playground equipment for younger kids as well as a fast-pitch game or batting cage for kids who are a little bit older. e WooSox are looking into ways to make the park more accessible for people with mobility issues, he said. 0 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K Per-game average attendance 6,904 May Apr. June July Aug. Sept. 7,245 7,835 6,838 7,778 7,187 WooSox 2022 attendance, by month Source: Worcester Red Sox Continued on page 26 wbjournal.com | October 31, 2022 | Worcester Business Journal 25 The WooSox attendance in 2021 was hindered partially because certain sections of Polar Park were under construction throughout the year, including this left-field berm.

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