Nationals vs Marlins, Game 1

[DCFan]

Wasn't there a time that the two leagues calculated attendance differently?

Yes, I forget which did which but one would count ticket sales and the other turnstiles.

[stealyerbase]

Another Opening Day, another Bam-Bam blast. That was a fun game but I was getting a bit worried! I've only missed one home opener and it was due to a serious illness. I think I saw Calsgirl there, or I should say she saw me.... My favorite new thing in the park is definitely the eyes of Max over the Shake Shack. Go Nats!

[tomterp]

Not sure if it was league rules or just random but up till just a couple years ago, some teams counted turnstile clicks, and I think the Nats may have been one of them. I have a hazy memory of the Dodgers catching flack for claiming a 40k attendance or something when there were tumbleweeds floating around the upper deck, and then a few months later everyone was counting by tickets sold. No idea if those two are connected though!

All teams count both tickets sold and turnstile, but publicly report only tickets sold.  Paid attendance is a critical metric that I'm pretty sure is consistently reported throughout the league since the league publishes those numbers (providing a rational for comparability).  Turnstile (actual attendance) is closely monitored by all clubs and now with electronic ticketing they for the most part have more data than ever on each of us, all the better for trying to extract every last $ out of us.     But turnstile is used internally for management purposes and a carefully guarded secret apparently. 

Remember some years ago the financial statements of certain clubs were leaked?  Paid attendance was part of the audited financial statements, in this case see Note A of the Florida Marlins' financials for the years ended 2008 and 2009:  https://www.scribd.com/doc/68522486/Florida-Marlins-PDF?secret_password=ag3up080ci8qeydt0c4#fullscreen&from_embed

During 2009 and 2008, attendance at the Marlins 79 and 81 home games totaled totaled 1,464,109 and 1,335,078 fans,respectively.  The attendance is published by Major League Baseball and represents substantially the number of tickets sold.

[aspenbubba]

I saw large sections of unoccupied seats throughout the stadium on OD. I am not referring to hundreds of seats but close to 75 in some of the upper decks. These appear to me as unsold.

[tomterp]

I saw large sections of unoccupied seats throughout the stadium on OD. I am not referring to hundreds of seats but close to 75 in some of the upper decks. These appear to me as unsold.

They sold 42,744 versus a stated capacity of 41,506, but they could have sold 5,000 standing room only seats for all we know.  I think generally if you see blocks of empty seats, you can presume them to be unsold, but if there are people sprinkled around (this is primarily the 400 level we're talking about here) then many may have opted to walk around rather than sit so high up.

[GburgNatsFan]

I wonder if they were sold to someone that figured they'd resell them...

There's always that block in the lower bowl on the first base side in the outfield... that must be reserved for group sale.

I saw large sections of unoccupied seats throughout the stadium on OD. I am not referring to hundreds of seats but close to 75 in some of the upper decks. These appear to me as unsold.

[nats2playoffs]

The post game MASN interview of Adam Lind, whose pinch hit 2-run homer put the Nationals on top, did not end with a Gatorade/water bath or chocolate syrup or anything else.

I think I had drafted him in a early round years ago, for a WNFF fantasy baseball league.

[aspenbubba]

They sold 42,744 versus a stated capacity of 41,506, but they could have sold 5,000 standing room only seats for all we know.  I think generally if you see blocks of empty seats, you can presume them to be unsold, but if there are people sprinkled around (this is primarily the 400 level we're talking about here) then many may have opted to walk around rather than sit so high up.

200 level Tom and there was no one in those blocks.

[nats2playoffs]

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