DBAP Welcomes More Fans in 2014 Than Any Other Season in Franchise’s 112-Year History
With an announced crowd of 11,104 for the Sunday, August 31st game, the Durham Bulls have broken their all-time, single-season paid attendance record. Durham Bulls Athletic Park has now hosted a cumulative paid attendance of 525,199 this season, surpassing the previous mark of 520,952 set in 2007.
In regular season finale on Labor Day, an announced crowd of 7,834 brings 2014’s final paid attendance to 533,033- the mark that will enter the record books as the franchise’s all-time best single-season total.
Making the new record even more impressive is the fact it was achieved despite two rain outs, when there were no games lost to postponement during the previous record-setting year. The paid attendance total also does not count sell-out crowds for this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game and Home Run Derby exhibitions.
After the DBAP underwent a $20 million facelift in the offseason, the Bulls began defense of their 2013 Governors’ Cup title on Thursday, April 3 in front of a near-capacity crowd of 9,483 on Opening Day. In May, the team’s highly anticipated Star Wars Night drew a paid crowd of 11,507, the fourth best single-game attendance in park history. Energized by the overwhelming success of Triple-A All-Star Week festivities in mid-July, Bulls fans continued to flock to Downtown Durham over the final two months of the season. Including today’s game, the DBAP has hosted 25 crowds over 9,000 this summer. The team’s current average attendance of 7,612 is also a new single-season high, showing an increase of more than 450 fans per game over last season.
“This record is first and foremost a testament to the most amazing fans in Minor League Baseball,” said General Manager Mike Birling. “To be able to continue to grow the Durham Bulls brand over a century into our existence says so much about our fans. We are also incredibly proud of our staff, sponsors and community partners, for helping to make 2014 a historic season that none of us will forget.”
The defending International League Champion Durham Bulls concluded the regular season in a Labor Day matinee against the Norfolk Tides. After an off day Tuesday, the Bulls traveled to Columbus to begin the Opening Round of the 2014 Governors’ Cup Playoffs. The two squads will play the first two games of the best-of-five series at Huntington Park before heading back to the DBAP on Friday, September 5 for Game Three. Games Four and Five will be played at the DBAP on Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7 if necessary. Tickets for all remaining home games are available at the DBAP box office, by phone at 919.956.BULL or online at durhambulls.com.
Thanks to DBBC’s Scott Carter for this capcom story & graphic.
