One of the defining characteristics of Minor Sports Leagues is that they play to smaller crowds of fans. Minor-Leagues.com has compiled a series of posts that provides details of attendance figures.
The Eastern League (EL) is an affiliated Double-A professional baseball league founded in 1923. It operates in the northeastern United States and has had teams in Canada in the past. It serves mostly in cities not served by MLB teams or their other minor league affiliates.
Below is the fan attendance for the entire league from 2006 to 2013.
League | Sport | Season | # of Teams | Team Change | Games | Games Change | Total Attendance | TA Change | Average Attendance | AA Change | Source |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2006 | 12 USA | untracked | 790 | untracked | 3,812,907 | untracked | 4,826 | untracked | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2007_Minor_League_PDF.pdf |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2007 | 12 USA | 0.00% | 795 | 0.62% | 3,887,359 | 1.95% | 4,890 | 1.33% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2007_Minor_League_PDF.pdf |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2008 | 12 USA | 0.00% | 817 | 2.77% | 3,770,333 | -3.01% | 4,615 | -5.62% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2009_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2009 | 12 USA | 0.00% | 801 | -1.95% | 3,694,397 | -2.01% | 4,612 | -0.07% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2009_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2010 | 12 USA | 0.00% | 827 | 3.24% | 3,966,241 | 7.36% | 4,796 | 3.99% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2011_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2011 | 12 USA | 0.00% | 806 | -2.54% | 3,923,381 | -1.08% | 4,868 | 1.50% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2011_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2012 | 12 USA | 0.00% | 812 | 0.75% | 3,791,241 | -3.37% | 4,669 | -4.09% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2013_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
Eastern League (AA) | Baseball | 2013 | 12 USA | 0.00% | 811 | -0.12% | 3,743,582 | -1.26% | 4,616 | -1.14% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2013_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
The Double-A classification usually hosts developing players that have been part of professional baseball for only a couple of years. These players can get to the Double-A level by earning a promotion from any of the Single-A or Rookie leagues. Players often advance directly to the majors from this level, as the level of competition is higher. Because they are still advancing in their careers, the average talent level of Double-A may be higher than in Triple-A, which has minor and major league veterans who have been in the minor league system for a longer period of time and may have stagnated.
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