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 South Atlantic League (SAL) is an affiliated Single-A professional baseball league founded in 1963. It operates in the United States Atlantic coastline, mostly in cities not served by MLB teams or their other minor league affiliates. A number of different leagues known as the South Atlantic League have existed since 1904. The current league of that name adopted the moniker in 1980, having previously been the Western Carolinas League, founded in 1963.
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 |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2006 | 16 USA | untracked | 1054 | untracked | 3,795,550 | untracked | 3,601 | untracked | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2007_Minor_League_PDF.pdf |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2007 | 16 USA | 0.00% | 1064 | 0.94% | 3,862,077 | 1.75% | 3,630 | 0.81% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2007_Minor_League_PDF.pdf |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2008 | 16 USA | 0.00% | 1060 | -0.36% | 3,777,173 | -2.20% | 3,563 | -1.85% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2009_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2009 | 16 USA | 0.00% | 1047 | -1.23% | 3,690,958 | -2.28% | 3,525 | -1.07% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2009_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2010 | 14 USA | -12.50% | 944 | -9.85% | 3,223,655 | -12.66% | 3,415 | -3.12% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2011_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2011 | 14 USA | 0.00% | 931 | -1.39% | 3,125,934 | -3.03% | 3,358 | -1.67% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2011_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2012 | 14 USA | 0.00% | 932 | 0.12% | 3,056,097 | -2.23% | 3,279 | -2.35% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2013_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
South Atlantic League (A) | Baseball | 2013 | 14 USA | 0.00% | 905 | -2.91% | 2,951,813 | -3.41% | 3,262 | -0.52% | http://www.numbertamer.com/files/2013_Minor_League_Analysis.pdf |
A Single-A affiliate league is often a second or third promotion for a minor league player, although a few high first-round draftees, particularly those with college experience, begin at this level. These leagues play a complete season like Triple-A and Double-A, from April through to early September.