Packing the Parks
It was a ballpark blitz from fans of the Western Canadian Baseball League this summer.
The result was a number of attendance records for the WCBL and its member teams in 2024.
The overall attendance figure climbed to a new high of 417,558 fans over 345 regular season and playoff games, as well as the All-Star Game festivities at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks.
Within that record total, the league experienced its best regular season, which was witnessed by 369,371 spectators, up from the previous high of 305,425 paying fans in 2023. Average attendance also improved to 1,136 across 12 WCBL ball diamonds in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The postseason attracted an historic high turnout of 42,123 baseball boosters. On average, 2,217 fans showed up for the 19 playoff games in eight cities.
Since 2022, total league attendance has grown by 38 percent.
The Okotoks Dawgs - who closed out the season with their third straight WCBL championship title and eighth in franchise history - were the most popular draw on the summer circuit.
The Dawgs set several attendance records this summer, including new highs over the regular season. They welcomed 133,664 fans through the gates over 28 games, for an average crowd of 4,774.
The playoff total at Seaman Stadium climbed to 24,655 - an increase over the 2023 figure - and an average of 4,933 spectators per game.
Okotoks also experienced single-game records. A total of 6,064 WCBL fans showed up for All-Star Game & Home Run Derby festivities on July 20th. The Dawgs then closed out the season with a thrilling walk-off title win over the Moose Jaw Miller Express in front of a franchise-best audience of 6,341 witnesses.
While the Dawgs dominated the box scores and the box office in the West Division, the expansion Saskatoon Berries made a big impression in the East Division.
The newcomers were the hottest baseball ticket in Saskatchewan, attracting 50,195 fans to the NexGen Patch at Cairns Field and an average gathering of 1,931 "Jam Fam" supporters to each of their 26 games in the regular season. The Berries welcomed another 5,344 boosters to their three postseason games.
Saskatoon's first-round playoff opponents, the Medicine Hat Mavericks, experienced record crowds. The Mavs drew 35,952 fans - an average of 1,284 spectators - during 28 regular-season contests.
"The record attendance is a testament to the unyielding passion and dedication of our fans, creating an electrifying atmosphere that elevates the experience for players and spectators alike," said Mark Stiles, the managing director of corporate partnerships and marketing for the Western Canadian Baseball League.
"These are attendance numbers the WCBL has never seen. We are no longer a best-kept secret. Thank you to our amazing fans for helping us reach new heights."
The Fort McMurray Giants - the most northerly franchise in the WCBL - also had a record season for attendance, with a typical crowd of 839 people contributing to a final total of 21,820 fans over 26 home dates at Legacy Dodge Field.
In Sylvan Lake, the Gulls had similar support this summer to what they saw during a record-setting 2023 campaign. Over 43,000 baseball fans flocked to Gulls Field in 2024, where the average crowd of 1,539 dipped slightly from the previous season. Central Albertans did help set a new total playoff attendance record for the Gulls, however, when 4,626 people showed up to their three postseason games.
Support for the Red Sox held steady in Regina, where the typical turnout of 850 fans to Currie Field this year was in line with the numbers from 2023. More than 23,200 spectators showed up to cheer on the Red Sox over the course of the regular season and the playoffs.
Elsewhere around the WCBL in 2024, the Lethbridge Bulls attracted 23,308 fans; the Moose Jaw Miller Express welcomed 13,250 supporters; the Edmonton Prospects drew 11,242 people; the Swift Current 57's had 6,774 boosters; the Brooks Bombers experienced attendance of 6,390; and the Weyburn Beavers had 5,464 fans show up.