2024 Florida Grapefruit League Attendance Tops 1.4 Million Fans
A total of 1,428,096 fans attended 226 Florida Spring Training Games in the 2024 season, for an average of 6,319 fans per game. Eight games were cancelled due to weather during the season that ran from February 24 through March 26.
The 6,319 fans per game was the highest total since the 2017 season.
The Florida Grapefruit League is host to 15 teams, playing in 12 facilities in 13 Florida locations. The annual Major League Baseball pilgrimage to Florida for pre-season preparation dates back to the 1888 season when the Washington Nationals traveled south to Jacksonville for pre-season workouts.
Besides giving fans an up close and personal look at Major League Baseball games in smaller venues, Florida Spring Training is an economic benefit to the State of Florida as a 2022 survey showed a total economic impact of $679.8 million in the Florida economy for the fiscal years of 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Highlights from the 2024 season included:
- The most attended day was Saturday, March 23 when 71,315 fans attended 11 games statewide.
- The 2024 season closed out strong with an average attendance of more than 6,500 fans per game for the last seven days, between March 20-26. Per game attendances during those last seven days ranged between 6,500 and 8,100, per day, as the season came to an end.
- Eight of the 15 Florida Grapefruit League teams topped the 100,000 total attendance mark. Leading the way was the New York Yankees with 158,972 fans at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Also joining the six-figure club were the Philadelphia Phillies (150,850), Boston Red Sox (129,801), Minnesota Twins (115,882), Detroit Tigers (110,737), Atlanta Braves (102,543), Toronto Blue Jays (101,549) and the Baltimore Orioles (100,629).
- The most attended game of the year was the Philadelphia Phillies vs. the Toronto Blue Jays at BayCare Ballpark on Sunday, March 24, with 10,966 fans in Clearwater.
- The Philadelphia Phillies topped the 150,000 total attendance mark for the third time in team history and the first time since 2012.
- The Minnesota Twins saw a 16% increase in average per game attendance, jumping from 6,060 fans per game in 2023 to 7,243 in 2024.
- The Toronto Blue Jays established a record attendance for the second year in a row. Blue Jays fans topped the 100,000 mark for the first time in team history, after an attendance of 93,596 fans in 2023. The Blue Jays per game attendance average increased by over 13%. TD Ballpark in Dunedin hosted 101,549 fans at 15 games for an average of 6,770 per game.
Since 2000, a total of 35,731,605 fans have attended Spring Training games in Florida.
The 2024 Florida Spring Training attendance figure accounts for all games between Major League teams, played in the State of Florida. Attendances are compiled daily by the Florida Sports Foundation, the State of Florida’s lead sports promotion and development organization and verified by each team.
Follow the Florida Grapefruit League on Twitter at @flaspringtrain.
2024 Team-by-Team Florida Spring Training Attendance
Atlanta Braves – CoolToday Park, North Port
16 Games: 102,543 total attendance; 6,409 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,473 vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, March 3 and vs. New York Yankees, Thursday, March 21
Baltimore Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota
15 Games (one rainout): 100,629 total attendance; 6,709 average per game
Largest Crowd: 8,204, vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, March 2
Boston Red Sox – JetBlue Park, Fort Myers
15 Games: 129,801 total attendance; 8,653 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,738, vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday, March 12
Detroit Tigers – Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
16 Games: 110,737 total attendance; 6,921 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,696 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, February 24
Houston Astros – CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach
13 Games (two rain outs): 49,516 total attendance; 3,809 average per game
Largest Crowd: 6,730 vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, March 15
Miami Marlins – Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter
14 Games (One Rain Out): 51,242 total attendance; 3,660 average per game
Largest Crowd: 6,978 vs. New York Yankees, Monday, March 4
Minnesota Twins – Lee Health Sports Complex, Fort Myers
16 Games (one rainout): 115,882 total attendance; 7,243 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,430 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, March 9
New York Mets – Clover Park, Port St. Lucie
15 Games: 86,823 total attendance; 5,788 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,626 vs. New York Yankees, Tuesday, March 5
New York Yankees – George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
17 Games: 158,972 total attendance; 9,351 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,941 vs. Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday, March 16
Philadelphia Phillies – BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater
16 Games: 150,850 total attendance; 9,428 average per game
Largest Crowd: 10,966 vs. Toronto Blue Jays, Sunday, March 24
Pittsburgh Pirates – LECOM Park, Bradenton
16 Games: 94,271 total attendance; 5,892 average per game
Largest Crowd: 8,080 vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, March 10
St. Louis Cardinals – Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter
14 Games (one rainout): 75,925 total attendance; 5423 average per game
Largest Crowd: 6,385 vs. New York Mets, Saturday, March 9
Tampa Bay Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte
13 Games (one rainout): 52,265 total attendance; 4,020 average per game
Largest Crowd: 5,925 vs. Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, March 26 (at Tropicana Field)
Toronto Blue Jays – TD Ballpark, Dunedin
15 Games: 101,549 total attendance; 6,770 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,813 vs. New York Yankees, Tuesday, March 12
Washington Nationals – CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach
14 Games (one rainout): 47,091 total attendance; 3,364 average per game
Largest Crowd: 4,392 vs. New York Mets, Sunday, March 17
Florida Spring Training Total Attendance
226 Games (8 games rained out): 1,428,096 total attendance; 6,319 average per game
Largest Crowd: 10,966, Toronto Blue Jays vs Philadelphia Phillies, BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater, Sunday, March 24
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