Playing a full season of games for the first time in four years, a total of 1,425,259 fans attended 237 Florida Spring Training games over the course of 33 days, for an average of 6,014 fans per game.
The Florida Grapefruit League is host to 15 teams, playing in 13 facilities in 12 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 2023 season included:
- The most attended day of the 2023 season was Friday, March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, when 59,354 fans watched nine games statewide.
- The 2022 National League Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies had 135,431 fans pass through the BayCare Ballpark turnstiles in Clearwater, for an average of 8,464 in 16 games. It was the Phillies highest total attendance since 2013.
- Six teams topped the 100,000 total attendance mark; Baltimore Orioles (Sarasota), Boston Red Sox (Fort Myers), Detroit Tigers (Lakeland), Minnesota Twins (Fort Myers), New York Yankees (Tampa) and Philadelphia Phillies (Clearwater).
- The most attended game of the 2023 season was the Saturday, March 25 game between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark, in Clearwater, with 10,933 in attendance. The Yankees hit three home runs en route to an 8-3 win.
- The top total attendance of the 2023 season, was posted by the New York Yankees with 161,501 attending 17 games at George M. Steinbrenner Field, in Tampa. The Yankees averaged 9,500 fans per game and topped 10,000 on four occasions, including three consecutive games between Saturday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 15.
- The Toronto Blue Jays had a record attendance, playing their first full season at TD Ballpark, in Dunedin. A total of 93,596 fans enjoyed 16 games at the renovated TD Ballpark for an average of 5,850. Prior to the renovation completed before the 2020 season, the capacity of the park was 5,500.
Since 2000, a total of 34,303,509 fans have attended Spring Training games in Florida.
The 2023 Florida Spring Training attendance figure accounts for all games between Major League teams, played in the State of Florida. This season’s totals also include 10 games played against World Baseball Classic teams on March 8-9. Attendances are compiled daily by the Florida Sports Foundation, the State of Florida’s lead sports promotion and development organization and a Division of Enterprise Florida, Inc, and verified by each team.
Follow the Florida Grapefruit League at www.floridagrapefruitleague.com, or on Twitter at @flaspringtrain.
2023 Team-by-Team Florida Spring Training Attendance
Atlanta Braves – CoolToday Park, North Port
17 Games: 99,742 total attendance; 5,867 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,973 vs. New York Yankees, Sunday, March 5
Baltimore Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota
17 Games: 100,009 total attendance; 5,883 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,706, vs. New York Yankees, Friday, March 24
Boston Red Sox – JetBlue Park, Fort Myers
17 Games: 143,611 total attendance; 8,448 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,540, vs. New York Yankees, Sunday, March 12
Detroit Tigers – Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
16 Games: 101,940 total attendance; 6,371 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,218 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Sunday, March 26
Houston Astros – Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach
15 Games: 56,190 total attendance; 3,746 average per game
Largest Crowd: 5,183 vs. New York Mets, Saturday, March 18
Miami Marlins – Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter
14 Games (One Rain Out): 45,842 total attendance; 3,274 average per game
Largest Crowd: 4,680 vs. New York Mets, Saturday, March 4
Minnesota Twins – Hammond Stadium at Lee County Sports Complex, Fort Myers
17 Games: 103,023 total attendance; 6,060 average per game
Largest Crowd: 8,568 vs. New York Yankees, Monday, March 13
New York Mets – Clover Park, Port St. Lucie
16 Games: 95,210 total attendance; 5,951 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,120 vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, March 19
New York Yankees – George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
17 Games: 161,501 total attendance; 9,500 average per game
Largest Crowd: 10,266 vs. Toronto Blue Jays, Tuesday, March 14
Philadelphia Phillies – BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater
16 Games: 135,431 total attendance; 8,464 average per game
Largest Crowd: 10,933 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, March 25
Pittsburgh Pirates – LECOM Park, Bradenton
16 Games: 84,195 total attendance; 5,262 average per game
Largest Crowd: 6,874 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, March 17
St. Louis Cardinals – Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter
15 Games: 85,886 total attendance; 5,726 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,476 vs. New York Yankees, Thursday, March 23
Tampa Bay Rays – Disney’s Wide World of Sports/Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
14 Games: 68,361 total attendance; 4,883 average per game
Largest Crowd: 9,624 vs. New York Yankees, Tuesday, February 28 (at Disney’s Wide World of Sports)
* The Rays played the 2023 season at Tropicana Field due to damages from Hurricane Ian at the Charlotte Sports Park. Tampa Bay will return to Port Charlotte for the 2024 season.
Toronto Blue Jays – TD Ballpark, Dunedin
16 Games: 93,596 total attendance; 5,850 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,448 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday, March 18
Washington Nationals – Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach
15 Games: 50,722 total attendance; 3,381 average per game
Largest Crowd: 7,342 vs. New York Yankees, Wednesday, March 22
Florida Spring Training Total Attendance
237 Games (one rained out): 1,425,259 total attendance; 6,014 average per game
Largest Crowd: 10,933, New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies, BayCare Ballpark, Clearwater, Saturday, March 25
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