Revenue / 07.26.23
Live Events — Sports: Summer Attendance Makes a Big Return, Part 2
Teddy Durgin
In Part 1 of this two-part article, we explored how attendance at concerts, festivals and other live events has made a big comeback this summer. Part 2 will showcase how live sporting events have welcomed people back to the seats and stands in the hot months of 2023 as the world continues to make strides in putting the pandemic in the rearview mirror.
Margo Malone
Major League Baseball (MLB) has led the way. Margo Malone, Senior Manager of Season Ticket Memberships & Special Projects for the San Francisco Giants, says, “Prior to the All-Star break, MLB reported that attendance had spiked around the league. Yes, it finally feels like the pandemic is behind us and venues are able to operate without restrictions in place. But I’d also attribute the recent increase in fan engagement to several factors.”
Chiefly, she noted, the 2023 Mexico City Series in late April followed by the London Series last month were highly successful international events for MLB that got a lot of media coverage. Malone personally attended the San Francisco Giants versus San Diego Padres Mexico City games, and she noticed that the stadium included baseball fans from every market. “The excitement in the air felt like Opening Day or a postseason game,” she says. “People are traveling again, in full force, and I have noticed more inquiries from ticket members interested in attending road games. Personally, I think that we’re all just happy to feel like life is back to normal.”
Robert Bennett
One team that has seen a significant bump in ticket sales is the Tampa Bay Rays. Until recently, the Rays had been in first place since Opening Day before the Baltimore Orioles overtook them. Now, it’s a pennant race! Robert Bennett, Director of Ticket Operations for the Rays, says, “I would also attribute part of the increase to the pace of play on the field with the new rule changes. Fans want to come out and see it in person. Also, with recent technology advancements, we were able to announce that $10 tickets are available for each game of the season, allowing for a lower entry point for the casual fan.”
The Rays’ rival, the Orioles, has also seen steady and building attendance the better the young team has performed on the field. In response to our questions for this feature, the team issued official response statements about its building success at the turnstiles: “This past offseason, Major League Baseball implemented new rule changes that added more offense to the game, while picking up the pace of play. The result has been a really enjoyable game of baseball that people are excited to watch. When you combine that with a great ballpark atmosphere and the chance to watch generational talents every night, like we have at Oriole Park, it isn’t surprising that attendance is up.”
Daniel McBride
Another sport that has benefited from people moving out of the COVID-19 era and back into the open air is professional golf. Daniel McBride, Senior Director of Ticketing and Experiences for the United States Golf Association (USGA), confirms, “It’s fair to say that attendance in pro golf is up, in both the men’s and women’s game. This can be attributed first and foremost to the players, who are outstanding, but also to listening to and understanding fans better via market research and analysis, allowing for more meaningful engagement in a more personal way with partnerships, initiatives and activations that resonate.”
Agreeing with McBride’s assessment is Ryan Meyer, Senior Director of Ticketing Services at PGA TOUR: “Really, we have seen steady growth after an explosion in attendance coming out of COVID. As you may recall, we were lucky enough to remain playing after a brief stoppage at the onset of the pandemic while preserving some on-site attendance at first and gradually ramping up to full capacities later. People wanted to be outside. As a result, the sport of golf saw somewhat of a resurgence. The number of rounds played, TV viewership, attendance, social media and just about every category has been solid.”
Ryan Meyer
Of course, that hasn’t stopped any of these ticketing and live event professionals from cooking up fun promotions to drive attendance at their various venues. This past May, the Orioles announced the “Bird Bath Splash Zone” at Oriole Park. The idea, which began with the players, started as a way to get fans more involved with the team on the field. It has evolved to an entire section of fans that get sprayed with a garden hose for every extra-base hit the O’s record. This section sold out almost immediately and remains sold out for the remainder of the season.
The Orioles also offer $10 Eutaw Street Bleacher Seats for every Monday-through-Thursday home game, allowing fans to be close to the action, on and off the field, for an affordable price. In addition, the O’s recently had a ticket discount to celebrate star player Gunnar Henderson’s 22nd birthday. And to celebrate every Orioles walk-off win, Baltimore offers a 50% off flash sale that fans can take advantage of the following day.
Mike Mazza, Senior Director of Ticket Operations for the Chicago White Sox, says his team has had several successful promos so far and more are on the way: “We gave away pullover hoodies back in April. That did really well in driving attendance. We’ve also had a couple of bobblehead giveaways featuring our higher profile players like Luis Robert Jr. We also have theme nights that help drive attendance. In August, for example, we’re going to have Elvis Night! On July 28, we have a postgame concert with Jake Owen. Postgame concerts always help out.”
Not to be outdone, the Giants’ marketing team launched its “Summer Vibes” campaign back in May, which ties together the team’s promotional schedule with special ticket offers. “The replica jersey giveaways, of which the Giants have three this season, are proving to be the hot ticket this summer,” Malone says. “The first was for Pride Month in June, when fans lined up two hours prior to gates opening to secure one of the coveted items. The visual of people in the stands wearing the jerseys was very powerful. While selling tickets is key, the organization is also committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans.” To this end, Gigantes Night and African American Heritage Night are the other two replica jersey promotions that posted strong ticket sales.
Hayley Chapman, Senior Director of Ticket Operations & Administration for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Partnership (MLSE), has her own take north of the border. She says, “We all know having the tickets sold is one thing, getting the fans to show up and on time is another. While not innovative, we have had great success in limited entry giveaways. Our Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) were Grey Cup Champions last year. So, for our home opener, we did a limited amount of replica rings for our fans. The excitement was through the roof! Our long-standing fans got a commemorative piece of history, and everyone came early to celebrate.”
As for golf, Meyer says the PGA TOUR’s ticket policies directed at the military community, first responders, teachers and community groups have delivered very strong results this summer. He says, “The PGA TOUR’s mission is based upon charitable giving within the communities that we play, so outreach efforts to those groups and others are core to what we do. In addition, we have an almost uniform 15-and-under free policy for youth.”
USGA’s McBride adds, “One promotion to highlight is the Michelle Wie West Special Offer we ran for the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach. To honor Michelle in her final professional championship, we created a promotion that included one ticket plus a bobblehead of her for $69, commemorating her victory at the 69th U.S. Women’s Open, which sold out well in advance of the championship.”
Looking ahead, most of those interviewed for this article believe ticket sales will continue to be strong for the remainder of the summer. Bennett notes that the Rays will be pushing hard to make the postseason for the fifth consecutive year. The team plans to continue group ticketing promotions, too, like its Youth Baseball Days and cultural heritage celebrations.
The Orioles will also continue their drive to the playoffs, while working to establish Oriole Park at Camden Yards as a premiere entertainment destination. This year, the Birdland Summer Music Series, presented by Miller Lite, is featuring three postgame concerts. The team also offers pregame concerts before Friday and Saturday home games as part of City Connect Fridays and Early Bird Saturdays.
The Giants’ Malone, meanwhile, forecasts that her team’s ticket sales will continue to be strong in July and August. She concludes, “The energy on gamedays at Oracle Park, especially on weekends, has been nothing short of electric! On the Season Ticket Membership side, reps are putting in the work to create memorable moments for our best fans. From batting practice field visits to the opportunity to deliver the game ball to the mound, perks that were limited over the past few years have fully returned. And, again, people are traveling, and San Francisco is a popular destination.”
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Tags: Sports , Revenue