Major League Baseball recorded its highest April attendance figures since 2017, averaging 27,261 fans per game as the league pursues a third consecutive year of attendance growth, according to league sources.
The strong start gives additional momentum to MLB\'s attendance rebound, currently running 1.3 percent ahead of 2024 figures. Several Northeast and Midwest teams initially saw flat or decreased attendance in early April before experiencing significant upticks as temperatures warmed.
A third straight year of attendance increases would mark MLB\'s first such streak since 2005-2007. The league expects the positive trend to continue as higher-attended summer games approach.
Team Highlights
The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers continue to lead MLB in attendance, averaging 51,364 fans per game at the league\'s largest stadium. Los Angeles has maintained its position as attendance leader for more than a decade.
The New York Mets have posted the most dramatic improvement, with attendance surging 56 percent to 36,198 per game. The significant boost follows Juan Soto\'s record $765 million free-agent signing and the team\'s strong on-field performance, which has produced the second-best record in baseball.
\"The pitch clock and more action-filled style of play introduced two years ago has really resonated with fans,\" said an MLB executive who requested anonymity. \"Combined with stars like Ohtani, Judge, and younger players like Skenes and De La Cruz, we\'re seeing strong fan engagement across markets.\"
Even the struggling Colorado Rockies are outpacing their 2024 attendance figures. MLB is achieving these numbers despite the Athletics and Rays playing in minor-league facilities, with Oakland\'s move to Sacramento\'s Sutter Health Park generating improved attendance over their final Oakland season.
The league anticipates another attendance spike in August when the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee will produce the season\'s largest single-game crowd.