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Baseball’s recovery from the players’ strike is almost complete. Attendance this season is up 5.8 percent from the same time last year, and it is closely approaching prestrike levels.
After baseball’s 232-day strike ended in April 1995, fans showed their displeasure by staying away from the ballpark — attendance dropped 20 percent. Since then, the game has made a slow climb back toward the record levels of 1993 and 1994, despite a small step backward last year attributed to fast-climbing ticket prices.
This season, thanks in part to fan-friendly ticket promotions and the game’s continued offensive explosion, average attendance has surpassed 28,000 per game. Assuming that mark increases another 10 percent this summer — historically, attendance jumps as schools let out and the weather warms — baseball will post its highest average attendance since 1994, when the average before the strike reached 31,612.
ATLANTIC
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
NORTHEAST
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
SOUTHEAST
Atlanta Thrashers
Carolina Hurricanes
Florida Panthers
Washington Capitals
Tampa Bay Lightning
CENTRAL
Chicago Blackhawks
Columbus Blue Jackets
Detroit Red Wings
Nashville Predators
St. Louis Blues
NORTHWEST
Calgary Flames
Colorado Avalanche
Edmonton Oilers
Minnesota Wild
Vancouver Canucks
PACIFIC
Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Dallas Stars
Los Angeles Kings
Phoenix Coyotes
San Jose Sharks
The National League’s recovery at the gate has been faster than in the American League because of the Sammy Sosa-Mark McGwire homerun duels. The National League is on pace to break its total attendance mark of 38.4 million set in 1998.
