The American League and National League have split the last 24 World Series evenly, each winning 12. But as Kendall Baker of Yahoo Sports pointedthe latter dominates the former in attendance.
As of May 30, seven of the top eight MLB teams by average home attendance were playing in the NL, and seven of the bottom nine were playing in the AL. In total, NL teams draw an average of 30,557 fans per game, while AL clubs fill just 23,784 seats.
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This difference is nothing new – NL teams have had more fans on average in each of the last 20 seasons – but it is growing. The NL lead is greater than ever during this period.
A closer look at the data reveals that just two divisions drive most of the disparity: the NL West and the AL Central.
The NL West has been the dominant division in attendance every season since 2006. The Los Angeles Dodgers have drawn the largest crowds in MLB for more than a decade continuously, while usurping the New York Yankees as baseball’s winningest regular-season team . The offseason additions of pitchers Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in free agency should help sustain their upside for years to come.
The San Diego Padres have risen to second place in the big leagues in attendance after ranking in the bottom half of clubs in 2018. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies faithful have consistently shown up to support their team in recent years despite their lack successful on the field.
One season after riding the moneyball comet that occurs every 10 years or so leading up to the World Series, the Arizona Diamondbacks have seen an increase in their attendance in 2024. While crowds across MLB overall are down 7% year over year, the Diamondbacks’ 29,936 fans per game reflects a 24% increase and ranks 13th.
On the other end of the spectrum is AL Central. The Cleveland Guardians are the highest-ranked franchise in the division at 22nd in MLB, followed by the Minnesota Twins (23rd), Detroit Tigers (24th), Kansas City Royals (26th) and Chicago White Sox (27th).
The lesson learned from the dichotomy between these two divisions: if you build it, they will come.
The two largest offseason spending commitments in MLB history came from the Dodgers in 2024 and the Padres in 2023. Each NL West team is among the 16 largest total payrolls in MLB, according to Spotrac, with the $ 145.8 million from the Rockies on the back end. .
Compare that to the AL Central, in which the White Sox are the highest-spending team at $136.3 million and 18th in the majors.
It’s also true: if you don’t build it, they won’t come. Look no further than the Oakland Athletics, who have the stingiest payroll in MLB and are average fewer fans than minor league hockey teams and college wrestling.
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