Jabroni Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 "Notes: Crowds up for South Siders Club optimistic of reaching 2 million mark for year" http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws CHICAGO -- Lost in the shuffle of the White Sox's amazing come-from-behind win over Los Angeles on Saturday night was the support given to the team from outside its own dugout or clubhouse. With each key ninth-inning pitch from Yhency Brazoban, the crowd of 36,067 rose to its feet in unison, almost willing the White Sox to victory. And forget about measuring the noise level once A.J. Pierzynski connected for the walk-off home run. It was just another instance of the symbiotic relationship that has formed between the White Sox and their truest of believers. "The people who come to the games are having a wonderful time," said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf of the supportive crowds at this year's home games. "They have taken to the team, and the team feeds off of it." Much attention has been focused on some spotty low crowd totals, especially during weekend games, for a team that has the best record in baseball. But the truth is that the White Sox attendance has increased across the board from 2004. According to Brooks Boyer, the White Sox's vice president of marketing, the total attendance of 771,461 through 32 home dates is up 12 percent compared to where the team was last year. The White Sox are up 44 percent in groups, 17 percent in pending groups and the nine- and 13-game season ticket plans are up 27 percent -- not to mention a rise in the overall season-ticket base. It's impossible for Boyer to project any sort of total for the course of 81 home games. The attendance should spike with big games against the Yankees and Red Sox coming in August, and a four-game set against the Twins to finish the home portion of the schedule in late September. "If we are in a battle with the Twins, those could all be sellouts," Boyer said. Boyer confidently predicts the White Sox will surpass the 2 million mark in attendance for, surprisingly, the first time since the team drew 2,581,091 in 1993. He realizes that the White Sox crowd analysis still might pale in comparison to the "800 pound gorilla" on the North Side of town. But compared to their past numbers, the White Sox fans certainly are making noise. "We have done an awful lot of positive things, but one winning season won't win over our fan base. We have to do it consistently," Boyer said. "We have to create some scarcity in the lower bowl for tickets. We create that scarcity by building our season-ticket base, and people are ultimately going to have to buy their tickets earlier. "When you compare us to the Cubs, of course we fall short. We are a victim of the North Side success. But I would rather be compared to someone in the top of the league in attendance." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangercal Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 I'm responsible for 10 on the attendence mark!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 No shock at all. You win, they'll come. I don't like bandwagoners. But the more people that go to the games, the better for the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Saturday was just an AWESOME game to be at. There was no give in the team and there was no give in the fans. I didn't see anyone walking out in the 9th. I was there with 8 friends and I must have high fived 50 strangers. Everybody was just goin nuts when we tied it and the thing really blew up when we won. One of the best games I been to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyho7476 Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 QUOTE(Controlled Chaos @ Jun 20, 2005 -> 09:52 AM) Saturday was just an AWESOME game to be at. There was no give in the team and there was no give in the fans. I didn't see anyone walking out in the 9th. I was there with 8 friends and I must have high fived 50 strangers. Everybody was just goin nuts when we tied it and the thing really blew up when we won. One of the best games I been to. Amen to that...had to be the best game I've ever gone to. I had turned to my girlfriend's daughter and said AJ is going to hit a homerun...you just felt it was going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayitaintso Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 I'm responseable for 4! I know someone that has only missed 1 home game this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 The Sox average attendance today (24,206) is right at what they ended the season (24,437) at last year. Keep in mind this is without having the 3 Cubs sell outs, and the 6 Yankees/Red Sox games to go. Not to mention that we still have 5 half price Monday's left to go, and 6 pennant race games with the Twins. The Sox could push 28K average this year, by the time all is said and done. Even if you are looking at just a 12% increase (which would put us at about 26k) we are going to go over 2.2 million fans. Things are looking good on the southside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubKilla Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Did anyone else chuckle when Brooks talked about the "..... Northside Success"? He should have qualified that with 'attendance'...... and the attendance definitely hasn't translated to on the field success. Brooks is smart though. Someone finally realizes that sustained winning will put more butts in the USCF seats instead of the 2X a month "Firework's Night". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 They're going to get over 2 mill easy this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JUGGERNAUT Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Looks like they'll be paying some rent money this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnB Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 by this time next week, the avg. will probably increase another 1000. The royals series should draw around 25k and then there's 3 straight sellouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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