http://visitshoremagazine.com/2/?p=13972
There were some interesting statistics in the article. I always knew (even before the ballpark was built) the highest percentage of fans at Railcats games would come from places other than Gary. However, I didn't know Gary residents were as high as the third largest percentage of fans at US Steel Yard either. I figured Gary residents were far lower down the totem pole in that department. Don't know why I figured that since I'm a Gary resident and practically live at the ballpark and know other Gary people that camp-out there as well.The recession has put a squeeze play on America, but no place has been hit as hard as the Rust Belt. Unemployment in Michigan reached 14.3 percent in January, the highest in the country.
But minor league baseball continues to prosper in Michigan, notably with the Midwest Leagues West Michigan Whitecaps outside of Grand Rapids. On the Indiana side, the South Bend Silver Hawks are branching out into the community, and the most remarkable upswing can be found with the Northern Leagues Gary SouthShore RailCatsa team that is defying odds with its spiffy downtown ballpark.
Baseball can thrive during bad times.
A few other interesting statistics, while I knew the Railcats attendance went up last year I didn't know that during the same year 81% of all minor league attendance went down. Railcats attendance seems a little down this year though. Maybe bad economic times have taken hold. I seem to remember larger crowds on Fireworks Fridays. Today's promotion will tell the story. Beach towel Sunday has always drawn more than 4000 fans in the past. If 4000 aren't at the Steel Yard, then double-dip recession is a reality.