ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Greenville Named Second-Best Minor League Market in United States

Published on October 3, 2019 under ECHL (ECHL)
Greenville Swamp Rabbits News Release


GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Upstate has received a tremendous honor from the Sports Business Journal. According to metrics that included average attendance, each team's tenure, as well as each city's economic standing, Greenville was named the second-best minor league market in the United States.

"It's an honor to live, work and play in Greenville," said team CEO Doug Heinzer. "This is a big reason why we are so committed to enriching our community in any way we can."

The vibrant and ever-growing city of Greenville and the entire Upstate community has been booming since the turn of the millennium, and that reflects in the data accumulated by the Sports Business Journal. Once just a 43.69 on their scale in 2013, and 69th in the nation, just six years later, Greenville now sits at a 96.34, and second-best. Greenville trails just Grand Rapids, Michigan, who comes in at a score of 100.00.

The Sports Business Journal's metrics never saw the city's rankings dip throughout the six-year span.

Greenville's sports scene has been ever growing. The Swamp Rabbits have enjoyed rising attendance in the past five seasons. Both the Swamp Rabbits, and the Greenville Drive, Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, filled 78% of available seats over the past five years, according to the article.

The Bon Secours Wellness Arena, home of the Swamp Rabbits, was constructed in 1998, but remains one of the jewels of the ECHL in terms of amenities, modernity, and fan experience.

The population of Greenville has risen meteorically since the turn of the millennium. The United States census put Greenville's population at 56,002, and had recorded a decline in population dating back to 1960. As of the 2018 census, 68,563 people proudly call Greenville home. The last five years have seen an influx of over 11,000 people per year.

Check out the Greenville Swamp Rabbits Statistics

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