Dawgs rank third in North American summer baseball attendance

The Western Canadian Baseball League’s Okotoks Dawgs drew an average of 3,937 fans to their games at Seaman Stadium in 2019. Photo: Okotoks Dawgs

August 13, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

According to Ballpark Digest, the Western Canadian Baseball League Western Division champions Okotoks Dawgs have the third-highest attendance in North American summer baseball.

The Okotoks Dawgs totalled 102,368 fans during the 2019 regular season which averaged a crowd of 3,937 per game - a slight increase from last summer of 3,676.

"We are so thankful for the continued support of our fans," said Dawgs Managing Director John Ircandia.

"Honestly, that support dates back to our first-ever Opening Night at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks. We had just completed the construction of the stadium, barely. We had no idea what to expect but the cars kept coming and coming, the fans kept pouring through the gates … Our first of many sellouts and under a double rainbow no less.

"Since then, through three successive championships, the ongoing phenomenal support of our Okotoks fans and a rapidly expanding market in Calgary continued to grow every summer. The Dawgs’ grassroots success story lives on."

The Dawgs had an impressive 40-15 record during this summer’s extended WCBL season, which saw each team have two games added to their home schedule.

"A key for us in retaining such a loyal fan base has been to continue to prioritize our fan experience. That means putting a good baseball product on the field while making the game day presentation at Dawgs games fan and family-friendly," explained Ircandia.

In order to achieve this, the Dawgs added new and improved concession stands, additional washroom facilities, more premium seating and expanded hospitality patios this past year.

In 2020, the Dawgs plan to add an entirely new hospitality “fan-fun" section wrapping around the left-field berm.

"So bottom line, the truly phenomenal success of the Dawgs is all about having an incredible, fan-friendly facility and doing our best each season to deliver the uniquely positive fan and family-friendly experience that is Dawgs Baseball at beautiful Seaman Stadium," said Ircandia.