HarbourCats league leaders in attendance for the sixth year in a row

Close to 80,000 people came through the gates of Wilson's Group Stadium to enjoy Victoria HarbourCats games in 2019. Photo: Victoria HarbourCats

August 28, 2019

By Jim Swanson

Victoria HarbourCats

The Victoria HarbourCats are once again the West Coast League (WCL) leaders in attendance, with a total of 62,400 people attending their 27 home WCL games this season, for an average of 2,311 per game.

Both figures led the West Coast League in 2019 - the sixth year in a row that the HarbourCats have topped each category - with the Portland Pickles finishing a close second in 2019, with an announced total of 60,803 (an average of 2,252) for their 27 home games.

Overall attendance at Wilson's Group Stadium in 2019, including 27 league games, five non-league games, an exhibition game between the Port Angeles Lefties and Team Cuba and the three HarbourCats playoff games against Wenatchee and Corvallis, came to 79,737, an increase of over 1,500 fans from the total of 78,169 that came through the turnstiles in 2018.

Add in fans that came out to watch exhibition games in Nanaimo and Duncan and that totals well over 80,000 fans on Vancouver Island who were exposed to the exciting brand of HarbourCats baseball during the year.

"Victoria and Island baseball fans continue to show us that the ballpark is the place to be and be seen in the summer months," noted HarbourCats Assistant GM of Ticketing and Media Christian J. Stewart. "Despite battling, of all unexpected things, the Toronto Raptors for fan attention in some early games, and some horrific weather for two series in early July, we managed numbers that were on par with our record setting year in 2018 and that is a direct testament to the product we put on the field, as well as the family fun, affordability and entertainment we provide at the ballpark on a nightly basis."

While the HarbourCats did not top their 2018 records of 5,240 (single game) and 62,599 (WCL regular season), they did enjoy some new attendance milestones, recording their 400,000th fan into the park, setting a new overall attendance mark (79,737), averaging over 4,000 fans at each of their four fireworks nights and setting a new record for their annual School Spirit Day of 4,644 fans - their biggest crowd of the 2019 season.

"While the numbers have been great, we know we can do better and a goal for 2020 will be to see 100,000 people come through the gates of Wilson's Group Stadium," added Stewart. "That amounts to an average of just over 550 more fans per game. We know those 550 fans are out there and it will be the job of myself and our superb marketing team to go out and find them during the off-season."