One Key Factor Could Help Marlins Draw Over 30K Fans Per Game
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The Miami Marlins are seeing that the ballpark has been filled this month due to the World Baseball Classic.
The USA-Venezuela classic final brought in 36,190 fans. Those are big-time numbers. LoanDepot Park is becoming one of the hottest venues on the planet. The stadium has hosted events such as the NHL Winter Classic, the Miami Invitational, and now the World Baseball Classic.
You think this ballpark will draw 36k for any game during this Marlins season? https://t.co/naMRdb95kD
— Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) March 18, 2026
Can the Marlins Reach Over 30,000 seats for the New Season?
The Miami management would dream of the stadium selling out often during the season. Selling tickets is not easy. It makes it complicated when it's a small market team and not competing at an elite level.
When it comes to attendance, the Marlins organization constantly struggles. Since 2018, the Marlins have recorded fewer than 20,000 seats in the ballpark. Last season, the Marlins finished 15th in attendance, averaging 14,281. It's a much better start compared to the 2021 season, when the team averaged 7,934 seats.
So, how can the Marlins turn things around and get people in the seats? It’s simple. Win.
The highest attendance the Marlins have had was in their inaugural season, back in 1993. The stadium at the time was called the "Joe Robbie Stadium," which was named after the principal founder of the Miami Dolphins, who passed away in 1990. Unfortunately, he didn't live to see the Marlins' first season, but he did see the vision of one day having a baseball team in Miami.
In the inaugural season, there's always a high chance the stadium will be sold out or most games will be loaded, because it's a new season, a new team, and the anticipation and excitement are huge. In the first year, Joe Robbie Stadium reached 37,838. The record still holds to this day.
History would repeat itself in 2012, during the Marlins' first season at Marlins Park. The transition from Dolphin Stadium to Marlins Park coincided with the team name changing from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins. In that 2012 season, attendance averaged 27,400.
The Marlins are hoping to fill many more seats in the future. However, the best way this can be accomplished is if they reach the division series or go as far as the World Series. In 1997, during their first World Series championship run, Pro Player Stadium averaged 29,190.
When the team is winning, more fans come to the ballpark. Most fans wouldn't want to spend money to come to the stadium to see their team lose. The way the Marlins played in the second half last season, we can only hope they excel and add many more wins this season. The stadium needs more fans and excitement throughout the whole season.
After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.