I could have made time to go to either of the past two games, but I just didn't really have any interest in seeing the Padres play the Twins. I questioned myself and I think it's because I'm basically over interleague play now. From the tweets of empty seats I saw it looked like most fans couldn't drag themselves to a Twins game either.
OOF. pic.twitter.com/fYdRyJH9wB
— Woe, Doctor! (@woedoctor) May 22, 2014
Granted people still pack the park to see the Red Sox and Yankees.
I decided to do some cumulative calculations and see which opposing teams draw the most and least fans to Padres games. I only included games that Baseball-Reference had attendance data.
In the Petco Park era, the Minnesota Twins are just ahead of the Miami Marlins for last place (the Florida Marlins did considerably better). Not surprisingly the the Red Sox and Yankees top the list. I'm a little surprised that the Chicago White Sox sit so high, but I think it's because they last played in Petco Park in 2005 when they won the World Series and Cubs fans switched allegiances.
In the NL West it's interesting to note that the Dodgers out draw the Giants, who always make a big deal of making Petco Park, "AT&T South".
Petco Park
Opponent |
# of Games |
Total Attendance |
Average Attendance |
MIA |
10 |
221,224 |
22,122 |
MIN |
5 |
123,276 |
24,655 |
MON |
4 |
99,571 |
24,893 |
WSN |
29 |
728,457 |
25,119 |
KCR |
9 |
230,812 |
25,646 |
MIL |
30 |
788,707 |
26,290 |
COL |
95 |
2,499,445 |
26,310 |
TEX |
3 |
79,146 |
26,382 |
CLE |
3 |
81,660 |
27,220 |
STL |
31 |
866,675 |
27,957 |
TBD |
3 |
83,899 |
27,966 |
HOU |
32 |
898,838 |
28,089 |
CIN |
32 |
902,876 |
28,215 |
TOR |
9 |
254,715 |
28,302 |
ATL |
36 |
1,036,506 |
28,792 |
ARI |
95 |
2,756,943 |
29,020 |
BAL |
8 |
237,747 |
29,718 |
OAK |
6 |
179,619 |
29,937 |
PIT |
32 |
963,559 |
30,111 |
SEA |
26 |
786,474 |
30,249 |
CHC |
36 |
1,114,332 |
30,954 |
PHI |
33 |
1,021,833 |
30,965 |
NYM |
34 |
1,054,358 |
31,011 |
FLA |
26 |
817,564 |
31,445 |
SFG |
96 |
3,077,809 |
32,061 |
DET |
6 |
209,013 |
34,836 |
LAD |
94 |
3,293,985 |
35,042 |
LAA |
3 |
108,791 |
36,264 |
CHW |
3 |
117,452 |
39,151 |
NYY |
3 |
131,812 |
43,937 |
BOS |
3 |
133,311 |
44,437 |
When baseball was played in Mission Valley, fans came out for Interleague games in mass. Notice that attendance for Red Sox games wasn't particularly high compared to other AL teams since they hadn't picked up all the bandwagon fans with their tainted WS championship.
San Diego / Jack Murphy / Qualcomm Stadium
Opponent |
# of Games |
Total Attendance |
Average Attendance |
DET |
3 |
43,458 |
14,486 |
HOU |
253 |
4,119,180 |
16,281 |
MON |
182 |
3,190,502 |
17,530 |
PHI |
185 |
3,309,624 |
17,890 |
ATL |
248 |
4,454,963 |
17,964 |
OAK |
8 |
148,392 |
18,549 |
NYM |
193 |
3,605,288 |
18,680 |
PIT |
184 |
3,439,686 |
18,694 |
STL |
188 |
3,549,827 |
18,882 |
CIN |
254 |
4,944,125 |
19,465 |
CHC |
186 |
3,763,536 |
20,234 |
SFG |
285 |
5,983,160 |
20,994 |
MIL |
21 |
485,700 |
23,129 |
FLA |
41 |
979,922 |
23,901 |
LAD |
288 |
7,480,431 |
25,974 |
COL |
79 |
2,105,316 |
26,650 |
ARI |
47 |
1,364,230 |
29,026 |
TEX |
8 |
259,598 |
32,450 |
BOS |
3 |
98,532 |
32,844 |
ANA |
8 |
263,255 |
32,907 |
MIN |
3 |
105,504 |
35,168 |
SEA |
19 |
699,228 |
36,801 |
NYY |
3 |
165,929 |
55,310 |
On the All-time list, I'm surprised by the attendance to games against Seattle. Fans really bought into this natural rivalry between them and the Pads.
All-Time
Opponent |
# of Games |
Total Attendance |
Average Attendance |
HOU |
285 |
5,018,018 |
17,607 |
MON |
186 |
3,290,073 |
17,689 |
ATL |
284 |
5,491,469 |
19,336 |
PHI |
218 |
4,331,457 |
19,869 |
STL |
219 |
4,416,502 |
20,167 |
PIT |
216 |
4,403,245 |
20,385 |
CIN |
286 |
5,847,001 |
20,444 |
NYM |
227 |
4,659,646 |
20,527 |
CHC |
222 |
4,877,868 |
21,972 |
MIA |
10 |
221,224 |
22,122 |
OAK |
14 |
328,011 |
23,429 |
SFG |
381 |
9,060,969 |
23,782 |
MIL |
51 |
1,274,407 |
24,988 |
WSN |
29 |
728,457 |
25,119 |
KCR |
9 |
230,812 |
25,646 |
COL |
174 |
4,604,761 |
26,464 |
FLA |
67 |
1,797,486 |
26,828 |
CLE |
3 |
81,660 |
27,220 |
TBD |
3 |
83,899 |
27,966 |
DET |
9 |
252,471 |
28,052 |
LAD |
382 |
10,774,416 |
28,205 |
TOR |
9 |
254,715 |
28,302 |
MIN |
8 |
228,780 |
28,598 |
ARI |
142 |
4,121,173 |
29,022 |
BAL |
8 |
237,747 |
29,718 |
TEX |
11 |
338,744 |
30,795 |
ANA |
8 |
263,255 |
32,907 |
SEA |
45 |
1,485,702 |
33,016 |
LAA |
3 |
108,791 |
36,264 |
BOS |
6 |
231,843 |
38,641 |
CHW |
3 |
117,452 |
39,151 |
NYY |
6 |
297,741 |
49,624 |