While finishing the regular season with the best record in franchise history, and tops in Major League Baseball at 97-65, the Milwaukee Brewers had a 4.4% increase in home game attendance this year, and a total attendance of 2.65 million, ranking 12th in MLB.
And now the playoffs provide a significant opportunity for the organization to gain an additional boost in its revenues. Simply put, the longer the team lasts in the playoffs and the more games played to capacity crowds at American Family Field, the more the team benefits financially.
Earlier this year, Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio said the team received a $2.5 million revenue boost from hosting three Wild Card Round playoff games last year vs. the New York Mets, according to a report from USA Today.
Looking around American Family Field during Game 1 of the National League Division Series Saturday afternoon vs. the Chicago Cubs, it is easy to see why. Packed stands, long lines of fans at concession stands and crowded Brewers team stores at the stadium indicate that the playoffs are a big business opportunity for the Brewers.
A sold out crowd of 42,678 attended Saturday’s game. Secondary market ticket prices for NLDS games at American Family Field shot up after the Cubs defeated the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card Series to advance to face the Brewers in the NLDS. Still, Brewer fans far outnumbered Cubs fans at American Family Field on Saturday.
Attanasio spoke to the media prior to the beginning of the NLDS. Following are portions of his remarks.
Q: Mark, I’m wondering if you could tell us your thoughts when the Cubs got the final out (Thursday vs. San Diego) and this matchup materialized, interesting on many different levels. I’m also wondering if you have anything to say to Brewers fans who may have some offers on their tickets that are pretty lucrative, is the club going to put out any message to try to keep this home field advantage?
Mark Attanasio. Image from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Attanasio: “I actually was watching the game with (former Brewers owner and former MLB commissioner) Bud Selig, and you have a mixed emotion, right? Because we’re so used to hoping that the Cubs don’t win, obviously, and likewise, I’m sure they feel that way about us. Yet, you know, this is a great matchup for our fans, all fans of baseball. Here you have two teams who know each other really well and so it should be great baseball. And you know, we look forward to the challenge and the opportunity and, and I’m sure they do too. You have an expectancy and you also have anxiety on both sides, that should make a very good series.
“Our fans have been terrific supporters, of the team all season. We were 12th in attendance. By the way, on (television) viewership I think we were second. We had one more win than the Phillies and they had a slightly higher media point than we did. We had the second most watched team in baseball this year behind the Phillies. And so we, you know, we expect our fans will bring the energy. They always do, and be very supportive. And Cubs fans wanna come see their team. I’m sure they’ll figure out how to do that and I’m sure our fans will figure out how to go to Wrigley Field.”
We hear all about the market size (Milwaukee is the smallest market in MLB). You guys finished 12th attendance with this market and ratings are up. From a business standpoint, the consistent success on the field and off the field, just how proud are you of both of those things?
“I’m extremely proud. You know, it’s a total team and community effort, organization effort and team to get that type of attendance. You know, when I was looking at, it’s hard to believe 21 seasons ago, purchasing the team I looked at the tradition of baseball in Milwaukee, actually even predating the Braves to the American Association team. And this community has always loved baseball, so it doesn’t surprise me that when you have a good product on the field that they’ll support to a very high level.
“And more important, we’ve had five division titles since 2018 and that, you know, model of consistency I think (general manager Matt Arnold) and his whole baseball operations staff, and (manager Pat Murphy) and the coaching staff, and of course the players, you know, they all get the credit for that.”
Could you speak to the financial impact of the postseason on the Brewers franchise and specifically, what is the fiscal impact on the Brewers for each playoff home game?
“I think you really, the financial impact, the deeper you get in the postseason, the better you do. There’s a real financial reward for getting to the World Series. Just the way the math works with not only ticketing, but media. And from our standpoint, we’re a hundred percent focused on winning just for the sake of winning. It’s something that everybody’s completely dedicated to. I’m really proud that in 21 seasons we have nine playoff appearances. We gotta get to the World Series, and that’s everybody’s focus. But for winning. For the banner, for the ring, not for the financial.”
You mentioned just how much it would mean to the organization to go to the World Series, and I’m just curious from your perspective, how you weigh I guess the success you guys have had in the regular season during this stretch where you built yourself into a perennial contender against just the disappointment you’ve experienced in October?
“That’s a key question. When I bought the club 21 seasons ago. I laid out four mandates or things that we looked to build on, and one was to always be sustainably competitive, that was the first one. So, if you’re not competitive, you can’t get there. We’re all very mindful that the club’s only been in one World Series in 1982, and so those sort of go hand in hand.
“When I bought the team, we had had 12 losing seasons in a row, so it was hard to say the goal is to get to a World Series. In fact that year when I first actually was sitting over there, there was a guy from ESPN in the front who said to me, ‘When you have lost another 12 years in a row and haven’t been to a playoff game in over 20 years, you won’t be so cheery.’ But that said, you know, of course that’s the goal for the organization, for the community. Nothing could be more special.”
BizTimes Media associate editor Maredithe Meyer contributed to this report.
