Advanced stadiums are attracting more and more fans

Source: https://www.delawarenorth.com

The economic principle I’m exploring is people generally respond to incentives in predictable ways.

 My research question to help me study the economic principle is, can creating more advanced MLB stadiums increase attendance?

 The article published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution titled “Attendance and home runs are up in the Braves new home” demonstrates this economic principle because it shows how creating a more beautiful environment can incentivize people to attend MLB games.

 First, ever since MLB has started every team has created a new and different stadium to suit the needs of fans. Stadiums in different regions have all sorts of styles to them. Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, features a forest past the center field fence. Other stadiums have unique elements to them such as AT&T Park where the stadium cuts of due to the bay or at Petco Park where there is a four story building that is apart of the stadium. The reason these stadium try to look different of unique is because it gets fans to attend games and enjoy their stay at ballparks during games.

 Second, architects of new baseball stadiums are creating other activities for people to do at ballparks that goes beyond watching the game. Many stadiums have a speech pitch games where you pay to throw three baseballs and see if you can throw as fast as an MLB pitcher. Games in the parks like this incentivize more people to visit the stadium because it is an attraction for families and it is a break during a long game of baseball. People who don’t like watching a full game can find other ways to stay at the park.

 Third, building more advanced stadium has shown to increase attendance. In the 2017 season the Atlanta Braves played their first season at the new SunTrust Park. MLB reported that their attendance throughout the season rose to a little more than 38% than their former years attendance. Fans and critics have claimed the the new stadium gives viewers a “closer proximity” to the action, which for any baseball fan is a plus. SunTrust Park also has many new attractions like a bar and restaurant that takes over all of right field, which is better for a more casual fan of baseball. Extra attractions in the park incentivises more people who wouldn’t otherwise go to a baseball game, to go to a game.

 In my next blog post I will research: Does the winning of an MLB team increase the amount of people who attend games?