For the first time in nearly a decade, officials have noticed a significant drop in attendance at Louisville Bats games.
The club is still one of the best nationwide at getting fans to the ballpark, but attendance and officials are hoping new talent can put them back on top.On average around 9,000 fans attend each Bats game. That’s kept them in the top five cities nationwide for attendance out of nearly 175 minor league ball clubs. While the attendance dropped by just a few hundred on average, 8,700, it was enough to get the team's attention.Bats spokesman Greg Galiette blames a record 93 losses last year and the summer heat.“We figure if we can get back to 500 and have some decent weather we’ll be back in the two or three spot we normally are used to being in as far as national attendance," he says.Galiette is confident the team will get back on track and says it has received a pretty strong face lift in the off season. This includes the acquisition of former Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Prior, minor league base stealer Billy Hamilton and former Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, who was one out away from a perfect game in 2010.Galiette says the team will continue marketing group ticket sales, and will continue its promotional games.Opening night for the Louisville Bats is this Thursday night at 6:35 pm against Toledo Mud Hens.
