Per-game average of 3,885 is highest in 55-year history of the Quad Cities Midwest League franchise
DAVENPORT, Iowa (August 31, 2014) - An average of 3,885 fans per game attended Quad Cities River Bandits home games at Modern Woodmen Park this season, setting a new record for the highest per-game average for a season in the 55-year history of the Quad Cities Midwest League franchise.
The 2014 season also saw five of the 11 largest single-game home crowds - all 7,089 or larger - for the Quad Cities franchise since the start of the 2002 season. The new per-game average record was achieved despite weather postponing nine River Bandits home games - the most for any Midwest League team in six years.
"We are thrilled and humbled by the unyielding support of all of the fans who came to Modern Woodmen Park this season," said River Bandits owner Dave Heller. "This record is even more meaningful because our fans endured record rain and flooding, when entire parking lots and parts of our play area were underwater, and people had to walk as much as a mile to get to the ballpark. That's just one of the many hundreds of reasons why we are so grateful to host the best fans in minor league baseball at the No. 1 minor league ballpark in America!"
Quad Cities' total home attendance of 237,005 this season was the sixth-most since the franchise joined the Midwest League in 1960. For each of the seven seasons under Main Street Baseball, more than 200,000 fans have attended Quad Cities River Bandits games at Modern Woodmen Park - a streak unprecedented in franchise history.
"This season has been special for so many reasons - the opening of the Ferris wheel, unique promotions and events, and exciting baseball games, but the fans have made it truly memorable with overwhelming passion for the River Bandits and Modern Woodmen Park," said General Manager Andrew Chesser. "The entire Quad Cities should be proud of a record-setting season at the ballpark!"
The Quad Cities franchise record for single-season attendance is 260,471 - a mark set in 1994 as the Quad City River Bandits, an affiliate of the Houston Astros. That season's per-game average of 3,755 was the highest for the franchise until this season.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: Having been named Ballpark Digest's winner of Best Ballpark Improvement in America under $1 million, the River Bandits ownership in 2014 made one of the biggest improvements to Modern Woodmen Park since the ballpark was first built back in 1931! A new Ferris wheel, standing 105 feet over the playing field, opened May 24, Space Camp opened June 20; the new Drop-N-Twist debuted in July; and the newly expanded 300-foot long zip line also reopened.
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