{"id":17377,"date":"2025-05-11T01:47:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T01:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/17377\/"},"modified":"2025-05-11T01:47:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-11T01:47:09","slug":"coors-field-attendance-trends-mirror-years-long-colorado-rockies-struggle-sports-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/17377\/","title":{"rendered":"Coors Field attendance trends mirror years-long Colorado Rockies struggle | Sports Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kyle Freeland held back tears thinking about his message to Rockies fans.<\/p>\n

The Denver native allowed five earned runs in a 10-2 loss Thursday to the Detroit Tigers at Coors Field. The Rockies extended their Major League worst record with only six wins. Freeland unloaded in his postgame news conference \u2014 \u201cWe\u2019re playing a bad brand of baseball,\u201d he said \u2014 before taking one last question from The Denver Gazette.<\/p>\n

Kyle, I know you\u2019ve got a lot of love for this fan base. What would be your message to them, just to keep them in the building, as the team tries to figure out some of these struggles?<\/p>\n

Freeland looked down at the podium. Shook his head and took a deep breath. His voice cracked.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep believing in us,\u201d Freeland said. \u201cKeep riding.\u201d<\/p>\n

#Rockies<\/a> have lost five games in a row and have dropped to 6-30 (.167), a 135-loss pace.Kyle Freeland\u2019s message to Denver sports fans:\u201cKeep believing in us. Keep riding.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/OdxlPQvopz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) May 8, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

But Coors Field attendance trends mimic a years-long Rockies struggle in the NL West basement.<\/p>\n

The party at 20th and Blake Streets was strong, especially during the early 2022 season, with pandemic restrictions removed on MLB crowd size. Colorado hosted series against the Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies, Reds, Nationals and Royals over their first 18 games that year and Coors Field\u2019s average attendance (tickets sold) was 32,351. The Rockies drew less than 20,000 fans just once during that span.<\/p>\n

Now, examine the same data set for the current Rockies.<\/p>\n

Their average attendance at Coors Field over the first 18 games in series against the Athletics, Brewers, Nationals, Reds, Braves and Tigers this season was 24,558 \u2014 a drop of nearly 8,000 compared to three years ago. The Rockies have so far drawn less than 20,000 fans six different times.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Catcher Hunter Goodman is a feel-good story for historically bad Rockies<\/a><\/p>\n

Shannon Hurd is a lifelong Rockies fan with family season tickets since Coors Field opened in 1995.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year and last year, at the beginning of both seasons, you could feel a noticeable shift,\u201d Hurd told The Denver Gazette. \u201cIt is really difficult if I can\u2019t make a game to find somebody who wants to go quite frankly, much less sell it. … It does feel different and not in a good way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n Your daily report on everything sports in Colorado – covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and columns from Woody Paige and Paul Klee.\n <\/p>\n

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Unpredictable spring weather, opposing team interest, economic conditions, and other factors contribute to attendance fluctuations. But a third consecutive 100-loss Rockies campaign now appears likely. Coors Field rarely passes the eye test for an intimidating environment. There is often a road-team advantage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is disheartening, when as the home-team fan, you feel outnumbered,\u201d Hurd said.<\/p>\n

Like on Tuesday night, in an extra-innings home loss to Detroit, in the top of the seventh with the game tied at 6-6. A quiet chant in between five claps grew louder from the stands and became audible from the open-air press box at Coors Field: Let\u2019s go Tigers! The hometown fans did not chant back \u2014 Let\u2019s go Rockies! \u2014 in response.<\/p>\n

Colorado failed to pull ahead late.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying in front of big crowds is a lot of fun, especially when the crowd is cheering for you and your boys,\u201d catcher Hunter Goodman told The Denver Gazette last week. \u201cThere are nights when there are small crowds, and you\u2019ve still got to go out there and do your thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bill Collins is a Rockies fan in Fort Collins who purchased a mini plan of 20 games each season for nearly a decade. Not anymore. Collins found himself attending fewer games in recent years with his seat no longer worth the cost.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not down on the Rockies. I still enjoy watching them and I still catch them on the radio,\u201d Collins said. \u201cIf they\u2019re not playing well, you don\u2019t want to pay the extra money to watch the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rockies open homestand with extra-innings loss to Tigers<\/a><\/p>\n

A glass-half-full perspective? It could be worse.<\/p>\n

The Rockies entered MLB games played Saturday ranked No. 19 in home attendance, according to ESPN. The home crowds in Baltimore, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City and other markets are smaller on average despite the Rockies\u2019 league-worst record.<\/p>\n

Of course, the allure of Coors Field extends beyond just baseball. Hurd maintains family bonds from her seat and friendships with ballpark employees. She\u2019s discouraged by the team\u2019s seeming lack of identity and some fans \u201cturning on each other\u201d instead of supporting one another.<\/p>\n

She is hopeful that another lost season prompts \u201cmajor change\u201d to avoid total organizational complacency. The Rockies have not finished with a winning record since 2018. Hurd is getting impatient for success reminiscent of \u201cRocktober\u201d with every seat filled in Coors Field for the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t affect my attendance. But I have noticed it affecting my passion, that\u2019s the truth,\u201d Hurd said. \u201cWhen I go, I\u2019m going to force myself to stay until the last pitch because that\u2019s my thing. I\u2019m not giving up on my team. But it would be a lie to say that when we\u2019re down by double-digit runs multiple games in a row, that your mind doesn\u2019t start to wander. … I don\u2019t like that change. I\u2019m fighting it honestly. I will continue to show up.\u201d<\/p>\n