With Ichiro Suzuki collecting the game-winning hit for Japan with his two-RBI double in the top of the 10th inning, Japan won their second consecutive World Baseball Classic in stunning fashion, 5-3. The thrilling game ended the event that is currently occurring every 3-years, but also highlights the WBC's increased popularity.

Tonight’s attendance of 54,846 at Dodger Stadium was the largest crowd in World Baseball Classic history, eclipsing the 45,640 fans that attended the game between Japan and Korea on March 7, 2009 at the Tokyo Dome. The 2009 World Baseball Classic drew a grand total of 801,408 with an average of 20,549 per game (39 games). The 2009 total surpasses the 2006 total attendance of 737,112 and per game average of 18,900 (39 games) by more than 8.5 percent.

Source: World Baseball Classic, Inc.

Business of Sports Network Feature Articles (early morning edition):

• ESPN Expands Coverage of the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four - The Biz of Hockey
• Cartoon Network Partners with the NBA - The Biz of Basketball
• DirecTV Deal For Sunday Ticket Extended to 2014. Worth $4 Billion - The Biz of Football

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Don't forget to register and log in on The Biz of Baseball site to get updates via your in-box, and see information only logged in members can see.

Subscribe to The Biz of Baseball

Comments (1)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Attendance increase is no surprise...
written by mmmm.... Pabst., March 24, 2009

I went to a 2006 game in Scottsdale and the stands were overflowing. They could have easily sold twice as many tickets. To me the attendance increase is more of a case of "rightsizing" the facilities as opposed to an actual increase in interest in the event itself, but of course the MLB spin machine won't point that out. I think they moved the dates around as well which probably helped TV ratings (no competition w/March Madness).

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment