Mesa's got fans—lots of 'em. Topping the charts in Spring Training enthusiasm, more than 300,000 baseball lovers flooded the stands in Mesa, Arizona, to get a glimpse of their favorite sluggers. At Sloan Park, home turf for the Chicago Cubs, and at Hohokam Stadium, where the Oakland A's bat it out, the crowds didn't let a little rain put a damper on their spirit.
According to the City of Mesa's official website, the Cubs scored a home run with attendance numbers, as Sloan Park welcomed 241,215 fans from February 23 to March 26, rounding off to an impressive average of 13,401 fans per game across the 18 games played there. Not to be outdone, despite the rainy days in March which resulted in two missed games, the A’s drew in 63,893 fans at Hohokam Stadium over 12 games.
Mesa Mayor, John Giles didn't hide his excitement as he told Mesa, “Spring training is like a second Christmas to Mesa with the fans who support the teams and enjoy our hotels, restaurants, bars and stores.” He continued, touting that nearly 20% of all Cactus League attendees came to watch the 30 games hosted by the city's teams, the Cubs and A's.
Mesa's Deputy City Manager Marc Heirshberg expressed pride in the city's partnership with the two big league teams, emphasizing how the year-round collaboration has reaped benefits for all parties involved. Heirshberg claimed during an interview with Mesa, “The City works closely with the Cubs and A’s not just during spring training but throughout the year, and they continue to appreciate the partnership with Mesa.” Both the Cubs and the A's hit their 10th season at their respective Mesa facilities this year, knocking celebrations out of the park.
All in all, the Cactus League saw more than 1.6 million attendees cheering at 216 games, according to Mesa figures. As the dust settles on the diamonds, one thing is clear: baseball is more than just a game in Mesa—it's a boon for the local economy and a home run for community spirit.
