Is the Honeymoon over in Granville?

This article was originally published at Black Bears Tracker on April 30, 2018.

Monongalia County Ballpark

Is the honeymoon over in Granville? I hope not. The West Virginia Black Bears are arguably the best entertainment value in the Morgantown area. But attendance has declined at Monongalia County Ballpark each year since the Black Bears relocated from Jamestown, New York in 2015.

Attendance at New York-Penn League (NYPL) games has been declining for the past several years, so what's happening in Granville is not a surprise. The numbers tell the story. Total attendance at New York-Penn League games have declined from 1,890,053 in 2002 to 1,403,575 in 2017 (source: numbertamer.com). Here's what has happened in Granville since the Black Bears arrived:

Year      Total Attendance     Number of home games     Average per game
2015           83,796                               37                               2,265
2016           78,774                               36                               2,188
2017           75,064                               37                               2,029
(Source: NYPL website)

Hopefully, attendance improves during the 2018 season. The Black Bears home opener is set for June 21 at Monongalia County Ballpark. Get ticket information at this link. 

On March 23, the Black Bears announced their 2018 promotion schedule. Not much new from previous seasons, but I recommend you mark your calendars for the West Virginia Moonshiners series on July 17,18 & 19, and the Kevin Newman Bobblehead Night on July 26.

See you at the ballpark.

Photo Credits: NY-Penn League News

NY-Penn League News is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League, or the West Virginia Black Bears