17 August 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita’s Minor League Baseball team is “surging” in attendance.
According to “Baseball America,” the Wind Surge, the Minnesota Twins Double-A affiliate, has seen an increase of 1,600 fans per game compared to this time a year ago. That’s the biggest increase in minor-league baseball.
When Jay Miller returned as President of the Wind Surge before the start of the 2023 season, he promised to slash ticket and concession prices and to bring more events to Riverfront Stadium.
His moves have worked.
“A lot of it I attribute to the special events we’ve done. The high school football and baseball games. The college games. The Asian Festival,” said Miller. “You know, just all the different things we’ve done. The flea markets. Because what’s happened is people are getting exposed to the ballpark that hadn’t seen it before, and if we get them in here, I feel like they’re coming back.”
Miller’s interaction with fans only reinforces his beliefs.
“The other night, we had 800 people here from RiverFest who were volunteers, and to the person, probably half I talked to had never been here before. And then I saw them again the next night. A lot of them. And that’s what it’s all about,” said Miller.
Through 53 home games, over half a million fans have attended Wind Surge games at Riverfront Stadium. That breaks down to an average of 4,675 per game. That number ranks in the top ten of all 30 Double-A clubs. Then there’s the increase of 1,600 fans per game compared to last season.
“Well, that’s good. Especially if you consider their record, they’ve had this year. We’re used to them winning the division every year, and that’s not the case this year. So, I’d say whatever they’ve done with pricing has made the difference,” said partial season ticket holder Howard Hackney from Haysville.
“Last night was one of our smallest crowds of the year. It was a little over 2,000, and it doesn’t have that feel that it does when there’s 6,000 or 7,000. Like Friday nights when we get 6,000 or 7,000, and the players feel it. We feel it. Everybody feels it. But this area … Wichita, is everything. I thought it was going to be and then some. I feel so blessed to be able to come back and finish what Lou and I started,” said Miller.
The Wind Surge set a new single-game attendance record back in April on Opening Night with an announced crowd of 8,506. They’re hoping to shatter that mark on Saturday, Sept. 16. That’s the second-to-last game of the season.
“We’re going to do something on 9/16 to fill the place and get 10,000 people here. And we could be fighting for the second-half championship at that point,” said Miller.
Only one Double-A team has had a crowd of over 10,000 this season. The Frisco Roughriders hosted over 12,000 fans on the Fourth of July.
The Wind Surge had a lousy first half of the season, finishing last in their division. But in minor league ball, records are reset to 0-0 to begin the second half, and Wichita is currently 21-20. That’s good for second in their division, only a half-game behind Northwest Arkansas.