Several years back, Tucsonans lost the Triple-A Sidewinders to the lovely city of Reno, Nev.
However, due to several stadium kerfuffles in Portland, Ore., and Escondido, Calif., baseball-loving Tucsonans got a reprieve, in the form of the Triple-A Tucson Padres, who opened up shop last year at Kino Stadium.
And how did Tucson and the Padres do, attendance-wise? Terribly: Last year, the Padres were dead-last in Pacific Coast League attendance, averaging only 3,410 fans per game. The second-worst team in the 16-team PCL, attendance-wise—the Las Vegas 51s—averaged a thousand fans more per game than the Padres.
But that was year one, and the Padres were a last-minute thing, etc. So this year, attendance should be better. Right?
As of now, the Padres are averaging a horrendous 2,691 fans per game, again dead-last in the PCL by a huge margin.
Folks: If you give a rats’ patootie about baseball in this town, make a point to go to at least one game on the Padres’ next homestand. Mark your calendars: The Padres will be in town for a four-game series against the aforementioned 51s next Tuesday, May 29, through Friday, June 1.
Go. Support the Padres!
This article appears in May 24-30, 2012.
Sorry… just can’t get excited about the Padres. I’m still missing the Tucson Toros. However, the Arizona Wildcats have been great to watch over at Hi Corbett! Besides, the Cats have been Tucson’s greatest baseball interest since the inception of our great university.
Misting or a dome might maybe help the Old Pueblo get through this non-winterball game, Jimmy Boegle…
I was having a good time regularly watching the Toros in my favorite ballpark until these clowns knocked them out of the box. I don’t forget who my friends are.
Keep meaning to go watch a game, just been lazy and forgetful. Thanks for the reminder!
why would I….california is boycotting anything AZ, so it doesnt surprise me that AZ has not forgotten the shitty way we were treated by california….LONG LIVE THE TOROS
Regarding a dome or misting–the upcoming games are at 7pm, yes? Sunset is just a few minutes after.
At the price of tickets, you are nuts.
Yes. Agree, Lunazen111.
Really people, you’re ragging on the Padres for the Toros being shuffled out? That’s absurd.
The Sidewinders and the most recent incarnation of the Toros and now the Padres wouldn’t have these issues if people had simply gone to the games.
Tucson, as much as it pains me to say it, is an embarrassingly awful sports town…unless the ‘Cats are doing well, of course.
OldDog, I’m not sure of your financial situation. But I will say that, as a broke student, a $7 ticket isn’t going to put me out and keep me from eating for a week.
Hmmm…….do you suppose it could have something to do with the fact that they are still trying to make that nasty ballpark jammed in between the county mental hospital and juvenile hall on the icky side of Tucson work? My bet is that the Arizona team playing at Hi Corbett this year have less complaints.
The team name is stupid. It is a California name. The name should be unique for Tucson. Bad marketing! Plus the team stinks. It is a last place team that does not win often The parent Padres are also a last place team. Same owner for both teams. The whole organization is bad. Give us a winning team that is a Tucson team and people will come out.
Have to agree with Raliff. California brings nothing but boycott and anti-Arizona memories, bad names, bad marketing, and in this case – a bad team! C’mon, the “Padres”? Arizona deserves better. Why not the Gunslingers? Or the Ramrods? Anything unique to the Arizona experience would’ve been helpful. The “Padres” aren’t going to get much sympathy from solid Tucsonans.
Isn’t the UofA Baseball team having record attendance numbers at High Corbett? For me it’s all about location. I watched the golden league Toros there all the time and I don’t even like baseball.
Here’s an idea. Have a “Get In Free” Night. Let’s see if that helps. Make a few bucks on beer and hotdogs, and see how many turn out.
Why bother watching snore-ball when I can watch F.C. Tucson win in their Pacific League with the rest of my fellow Cactus Pricks!
Kino is not an IBS friendly ball park… Im out!
Hard to get excited about the Tucson Padres when I hate the San Diego Padres.
JD the TUCSON toros were put on hiatus once the (temporary) padres were brought in because this town cannot support 2 post collegiate baseball teams. If they never brought in the padres the toros would still be playing at hi-corbett.
I miss the toros at hi-corbett and their mature baseball loving fans. All the drunken college kids going back and forth between sushi garden and hi corbett are driving all the good neighbors away.
UA may have won in this deal, parks dept too, but not the surrounding neighborhoods.