Fort Wayne Ranked No. 2 Minor League Sports Market
September 20, 2022 – Midwest League (MWL) – Fort Wayne TinCaps News Release
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Sports Business Journal has ranked Fort Wayne as the No. 2 minor league sports market in the country. Out of 195 markets in consideration, Fort Wayne finished behind only Charleston, S.C.
Since 2005, SBJ has ranked minor league markets nine times, on an every-other-year basis. Fort Wayne is the only city to make SBJ’s top 10 eight times, including in 2007, when the Summit City ranked No. 1. Fort Wayne was sixth in the last edition.
“We’re honored to see the TinCaps and Parkview Field featured in this ranking again,” said TinCaps President Mike Nutter. “Thanks to Sports Business Journal for their diligence in putting this list together and for their overall coverage of the industry. Most of all, thanks to everyone in our community for their continued support that makes this recognition possible.”
SBJ’s methodology for the ranking considered 320 professional teams across 34 leagues. The majority of each market’s score came from its ability to retain its franchises, maintain venues, and attract spectators to games. Fort Wayne scored a 99.71, while Charleston earned a mark of 100. Tulsa (Okla.), Toledo (Ohio), and Des Moines (Iowa) rounded out the top five.
The study noted how the TinCaps saw an increase in sponsorships and corporate sales for 11 consecutive years from Parkview Field’s opening in 2009 through 2019. After the pandemic’s disruption in 2020 and ’21, those numbers reached record highs again this year.
In addition to the TinCaps, the Komets (ECHL) and Mad Ants (NBA G League) also factored into Fort Wayne’s ranking.
Fort Wayne was also recently featured in Livability.com’s “5 Best Minor League Sports Cities in the Country.”
The 2022 season marked Parkview Field’s return to full capacity for the first time in three years. The TinCaps averaged more than 5,000 fans per game. Out of 60 Single-A and High-A clubs, Fort Wayne ranked fourth in attendance, behind only bigger markets in Vancouver (Canada), West Michigan, and Dayton. The TinCaps also out-drew 23 of 30 Double-A clubs and more than a third of the 30 Triple-A teams. Parkivew Field’s attendance especially soared at the end of the season, finishing with three consecutive sellout crowds.
The team’s 2023 schedule will be released soon. To secure priority access to tickets for next season, fans can call 260-482-6400 or visit TinCapsTickets.com to learn more.
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