FanPost

The Phillies Have the Best Minor League System in the League

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When it comes to spinning those turnstiles.

The attendance juggernaut that is the Phillies minor league affiliates turned in their 7th straight season of topping the competition, a run dating back to the surrender of the Ottawa Lynx in 2007. Ever since the former-Phillie-first-round-bust-John-Russell-managed Lynx went belly up, the rise of the Ironpig has safely secured their ticketing superiority.

The Ironpigs themselves have had a strong showing among the International League, but the AAA team was only the icing on the cake. Lakewood, Clearwater, and Reading have always been the class of their respective leagues in bringing in the fans. For reference, here are the 2014 numbers:

Affiliate Total Attendance
PHI 1,584,982
CHW 1,544,349
CIN 1,509,709
SDP 1,482,320
BOS 1,442,061

Team Average Lg Rank
Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9,042 3
Reading Fightin Phils 5,801 2
Lakewood BlueClaws 5,597 1
Clearwater Threshers 2,787 1

Last season was actually one of the weaker seasons since 2008. In 2011 and 2012, each of the 4 teams ranked first in their leagues. In fact, the Lakewood BlueClaws became a Phillies affiliate in 2001 and have had the highest South Atlantic League attendance in each and every year since. Combining attendance by affiliate from season 2008-2014, each of the 4 teams also rank first individually.

Affiliate Avg Att/Gm 2008-14
PHI 6,036
BOS 5,441
CIN 5,402
TEX 5,094
CHC 4,956

Having three of the four sites relatively local is a big influence, and placing the 4th at their spring training facility is an advantage as well. However between all of the varying populations of host cities, new park construction, the swapping of affiliates from year to year, the ranging popularity of specific leagues, and the constant infusion of new players on each team - its extremely hard to discount the Phillies presence atop the attendance marks. Without dissecting each and every teams own farm system dynamics, its likely that the Phillies fanbase is a driving factor.

It will be interesting to watch the attendance in the next few seasons, whether the interest will sway from the MLB product and influx even more into the minors or if the disinterest and diminishing attendance at the MLB product will cause a leak down to their affiliates also. Until then... We're #1! We're #1...