More people at game than tickets sold

[TOBTTReds]

If you were at the game tonight, you might have thought to your self:

"Man, there are a lot of people here for this Monday night game vs. the Brewers."

Then they announced the attendance of 16,000. I'm sorry, but there were many more than 16k there tonight.....unless:

In the past there used to be a lot of season ticket holders that were always counted as "attendance" even if they weren't there. So 16,000 last year the place looked EMPTY. Tonight, I thought the attendance was going to be announced between 25-29k. Tonight was a kid glove night I believe, as is tomorrow. Do they not sell those tickets, or do they not count them? I would say the upper deck was about 1/3 to 1/2 full and the lower deck was about half full, and I figure there were some people not there that had bought tickets.

What are your guys thoughts?? I was shocked when I saw that number, as I was the last time we had a kid glove game the place looked atleast half full and attendance was 14,000.

[Cyclone792]

I'm pretty sure it was a Kid Glove night, IIRC.

[TOBTTReds]

Tonight was a kid glove night I believe, as is tomorrow. Do they not sell those tickets, or do they not count them?

Do you know what happens with these tickets? Do they not count towards attendance?

[KronoRed]

I'm pretty sure it was a Kid Glove night, IIRC.

It was mentioned a few times in the game thread that it was.

[TOBTTReds]

That's not the question at hand...do the people or teams that attend as a part of that count as part of the attendance? If not, why?

[westofyou]

That's not the question at hand...do the people or teams that attend as a part of that count as part of the attendance? If not, why?

Because the team provide the tickets and tickets "sold" are the way the league records the tally.

[TOBTTReds]

Because the team provide the tickets and tickets "sold" are the way the league records the tally.

Thank you, that answers my question.

[MattyHo4Life]

Ok...I'm lost...why would it being a kid glove day have anything to do with the attendance? Kid glove day is where they give gloves out to the first so many kids in attendance....right?

[Ltlabner]

MAttMo4Life, I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure KidGlove Night is when the team gives away tickets to local youth baseball players on knothole, youth leages, Babe Ruth (Do they still have that?) leagues. They may have to "earn" the tickets by having ABC batting average or some other measurment, I don't know.

Because the tickets are given away, they aren't counted as part of the paid attendence. The attendence anounced is always the paid attendence so it often doesn't reflect the actual attendence. Season ticket holders may not show up, there may be a lot of people there on promotional tickets, etc etc.

[Heath]

MAttMo4Life, I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty sure KidGlove Night is when the team gives away tickets to local youth baseball players on knothole, youth leages, Babe Ruth (Do they still have that?) leagues. They may have to "earn" the tickets by having ABC batting average or some other measurment, I don't know.

Because the tickets are given away, they aren't counted as part of the paid attendence. The attendence anounced is always the paid attendence so it often doesn't reflect the actual attendence. Season ticket holders may not show up, there may be a lot of people there on promotional tickets, etc etc.

On top of that the teams also sells "vouchers" that can be redeemed on game day at the ticket window. The upper levels were probably full. Knothole collects all the cash from the vouchers and keeps it as a fund raiser. I don't think there are performance levels you attain to get tickets, its just a time where a team can go watch a game with their team and their families.

Back in the day, the Knothole game used to be one game, and IIRC, it was an exhibition against Detroit.

[redsfan30]

I agree, I was shocked at the low attendance figure. It looked like somewhere in the area of 30,000.

[KittyDuran]

Ok...I'm lost...why would it being a kid glove day have anything to do with the attendance? Kid glove day is where they give gloves out to the first so many kids in attendance....right?

Matty - this is from the Reds website and might explain the Kid Glove games a little better:

The Cincinnati Reds have partnered with the Powel Crosley Jr. Amateur Baseball Fund/The Kid Glove Game program since 1949. It is a story filled with a rich history of community support. To help Kid Glove pay for uniforms, balls, bats and all the equipment it takes to play baseball - as well as to help fund special programs such as Adapted Baseball and inner-city baseball programs - the Reds provide ticket vouchers for four Reds games in which Kid Glove participants receive 100 percent of the resale value. Each voucher is worth one View Level ticket for the date specified with all proceeds going back to Kid Glove. Since 1949, the Reds have helped raise more than $6.6 million through the program.

[westofyou]

Since 1949, the Reds have helped raise more than $6.6 million through the program.

It's an offshoot of the Knothole program started in the 30's, which was a lot like the straight A program.
Giles kicked off the Kid Glove Games McPhail the Knothole Program, and Howsam the Straight A program. DeWitt donated a lot of money to youth baseball on the down low when he was GM, for parks, fields and equipment.

All of them learned it from the Cardinals and Branch Rickey.

[Az Red]

TICKET OFFER: The Reds will provide complimentary View Level tickets to active military personnel with proper identification for Monday through Thursday games.

Tickets are subject to availability and acquisitions must be made on the day of the game at the advance ticket windows at Great American.