Salt Lake City Leads League to 18% Attendance Increase

Attendance at Pioneer League games was up 18% this summer from 1986, Ralph Nelles, the president of the rookie professional baseball league, said.

He said total 1987 attendance was 482,683, compared with 375,927 in 1986.

Leading the way was league champion Salt Lake City, with a total attendance of 170,134 at 34 home games, an increase of 61,413 from last year.

Billings drew 104,732 for 33 games, up 9,498.

Also showing gains were Idaho Falls, with 52,164 for 33 games, an increase of 8,657, and Helena with 27,020 for 33 games, up 4,454.

Great Falls drew 64,226 for 30 home games, a decrease of 11,002 from 1986, and Medicine Hat’s attendance for 32 home games was 25,948, a drop of 4,723.

The two new teams in the league this summer were Butte, which drew 19,669 for 33 games, and Pocatello, which drew 18,790 for 33 home dates.