by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Once again the Jacksonville Suns have surpassed the 300,000 mark in attendance and are looking ahead to next season when the 2 millionth fan passes through the turnstiles.
This is the 5th consecutive year the Suns have surpassed that mark and they still have 15 home games left this season. But Kirk Goodman, general manager of the Jacksonville Suns, said the team won’t draw its 2 millionth fan this year. Goodman added that 127,802 more fans have to attend games before they reach 2 million.
“We won’t reach it this season, but we will early next season,” he said. “We have some time yet to figure out what we will do for the 2 millionth fan.”
When the Suns reached the 1 million mark, a young boy had the 1 millionth ticket and was brought down to the field and given Suns gear.
Currently, the Suns have welcomed 311,079 fans into the Baseball Grounds, which is an average of 5,761 per game. This also put the Suns at the top of the Southern League in attendance and sixth in all of Double-A Baseball. The number one team is the Frisco RoughRiders in Dallas with 435,231 fans attending games this season.
Goodman said the Suns’ attendance numbers have been the best in the Southern League since the ballpark opened in 2003. The team behind them in attendance in the Southern League is about 1,000 people per game behind the Suns, he said.
“It was always a possibility,” Goodman said about how the team thought attendance would go these past five years. “But it far surpassed anything we had dreamed of and it has been a pleasant surprise.
“We hope to prolong our success.”
Goodman credits the Suns’ fans and their support of the team to help set attendance records.
“It all goes to the fans,” he said. “If there were only a couple hundred people in the stadium, the energy level is not there.
“Having seats filled, it makes you want to come back. The more people, the more energy.”
The Suns’ plan is to continue the promotions and events that fans have responded well to, as well as try and integrate some new promotions.
“We enjoy giving our fans an affordable, fun and safe place to come,” said Goodman.
In fact, the Suns have yet to raise the price of its cheapest ticket, which is still $5.50. Last year, $1 was added to reserved, box and dugout seats. The cheapest of those is $8.50 for a reserved seat.
“We are right in line with other teams,” said Goodman.
He added that the Suns are already looking at some new promotions to integrate into the home games for the 2008 season, but their most popular promotions will be coming back.
“Our fireworks on Fridays is our biggest night,” said Goodman.
Two other promotions, Thursday Night Throwdowns — when Budwesiers are $1 — and Jimmy Buffett nights are also very popular.
“We have a good mixture of events,” he said. “We are willing to try new things, but the things that have worked we are not going to change.
“That’s what the fans want and we are here to serve them.”