Fan loyalty is not easily earned, and the Marlins certainly have a lot of work to do in the trust-building department as the franchise heads into what seems like another retooling of its roster and philosophy under new team president Peter Bendix.
The disconnect between the team and its would-be devotees is on full display in a recent study conducted by the sports website HelloRookie, which puts Major League Baseball fans' dedication under the microscope. The study ranked the Marlins' fanbase 28th out of 30 teams in terms of loyalty — a result that may come as no surprise to those who have followed the Marlins saga since their expansion team days.
Blame fans. We dare you.
Major League Disloyalty
To determine that Marlins fans are about as loyal to their favorite baseball team as Tiger Woods was in marriage, the HelloRookie study considered various factors, including game attendance, team revenue, and fan sentiment. The study examined operating income to gauge economic health and popularity, analyzed attendance records to measure engagement, considered stadium fill rates to understand the extent of fan support, and conducted surveys to capture fan sentiment.
Marlins fans, the third least loyal in the league, have a modest attendance of 14,355 on average and a low 38.3 percent stadium fill rate, according to the data. Their near break-even operating loss of $500,000 and a 38 percent positive sentiment indicate a fanbase that is seriously jaded but has growth potential.
The study claims that the team with the least loyal fanbase is another Florida outfit, the Tampa Bay Rays. On the other end of the list, fans of the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals are the most loyal, in that order.
The Marlins' ability to fill their stands is the second worst in the league, falling behind only the Oakland Athletics' abysmal 18 percent stadium fill rate, according to the study. Though the Marlins showed promise in a 2023 playoff run that showcased big-time talent, the team remains a tough sell, having made it to the postseason only twice in the past twenty years.
The TL;DR? The computation spit out of the loyalty computer said Marlins fans trust the team about as far as a pitcher can throw a ball the day after Tommy John's surgery.
Can You Blame Them?
Miami Marlins fans have endured their fair share of trials, from management's dismantling of World Series-winning teams in 1997 and 2003 to a pattern of trading homegrown talents for prospects that fail to meet expectations. Fool me once, shame on me, fool me seventeen times — well, wake us up when the team fields a World Series-caliber roster.Fans even stuck around after being bamboozled by the franchise to the tune of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to build a stadium under the guise of a promise that it would lead to the team spending more on its roster, something that never quite materialized.
Never mind what former team president David Samson did during his tenure to ensure anyone and everyone who grew up loving the team as a child went into adulthood trying to forget baseball exists.
They say the best championship dynasties are built, not bought. Marlins fans would accept either route and reciprocate with a promise to be a little more loyal.
