Analyzing the relationship between stadium location and attendance: A location modeling of Major League Baseball (MLB)

Abstract

The location of a sports facility is one of the significant factors in economically operating and maintaining the facility. The present study used a location theory model to examine the influence of the Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium location on attendance (N=348) for the 2006-2017 MLB regular seasons, taking into consideration the population, median income, and distance between the stadium and the population center of counties nearby the stadium. The optimal location model was determined as the inverse proportion of the squared distance of the first nearest county, and location significantly influenced the attendance (p<.05). Then, based on the results of the location model, the current study analyzed the relationship between the MLB attendance and other attendance determinants by using hierarchical linear modeling. Among 14 different determinants, six variables (i.e., stadium capacity, ticket price, season, as well as the home team’s quality, payroll, and star players) were revealed in the findings to have a significant influence on the MLB attendance (p<.05).