Pioneer Baseball League sets single-season attendance mark

The Pioneer Baseball League, an MLB Partner League now in its 85th season, has passed the one million mark in attendance for the first time, setting a new single-season league record.

The number of fans who have attended games in 2024 easily bested the old record of 986,734 set last season. The increase is attributed to several factors, including exciting playoff races, family-friendly environments, innovative rules and the addition of two new teams, the Oakland Ballers and the Yolo High Wheelers.

"Breaking our all-time attendance record and attracting over one million fans is a testament to the quality of our fan experience, our charming ballparks and our very talented ballplayers," said league president Mike Shapiro. "This speaks well for the future of the PBL."

The Pioneer League was founded in 1939 and has long been a part of life for communities in parts of Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah and California.

Since 2021, the 12-team league has been a Partner League of MLB, providing players with fewer than three years of professional experience the chance to be scouted by MLB clubs and allowing MLB to experiment with new rules on the field.

For example, the PBL has experimented in recent years with a shootout-style "Knockout Round" to replace extra innings and used designated pinch-hitters and pinch-runners. For the 2024 season, the PBL has used the Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) system to further test the technology and gather data in game situations.

For more information on the league, go to www.pioneerleague.com.