This is a franchise record the Tribe won’t want to brag about.
The team set a low-water mark for September attendance at Progressive Field Monday night, Indians Senior Director of Communications Curtis Danburg said.
Just 9,794 fans were at the game as the Indians took on fellow American League wild card contender Kansas City. It was a promotional night, the team’s second “Puppypalooza,” where fans can bring their dogs to the game, of the season.
The Tribe, now sitting just 1 1/2 games out of the league's second wild card spot with 19 games to play, began its postseason ticketing process Friday.
Attendance issues are nothing new for the Indians, who have struggled to fill the ballpark on weeknights throughout the season.
Their game last Tuesday against the Orioles barely eclipsed Monday night’s crowd with 9,962 people in attendance. Only once in their last seven home games, Saturday night vs. the Mets, did the Tribe draw more than 20,000 fans to the park.
Still, Monday night's figure is not the lowest of the season. Only 9,143 watched a 7-2 Indians loss to the Red Sox on April 16.
Crowds have been bigger for weekend games, especially those with promotions such as dollar dogs or fireworks. After drawing 41,567 for their home opener, the Indians have gotten a crowd of 40,000 only once more in 2013, Friday, July 5 against division rival Detroit.
Cleveland is 27th in Major League Baseball attendance in 2013, averaging 19,632 fans per home game. Tampa Bay, also a playoff contender, comes in with a league worst 18,719.
Progressive Field opened as Jacobs Field in 1994.
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