Ratings Up 29% For First-Place Twins; Single-Game Ticket Sales Gradually Improving

The Twins' "unexpected surge to the top" of the AL Central standings has "rekindled baseball interest in the Twin Cities," according to Mike Kaszuba of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. FS North reported that viewership "was up" 29% from April to May. After four consecutive 90-plus loss seasons, season-ticket holders had "dropped from 17,500 last year to just 13,500 this year." Twins Senior Dir of Corporate Communications & Broadcasting Kevin Smith said that after 26 home games the team is "running about 2,000 fans below last year’s average game attendance but has been quickly closing the gap with single-game ticket sales." The Twins so far are "averaging 23,935 fans this year, a decided dip from the 39,798 fans the team averaged during Target Field’s inaugural year" in '10. This year’s average attendance "is 10th" in the AL ( Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/5 ).