A star-studded Dodgers lineup and strong support from Cubs fans helped Cactus League attendance rise for the fourth straight season.

Just under 1.7 million fans visited 224 games, 65,000 more than in 2024, the league announced Wednesday. From Surprise to Mesa, the 15 MLB teams that share 10 ballparks spread across the metropolis averaged 7,569 fans per game.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing to get here, though — weather issues and two top teams leaving the Valley early cut into potential attendance numbers. Six games were rained out, which are not made up in spring training.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, two of the highest-attended teams, departed in mid-March for a series in Tokyo to kick off the 2025 MLB season. Though the Cubs returned to Arizona for five games, the Dodgers did not, playing their last spring training game on March 11.

The Dodgers attracted new fans to the Valley with the team’s emphasis on dynamic international players featured on their star-studded roster, especially recent signees Roki Sasaki and Hyeseong Kim to pair with three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani.

The Cubs still led the league in attendance for the 12th straight season, with nearly 13,000 fans per game at Sloan Park in Mesa. The Arizona Diamondbacks were the second-most attended with nearly 11,500 fans per game, and the Dodgers followed at a close third with just over 11,000.

“Cactus League attendance continued its steady climb despite challenges beyond our control,” Cactus League Executive Director Bridget Binsbacher said during a press conference in Peoria. “Baseball fans turned out in big numbers to bask in the Arizona sunshine and experience baseball in our intimate, beautiful ballparks.”

Other attendance highlights include the San Diego Padres, who grew their attendance by 14.4% — 835 more fans per game — at Peoria Sports Complex.

Despite the organization’s current uncertainty, the Athletics’ attendance grew 10.8% from last year (579 more fans per game), which was the second-highest behind the Padres. After 57 seasons in the Bay Area, the A’s have left Oakland and will play regular season games in Sacremento’s Triple-A ballpark for a few years before relocating to Las Vegas.

Over 80,000 fans attended games on Saturday, March 8, the highest-attended day of the season. At Sloan Park, 16,161 fans turned out to watch the Cubs beat the Seattle Mariners 9-8, a Cactus League record for fans at a single game.

Though attendance is still slightly below pre-COVID numbers, with 2020 totaling at 1.74 million, the last four years are a positive trend for the Cactus League as fans appear to be flocking back to the Valley.

Whether it’s the beautiful Arizona spring weather or the sport’s continued uptake in international audiences with the likes of Ohtani and more, attendees are showing up at record rates — a key part of the greater Phoenix area’s tourism and culture.

Binsbacher said the Cactus League brought over $710 million in total economic impact to the Valley, according to the last ASU-partnered economic impact study.

“We are grateful to the visitors and residents who support their teams, and to the eight municipalities and the tribal community who annually host spring training for 15 Major League Baseball clubs,” Binsbacher said. “With six out of 10 fans coming from out of state, attendance is a reliable barometer of spring training’s enduring power as a tourism driver.”  – more at azbigmedia.com