Worcester Ranked Among Worst Cities in U.S. for Baseball

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

GoLocalWorcester Sports Team

Worcester has been ranked 329th in the U.S. for baseball, according to a recent study done by WalletHub.

“Baseball is a sport that requires a lot of patience. In this slow-paced ballgame, hits and home runs are less frequent than strikes and misses. You’d think few Americans would call themselves true baseball fans, but you’d be wrong. Baseball is the second most followed sport in the U.S., with more than 52 million adults tuning in,” said WalletHub.

The rankings look at Major League, Minor League and College Baseball teams in the area. They are based on such factors as performance, ticket price, franchise value, attendance and more.

Worcester ranks 27th in MLB, 158th in MiLB and 212 in NCAA baseball.

The Rankings

Worcester is ranked 329th behind Emmitsburg, Maryland and Fairfax, Virginia at 327 and 328, while ranking ahead of Waco, Texas and Fayette, Mississippi at 330 and 331 respectively.

New York, New York is ranked as the best city for baseball.

For the full rankings, see the see the map below.

Source: WalletHub

The Method

WalletHub’s analysts compared 361 of the most populated U.S. cities based on 25 key metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for baseball fans. WalletHub chose cities with at least one college baseball, Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball team.

They then grouped the cities by division and assigned weights to each divisional category according to its popularity.

WalletHub then calculated overall scores for each city based on the weighted average across all metrics and used the results to construct our ranking.

MLB – Total Points = 70

Number of Teams: Full Weight (~9.33 Points)
Performance Level of Team(s): Full Weight (~9.33 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total number of games played.

Number of Championships Wins: Full Weight (~9.33 Points)
Number of Division Championship Wins: Half Weight (~4.67 Points)
Franchise Value: Half Weight (~4.67 Points)

Note: This metric measures the team(s) estimated value in millions of dollars.

Average Season Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~9.33 Points)
Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~9.33 Points)

Note: This metric measures the number of Twitter followers and Facebook “Likes” per capita.

Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~4.67 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by the city population.

Attendance: Half Weight (~4.67 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing average home-fan attendance by arena capacity.

Popularity Index: Half Weight (~4.67 Points)

MiLB – Total Points = 10

Number of Teams: Full Weight (~1.54 Points)
Performance Level of Team(s): Full Weight (~1.54 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total number of games played.

Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~1.54 Points)
Number of Regular Season Championship Wins: Half Weight (~0.77 Points)
Minimum Season Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~1.54 Points)
Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~1.54 Points)

Note: This metric measures the number of Twitter followers and Facebook “Likes” per capita.

Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~0.77 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by the city population.

Attendance: Half Weight (~0.77 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing average home-fan attendance by arena capacity.

NCAA Baseball – Total Points = 20

Number of Teams: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Performance Level of Team(s): Full Weight (~3.33 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total number of games played.

Number of Championship Wins: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Number of Regular Season Championship Wins: Half Weight (~1.67 Points)
Minimum Season Ticket Price for a Game: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Fan Engagement: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)

Note: This metric measures the number of Twitter followers and Facebook “Likes” per capita.

Stadium Capacity: Half Weight (~0.77 Points)

Note: This metric was calculated by dividing stadium capacity by the city population.

Related Slideshow: The History of Baseball in Central Massachusetts

Baseball and Central Mass. go way back - to the 1860s. The local historical landmarks range from Mudville to Hotel Vernon to Fitton Field. A version of these highlights is posted on the site of the new, yet-to-be-formally-named Worcester Baseballteam of the three-year-old Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

Prev Next

Casey At The Bat

Casey at the Bat was written on August 14, 1863 on Chatham Street in Worcester by Ernest Thayer under the penname “Phineas.” The 150th anniversary of the poem is being celebrated in 2013.

Prev Next

First Perfect Game

The first perfect game in the history of Major League Baseball was pitched in Worcester, on June 12, 1880, by J. Lee Richmond for the Worcester Worcesters – also known at various times as the Brown Stockings and the Ruby Legs - versus the Cleveland Blues at the Worcester Driving Park Grounds, located in the Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds near Elm Park. Worcester joined the National League in 1880, replacing the failed Syracuse Stars.

Prev Next

Industrial League

In Greater Worcester, there was a deep history of participation in Industrial League Baseball. Locally, teams included Norton Co., Town Talk Baking Co. and Whitin Machine Works (shown here).

Prev Next

Honorary NL Membership

Worcester’s National League team was suspended in 1882 and replaced by the Philadelphia Quakers, who later became the Philadelphia Phillies. Worcester maintains an honorary lifetime NL membership.

Prev Next

NE Collegiate Baseball

A New England Collegiate Baseball League team played in Leominster from 1995 to 1999. Called the Central Mass. Collegians, they won the NECBL Championship in both 1995 and 1996, and During the 1995 season, they played a game against the Cuban National Youth Team in Worcester.

Prev Next

Worcester Tornadoes

The now-defunct Worcester Tornadoes of the Can-Am League played for eight seasons, from 2005 through 2012. Former Tornadoes emcee Dave Peterson is general manager of Worcester’s new team in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

Prev Next

Wachusett Dirt Dawgs

The Wachusett Dirt Dawgs, who play at historic, and newly renovated, Doyle Field in Leominster, are a 2012 expansion franchise in the now-three-year-old Futures Collegiate Baseball League.The Dirt Dawgs’ 2013 season swung into action on June 5 with big expectations, but ended on August 8 with those hopes being dashed. They finished in the basement, with a record of 20-31 - 14 games behind first-place the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks (38-18). The team is owned by prominent Leominster businessman John Morrison, who also founded, owns and operates Fosta-Tek Optics in Leominster.

Prev Next

Worcester Baseball

Last month, the Futures Collegiate Baseball League announced the formation of the Worcester Baseball franchise, which will play its first season next summer. The team is owned by the family that owns and operates Creedon and Co. The prominent Worcester catering service will be the food-and-beverage vendor at home games at Fitton Field, at the College of the Holy Cross. Through Octobert 25, Worcester Baseball is conducting a name-the-team competition.