CLUB SURPASSES 2 MILLION MARK IN ATTENDANCE

The Braves over the weekend became the second MLB team to surpass 2 million in home attendance this season and are on pace to reach 2.3 million.

With nine regular-season home games remaining, including a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies beginning tonight, the Braves have drawn 2,057,671 fans, an average of 28,981 per home date.

Among the 30 MLB teams, the Braves trail only the Los Angeles Dodgers in attendance. The Dodgers have drawn 2,375,963, an average of 32,999 per home date.

The Braves’ high ranking in attendance stems in part from reopening their stadium to full seating capacity earlier than all but one other team. Truist Park’s attendance was limited to 33% and then 50% of capacity in April because of the COVID-19 pandemic before returning to 100% starting with the first homestand in May. Only the Texas Rangers fully reopened their stadium sooner.

Largely because of the limited crowds in April, the Braves will finish this season with their lowest total attendance since moving into Truist Park in 2017, other than the shortened 2020 season that was played without fans in the stands.

The Braves drew 2.655 million fans in 2019, an average of 32,779 per game, their highest attendance since 2007. They drew 2.51 million in 2017 and 2.56 million in 2018. They are on pace to draw about 2.32 million this year. (MLB defines attendance as tickets sold.)

After this week’s series against the Rockies, the Braves go to San Francisco, Arizona and San Diego, their final road trip of the season. They’ll return to Truist Park to close the regular season with a six-game homestand against the two teams currently chasing them in the National League East standings: three games against the Philadelphia Phillies (Sept. 28-30) and three against the New York Mets (Oct. 1-3).

The division-leading Braves (76-66) enter play today with a 4½-game lead over the second-place Phillies. The Mets were five games back entering their game against St. Louis on Monday night. The Braves and Phillies were off Monday.

JOHN BAZEMORE/ASSOCIATED PRESS Fans reach for a foul ball during a game between the Braves and Yankees on Aug. 23 at Truist Park. The game drew 39,176, more than 10,000 above the Braves’ average this season.