LISTEN TO THIS STORY:
(CLEARWATER) Every February, thousands of baseball fans flock to Florida and Arizona to watch their favorite team in Spring Training and get a taste of what the season is going to look like for the team.
This is great news for local businesses. In certain areas, business is usually slow, but the big influx of fans that Spring Training brings to town offers a great opportunity to make some extra income.
The Philadelphia Phillies call the city of Clearwater their home for the duration of Spring Training. Businesses in the area anxiously anticipate the return of the team every year, as its presence brings a big influx of fans that contribute to the local economy by staying in hotels, eating in local restaurants, grabbing a drink or two at the local bar, among many other ways.
Scott Palmer, an ambassador for the Phillies for over 20 years, thinks of Clearwater as the Phillies’ home away from home, and acknowledges the benefits that the team brings to the city.
“If Philadelphia is our first name, and Phillies is our last name, then Clearwater is our middle name,” said Palmer. “Spring Training baseball is a major part of the city. It helps businesses, gas stations, restaurants. Anything that you would use.”
According to a 2018 study by the Florida Sports Foundation, Spring Training baseball brings around $687 million among all 15 teams who come to Florida every year. The same study found that the Phillies bring in over seven thousand fans per game on average, among the highest in the Grapefruit League.
52% of Spring Training game attendees come from out of state, according to the study. Among these fans is Gracie Cleveland, a native of Philadelphia who believes Spring Training is a more fun, relaxed, and above all, affordable way to enjoy major league baseball.
“Nothing compares to Citizens Bank Park. The atmosphere there, the fans are just one of a kind,” said Cleveland. “But being here in Clearwater is super personable to see the players kind of more upfront in action and getting to see their personalities come out a little bit more when it’s not so serious.”
A different study conducted by the city of Clearwater found that the Phillies bring in over $44 million in revenue for local businesses, a significant amount that helps even the smallest business thrive and make up for the slow level of activity during the rest of the year.
Veronica Estopiñan, a bartender at a local Mellow Mushroom, said she enjoys the energy the fans bring to the city every year.
“Lunches here are usually very slow,” said Estopiñan. “So, on a lucky day, Spring Training fans will flood this place. Which is pretty good, because we enjoy them. They’re very lively.”
The benefits that Spring Training brings not only to the Bay Area, but to the whole state of Florida are undeniable. Baseball is a key part of the state every February, and it will continue to be as long as it keeps coming every year.