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Fact check: Which has more attendance. Professional football or baseball.
1. Summary of the results
Based on the available data, Major League Baseball (MLB) has significantly higher total attendance than the National Football League (NFL). According to the comparative analysis, MLB recorded 72,670,423 total attendees compared to the NFL's 17,253,425 in the analyzed season [1]. However, this comparison reveals an important distinction: while baseball has higher total attendance, the NFL achieves a much higher average attendance per game at 67,396 fans compared to MLB's 29,905 average per game [1].
The individual team data supports these patterns. NFL teams like the Dallas Cowboys averaged 93,594 fans per game in 2023 [2], while the highest MLB team, the LA Dodgers, averaged 41,080 fans per game [3]. This demonstrates that NFL games consistently draw larger crowds per event, but MLB's much longer season (162 games vs. 17 regular season games) results in higher cumulative attendance figures.
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
The original question lacks crucial context about the fundamental structural differences between these sports. MLB teams play approximately 162 regular season games compared to the NFL's 17 regular season games, making direct attendance comparisons potentially misleading without this context [1].
Stadium capacity differences also significantly impact these numbers. NFL stadiums are generally much larger than MLB ballparks, which explains why individual NFL games can achieve attendance figures like the Cowboys' 93,594 [2] that far exceed even the best-attended baseball games.
The analyses reveal a concerning trend in Minor League Baseball, where attendance has declined to an average of 3,472 fans per game [4], while MLB itself is reportedly "bucking this trend with an increase in attendance" [4]. This suggests that professional baseball's attendance strength may be concentrated at the major league level.
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question appears neutral but contains an inherent oversimplification that could lead to misleading conclusions. By asking simply "which has more attendance," it fails to account for the vastly different season structures between the sports.
Media organizations and sports leagues benefit financially from promoting attendance figures that support their narratives. MLB benefits from emphasizing total attendance numbers that make baseball appear more popular, while the NFL benefits from highlighting per-game averages that demonstrate the intense demand for their limited number of games.
The question also doesn't specify whether it's asking about total attendance, average per game, or attendance as a percentage of capacity - each metric would yield different answers and serve different stakeholders' interests. Sports media companies and betting organizations particularly benefit from attendance discussions that drive engagement and wagering activity around these metrics.