LOCAL NEWS

Salt Lake City only 53rd best baseball city in America? One state lawmaker disagrees

Oct 26, 2024, 7:30 PM | Updated: 7:31 pm

American League's Jarren Duran, of the Boston Red Sox, hits a home run during the fifth inning of t...

American League's Jarren Duran, of the Boston Red Sox, hits a home run during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game, Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Anthony Santander, of the Baltimore Orioles, also scored. (Tony Gutierrez, AP Photo)

(Tony Gutierrez, AP Photo)

SALT LAKE CITY — WalletHub analysts say Salt Lake City is the 53rd best baseball city in America, but one state lawmaker thinks otherwise.

Utah State Representative Ryan Wilcox has been pushing for an MLB team of our own. During the 2024 Legislative Session, he sponsored the bill to help fund a future MLB stadium.

The study from WalletHub focuses mostly on the quality of established teams, average ticket prices, and fan engagement. However, Wilcox said there’s a key factor missing from Utah’s ranking: our young, family-oriented population.

“Because of the family-friendly atmosphere … people are more likely to attend a baseball game with a child than any other sport.”

According to research done on behalf of Big League Utah, the state has one of the top five fastest-growing baseball markets in the nation.

“We’re the fourth fastest-growing market in Major League Baseball, nowhere near 53,” said Wilcox. “Fourth compared to existing Major League markets, ranking second among potential expansion markets.”

Wilcox said if a vote for MLB expansion were held today, Salt Lake City would be one of the two cities selected.

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Salt Lake City only 53rd best baseball city in America? One state lawmaker disagrees