MLB

Not A Baseball Fan? Go To A Fourth Of July Game

Jul 3, 2019, 3:50 PM | Updated: 10:26 pm

A general view of the stadium as fans enjoy a fireworks display...

DENVER, CO - JULY 4: A general view of the stadium as fans enjoy a fireworks display after the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 4, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

(Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – If you claim you are not a baseball fan, you probably aren’t in the minority, but before passing final judgment – go to a game on the Fourth of July.

It’s no secret baseball has a shrinking fan base. According to Forbes, Major League Baseball experienced a four percent drop in attendance between 2017 and 2018.

Total attendance dipped below 70 million in 2018 for the first time since 2003.

These stats surprise me because baseball, whether watched in-person or on television, has given me some precious memories.

Baseball: A Family Tradition

I grew up a baseball fan, in a family where we spent our summers watching nearly every game the Colorado Rockies played – all 162 of them.

We took eight-hour road trips, multiple times a year, to see Colorado Rockies games. Those evenings and afternoons at Coors Field in downtown Denver are my favorite family moments. The best evenings were the ones that were followed by a fireworks show.

I wish I could bottle up the feeling of being at a game during the Fourth of July weekend and share it with everyone who says they don’t like baseball.

A game, major league or not, is one of the best ways to spend Independence Day.

A baseball game with popcorn, fireworks and family just feels like the right place to be. I truly don’t remember which games the Rockies won and which ones they lost, but I do remember how happy I was to be there.

Get To A Game

You don’t have to drive eight hours or pay major league prices to get the experience. The Salt Lake Bees Fourth of July weekend celebrations are just as good (I’ve been).

The Bees have a four-game homestand against the El Paso Chihuahuas. Three of those games are followed by fireworks.

The Orem Owlz and the Ogden Raptors, other Minor League Baseball teams in Utah have fireworks shows throughout the week and weekend in celebration of the Fourth of July. Details can be found on the teams’ websites.

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Not A Baseball Fan? Go To A Fourth Of July Game