[quote] MIAMI (AP) - Luis Castillo helped Florida come from behind twice Sunday to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 in 10 innings, and the Marlins staged a mystifying rally to avoid finishing last in the major leagues in attendance.

There were perhaps 8,000 fans on hand Sunday, but the announced crowd of 28,599 - second-largest of the season for the Marlins - allowed them to overtake Montreal in season attendance.

"A friend of the community bought a large number of tickets," said Marlins spokesman Steve Copses, who didn't offer any further explanation.

Florida's final home attendance total was 813,118 in home attendance, an average of 10,038 per game and the lowest in team history. Montreal, which finished its final game three hours earlier than Florida, drew 812,545.

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What a load of garbage. This is why ticket sales shouldn't be used as the announced "attendance."

[quote]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:
What a load of garbage. This is why ticket sales shouldn't be used as the announced "attendance."

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Yeah -- happens in the NFL too -- the Deadskins have done it for years -- announcing sell-out crowds, even when the camera shows a half empty FedEx Field.

It happens at the Los Angeles Philharmonic too. They "paper" the house so as not to have vast expanses of seats when they play something "difficult" (i.e. anything that's not Mozart or Beethoven). They had a new GM come in, he stopped papering the house, everyone complained and it's back.

The Angles game was a sell out yesterday, but the fact that the game didn't matter and there were big gray storm clouds hovering over the ball park all morning meant that there were some empty seats. I was happy as my seats were in the upper deck by the foul pole, but my friend and I moved to the upper deck behind home plate.

Contract the Marlins.

Further proof that Pasty Jeffie Loria and his Lil Sidekick David Samson were put on this earth to kill baseball teams:

The Marlins' attendance for 2002 was DOWN 38% from 2001, while the Expos 2002 attendance was UP 24% over last year (when under Loria). Buying empty seat does not change that, JL.

Oh yeah, Expos, 83 wins, Marlins, 79.

[quote]Originally posted by DCBucky:
Yeah -- happens in the NFL too -- the Deadskins have done it for years -- announcing sell-out crowds, even when the camera shows a half empty FedEx Field.

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The NFL used to announce the number of tickets sold AND the number of no-shows. I don't know if they still do that or not.

No, they don't. They knew how bad it looked and stopped doing it.

Looks like a blatant attempt by the Expos' owners -- Beelzebud & His Lying Cohorts -- to avoid the question of why they aren't shopping the Fish for relocation too...

Whoa. Is this really necessary?

Hahahahaha!

It's nice to see that at least ONE person in Miami gives a shit about the crap team that plays to acres of empty seats in a football stadium. Of course, that's about 29,999 short of what they'd need to be viable, but still, thanks for writing and pleasure to meet you.

Amazing all the riff raff that's shown up in the wake of the publicity that the Jeremy Shockey thing brought to Outsports.

I believe Mr. Allen prefers the term "BEYOTCH". We would have also accepted "PUNK-ASS BEYOTCH".

Word. Although "punk-ass bitch/beyotch" really SHOULD be reservered for Cyd. And Mo Vaughn.

I'd love to see my Secret Crush Twins/Marlins go to the P&G thread. I'd gladly take bets on how long he'd last there.

EDITED TO ADD: Ah, those feckin' Moderator Nazi's! They removed the post that we're responding to, thus making all our comments seem like we're having paranoid delusions. If I can laugh at someone writing about me "f**k you bitch" because I think the hapless Marlins should be smothered in their sleep with a pillow, why can't the moderators?

[ October 20, 2002: Message edited by: Jim Allen ]