Tempe Diablo Stadium, host of the Los Angeles Angels, saw an attendance of more than 109,000, the highest in over a decade, marking 2023 as a home run for the first full spring training season since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Among all 15 teams, the Cactus League saw a total attendance of 1.6 million this season, an average of about 7,000 per game, a city release stated. 

In Tempe, the Los Angeles Angels saw an average attendance of 7,292 with six sellout games, the most since 2012. Tempe’s stadium has the smallest capacity of the league and ranked seventh in average attendance this year.

Part of this success can be attributed to the stadium’s location along the I-10 freeway, desert butte views and proximity to other stadiums in the area.

Just minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, it’s primed for welcoming visitors to the warmer spring Arizona climate. About 80% of attendees this year live outside of Arizona, according to a survey conducted by Tremont Global.

“To have spring training right here in our backyard is such a tremendous benefit, not only for the locals who live here but also for the folks who get to experience Tempe as visitors,” said Mayor Corey Woods in the release. “And these travelers aren’t just attending games – they are also dining in local restaurants, staying in our hotels and spending dollars that get invested right back into our city.”

A study done prior to the COVID-19 pandemic pegged the economic impact of spring training at $373 million GDP in Arizona. The study also found that the median traveling party spent $405 per day with more than 6,400 annual jobs created. 

But the benefits extend far beyond just simple economics. It takes an assortment of staff and volunteers to operate the stadium, and the impact of a successful season is widely felt, the release explained.

Tempe Diablos is a local charity group that works to enhance the Tempe community through leadership opportunities, scholarships and grants. Every year, the Diablos provide about 85 volunteers per game to support parking and ticket-taking and to serve as ushers. The group also holds a 50/50 raffle each game, and this year brought in the most earnings to date.

Mike DiDomenico, president of the Diablos, said the energy was palpable in the release.

“This season was the first in four years where we got back to normal,” DiDomenico said. “The crowds and the experience in the stadium were back to the way they used to be. And when the energy of the crowd is high, everyone feels it.”

A good year for the stadium means it’s a good year for Tempe. Over its 55-year history, the Diablos have reinvested $17 million back into the city through scholarships and grants. 

In addition to volunteer staff, the stadium has about 12 field maintenance workers that care for the game and practice fields. Adding in concessionaire staff, operations staff and Los Angeles Angels personnel, about 45 staff members call the stadium home a few months out of the year.

And in addition to spring training, the stadium also hosts several community and athletic events throughout the year, including the AIA state baseball championships, the Tempe 4th of July Celebration and the annual World of Illumination holiday light show.

Tempe can count on hosting the Angels for many years to come. 

In 2021, the city of Tempe and Los Angeles Angels signed a new agreement that the city will host the Angels through at least 2035, and the two entities will fund renovations that include a new clubhouse, outfield concourse and additional seating. 

Fans will soon see improvements taking shape as planned renovations get underway, the release noted.

Diablo Stadium is the oldest facility in the Cactus League and has been home to the Angels for more than 30 years.

Learn more at tempe.gov/diablo and check out the 2024 spring training schedule at mlb.com/angels.