GLENDALE — Long before the sun began to peak over the nearby mountains, a smattering of die-hard baseball fans waited in anticipation of what the day might bring.

It was 3:30 a.m., hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers would stretch and take ground balls at Camelback Ranch. By 9 a.m., more than 200 fans were lined up for the opportunity to watch the World Series Champions return to the diamond.

One of the sport’s finest rituals is again taking over the Valley. Wednesday was the first day fans could watch their favorite baseball teams play again after a long winter. Spring training has commenced.

The Cactus League, with 15 teams playing in 10 stadiums across the Valley, is ready for its 78th year of hosting spring training games. From now until the end of March, the Valley will be packed with baseball fans from all over the world as they descend on ballparks from Glendale to Mesa.

The league hosted its annual media preview day Tuesday, where officials spoke about the league’s impact on the state in the past and how the fan experience is getting even better. The Cactus League is so vital to Arizona’s tourism that Gov. Katie Hobbs proclaimed Feb. 12 “Cactus League Welcome Day.”

“This proclamation means the world to us. It is a testament to the impact we have on the state of Arizona,” said Cactus League executive director Bridget Binsbacher.

Last spring, Cactus League attendance per game improved for the third straight year. On average, more than 7,500 fans attended each spring training game, with some days seeing over 11,000 fanatics go through the gates at the 10 stadiums around the Valley.

Attending spring training games is special. Fans can get unprecedented access, which they can’t get during the regular season. The Cactus League knows its games are unique, which is another reason why they’re special.

“Spring training is the best way to watch baseball. You can get up close and personal with your favorite players,” Binsbacher said.

Cactus League officials expect this spring will be just as popular, even as the sport evolves. In 2023, MLB introduced the pitch clock into spring training games, preparing fans for the rule change in the upcoming season.

This year, there is another wrinkle to the experience of attending a spring training game: The automated ball-strike system will be used in five of the 10 ballparks in the Cactus League. The minor leagues have seen versions of the automated system, but this is the first time it’s been used in spring training. It’s expected that 60% of Cactus League games will use ABS, which MLB hopes to instill by 2026.

The Cactus League embraces the change and is thrilled to add another part of the game to its parks.

“I’m excited that the Cactus League is serving as a laboratory for possible rule changes, as it did with the pitch clock and instant replay,” Binsbacher said.

The Cactus League offers unique availability to fans of the 15 teams it hosts in Arizona. Stadiums are no more than 45 minutes from each other, and more than 200 games take place. This differs from the Grapefruit League in Florida, where stadiums can be as far apart as three hours.

Florida is the only other place in the nation where fans can attend spring training games, yet Arizona has a higher attendance rate than Florida.

“Florida has three times the population of Arizona, yet we continue to draw more folks. It’s a testament to the impact we have on tourism in the Valley,” Binsbacher said. “Last season, we had 1.6 million fans, with approximately 60% of people coming from somewhere other than Arizona.”

Cactus League games begin Feb. 20 at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, with the reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers facing the Chicago Cubs. The two teams open the regular season March 18 on the international stage with a two-game series in Tokyo.