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Post by 50yardfan on Aug 16, 2011 8:29:24 GMT -5
readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=326349Fans already think of Reading as a great market for minor league sports - think the Reading Phillies, Reading Royals and Reading Express - and now a national publication has confirmed it.
The current issue of Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal ranks Reading the fourth-best minor league market in the nation, of 241 markets studied.
Reading's ranking is up from 22nd two years ago, and seventh in 2007.
The Hershey-Harrisburg market again is ranked No. 1, but its draw apparently didn't hurt Reading.
"The Pennsylvania market has a passionate fan base, tenured clubs and a stable economy - everything our study values highly," wrote the Journal's research director, David Broughton.
Mark Wallace, general manager of the Reading Royals hockey team, said the Royals, R-Phils and Express owe a lot to their fans.
"For how many cities are out there, it's a great honor," he said.
Tim Glase, general manager of the Reading Express indoor football team, said its fan base is constantly growing.
"We're seeing the fruits of a lot of labor," he said. "We have a good product on the field, and it's an exciting game. There's a lot of momentum on our side."
The Journal noted that Express attendance is up 20 percent over 2010, and the R-Phils lead the Eastern League in attendance.
Wallace said the R-Phils, Royals and Express keep up the same quality and entertainment value during their own seasons.
"All three kind of parallel each other throughout the year," he said.
Officials with the Reading Phillies could not be reached.
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