The RiverBats averaged 5,021 fans last season, marking the seventh straight year attendance has declined. In contrast, the Redbirds drew 1,052,438 in 1983, a daily average of 16,191. Gary Ulmer indicated that attendance among African Americans, in particular, has decreased in recent years at Cardinal Stadium, which is about five miles from downtown. And that probably would include the West End and the downtown area. Lee Jones, president of the West Louisville RAP Little League, said Slugger Field will be more accessible to blacks than Cardinal Stadium.
People can get off work and go down and watch games and be home in a few minutes.
Jones said Little League baseball in the West End faded sharply in the early 1970s. Now we have a lot of kids whose parents have to buy two TVs. If parents want to watch their programs or a movie, they have to have another TV so the kids can watch baseball. The move, however, comes with financial risks. If we had stayed at Cardinal Stadium, we could have plodded along like we were doing.