It seems that Tim Tebow is really good for business.
The former National Football League quarterback has been trying his hand in the world of professional baseball since August 2016 and he’s definitely made an impression.
Attendance at Tebow’s home field in Columbia, South Carolina, has jumped nearly 40 percent this year, according to Baseball America, a magazine and online publication that tracks baseball statistics from the minor to the major leagues.
Tebow’s team, one of 14 in the South Atlantic League, now averages about 5,100 fans per game at its home stadium, up 1,400 from last year’s attendance average.
And Tebow’s presence isn’t just helping the home team. On the road, attendance at his games, so far, is up between 80 and 120 percent, depending on the stadium.
Baseball America looked at three teams in particular: the Augusta GreenJackets, the Rome Braves and the Hickory Crawdads, teams that the Fireflies have played so far this season.
Based solely on April’s attendance, Baseball America tabulated that Tebow boosted sales for road stadiums by about $44,200 per night.
If Tebow remains in the South Atlantic League for the rest of the season, which runs into September, the Fireflies’ rivals stand to make an additional $3.1 million in revenue. That doesn’t include what the Columbia Fireflies stand to gain.
It’s no surprise that Tebow is drawing crowds. Last September, when the New York Mets signed him to their minor league farm team, Tebow’s jersey became the third-best seller on MLB’s website.
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