Attendance around the MLB was down as a whole this year.

But not at Citi Field.

Looking at the total attendance numbers with the MLB regular season done, the Mets actually saw an increase in the fans heading to the ballpark.

In 2019, there was an average of 30,531 fans per game with about 2.44 million total for the season. In 2018, the Mets had an average 28,164 fans enter the park with 2.22 million overall. According to Newsday's David Lennon, it was the fourth-highest growth among an MLB club compared to last season.

What can we attribute that growth to? For one, the Mets' second-half surge definitely contributed to fans wanting to see them in action. Getting back into the Wild Card race and being competitive to the end of the season will always get a turn out.

There's also the Pete Alonso factor. The Rookie of the Year hopeful mashed 27 of his rookie record 53 homers at Citi Field this season, and the prospect of seeing one of those certainly drew many. Alonso was hyped up from the start of the season, and he delivered in ways no one expected. Fans should be flocking for years to come to see Alonso.

But it isn't just him. The Mets have built a solid young core of players in the likes of Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Amed Rosario, and J.D. Davis now in the mix. Combine that with their rotation led by Jacob deGrom, and the Mets are just a few pieces away from being close to contention to a sure-fire playoff team.

And finally, the loyal Mets fan base -- those who never waver no matter the state of the team -- is stronger than most.

We'll see if the Mets can break their attendance again in 2020. It will be up to GM Brodie Van Wagenen to mix a couple moves to upgrade his roster. The more wins that come, the more fans will follow.

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