Traveling to Cleveland to see a Cleveland Indians Baseball Game, Hooray!
Cleveland Indians baseball fan with his glove stands in front of statue at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio
Why would anyone visit Cleveland? One major league answer is Cleveland’s MLB action, with the Cleveland Indians.
I am going to Cleveland because of feeling–I think that something’s missing in L.A. Sure there’s perfect weather in the summer and there are lots of games. But the sense of community is hard to come by, and when you sit in the stands sharing the emotional ups and downs of play, you need the camaraderie that places such as Cleveland take for granted. If you’ve not been there, then it’s time to visit and experience what America is all about.
People love their hometown ball teams, and if the team is doing well (like the Cleveland Indians are in early June), it’s all the more reason to be proud and want to show them off. And believe it or not, the Travel Industry Association reports that well over 15 million fans travel each year within the United States to attend a game and enjoy an overnight stay at the sports destination.
I did a little research on this craze and came up with some interesting data. Baseball is number one for sports travelers in the USA (yeah! I got that one right!) While women travel much less than men to see a ball game (45% of men and 33% of women see a sport when traveling,) I fall into the category of big spender-business travelers (will stay in hotels and should spend over $500 in town.) I better take some money and plan to buy something so I don’t disappoint those numbers, even though I am not a shopper.
What looks very promising about this upcoming journey is the data on intent–over 78% of sports travelers seek entertainment and outdoor recreation during their trip. Now that’s something I can hang my newly-purchased Cleveland Indians baseball cap on.
Whatever the outcome of the game, I plan to have a good time and absorb the local environs. Hotdogs, peanuts, sodas and beer are all on the “to do” list of this outing. Nathan’s Hot Dogs will already have held its annual hotdog competition in Coney Island, so I’ll contemplate the prospect of gulping down just one or two of the tasty beef or pork franks. I expect to like this so much, that I’ll fall within the ranks of the majority of sports event travelers who took their most recent sports trip in the past year.
I’m hoping to bring luck to my hometown team (the Indians), and watch them advance into the finals. If that happens, I’ve already scouted out some sources for tickets. With ticket in hand, I look forward to becoming a Cleveland Indians fan, and have already bookmarked their web page on the MLB web site!
