This indicator is part of Community engagement.

Indicator description:

Albuquerque is home to many activities and events. Among the most important and well known events are the International Balloon Fiesta and the New Mexico State Fair. Albuquerque also enjoys the presence of the University of New Mexico and Lobo athletic teams. Attendance at the these events is the driving factor in their sustainability. Albuquerque has experienced the loss of professional baseball, when the AAA Albuquerque Dukes franchise left for Portland, Oregon. This loss precipitated a significant public investment in upgrading the baseball park. This resulted in the location of another AAA franchise in Albuquerque in 2004, the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Why is this indicator relevant?

Part of what makes a strong community is shared experiences over time among its residents. The larger a community gets the more difficult community engagement becomes. Strong attendance is generally correlated with successful events and winning sports programs. This contributes to community pride and regional and national awareness. Albuquerque residents support community events and local sporting teams. UNM men and women’s basketball both ranked number one in attendance in the Mountain West Conference in 2006 and 2007. UNM football attendance has been increasing. The Albuquerque Isotopes is one of the most successful minor league franchises in the nation. The State Fair is one of the largest in the nation. The Balloon Fiesta is the largest hot air ballooning event in the world. The Albuquerque BioPark outdraws them all.

Data Sources:
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta; New Mexico State Fair; University of New Mexico; Mountain West Conference; Ballpark Digest; Albuquerque Isotopes; City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Department.

What can we tell from the data?

• The Albuquerque Isotopes ranked 12th of 263 minor league baseball teams in North America in attendance in 2007.
• The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team averaged more than twice the home attendance as the second highest drawing university in the Mountain West Conference. The UNM men’s team also ranked number one in home attendance by a significant amount.

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