For a third straight year, the Edmonton Riverhawks have shattered spectator attendance records in the West Coast League.
Just under 132,000 people sat in the stands this season. Out of the 17 teams in the WCL, the Riverhawks have now broken the attendance record three years in a row.
The Riverhawks also have the largest regional population to draw from of the league, which includes teams in cities such as Kelowna, Bellingham, Portland, Victoria in B.C., Washington State and Oregon.
The Riverhawks organization says its success comes down to making the games about more than just the sport.
Riverhawks general manager and “fun adviser” Steve Hogle says it’s all about the production, community, and keeping the games affordable for families.
“Every game has its own theme. Improv comics on mics and whacky contests between innings,” Hogel said. “We’re laser-focused on the fan experience.”
One example — theme jerseys such as the recent “Green Onion Cakes” alternate identity jerseys the team unveiled his season. Previous themes included Talus Balls jerseys in 2023 and the Silver City Dragons jerseys in 2024.
The Edmonton Riverhawks baseball players wearing their 2025 alternate identity jersey: the Green Onion Cakes, on Aug. 2, 2025.
Global News
As Kabi Moulitharan explains in the video above, with way fans are responding, Edmonton may not just be a hockey town — but a baseball town, too.