Though Tim Tebow got off to a hot start in his minor league debut with the Single-A Columbia Fireflies, homering in two of his first three games, the former NFL quarterback has not performed all that well. Through 32 games and 127 plate appearances, he is hitting .221/.307/.327 with just the two home runs, 11 RBI, and 16 runs scored.
Tebow playing in a major league game remains a far off fantasy and minor league teams are very thankful for that, actually. As CNBC’s Sarah Whitten reports, Tebow has substantially increased attendance at minor league games, both home and away. Home attendance in Columbia has increased by nearly 40 percent. Road attendance is up between 80 and 120 percent depending on the stadium in question. Citing Baseball America, Whitten notes that Tebow was responsible for $44,200 in additional sales per night at road stadiums.
Tebow may not be hitting, but as long as he keeps bringing fans to the ballpark, the Fireflies will find a spot in the lineup for him. Money talks.