Year after year, the IBL gets more and more popular; and 2025 was the most popular season yet.
A record attendance total of 249,590 for 2025 was announced by the league Thursday, which marks the third consecutive season it's set a single-season attendance record. It's a nearly 65,000 attendee increase.
Welland was the first team in league history to surpass 50,000 spectators in a season, eventually finishing the year with 70,042 in total attendance, including playoffs. Hamilton also set a team attendance record for the third straight year, according to the league.
Meanwhile, Barrie's 17,606 total for 2025 marked a 39 per cent increase from 2024 (12,657).
Although investment in gameday experience across the league vastly improved in 2025, much of the added interest in the league is attributed to the reputation of the on-field talent.
Over 60 players that appeared in the IBL during the season have had professional experience, with some also boasting international level experience.
In 2025, five former major league players appeared in IBL games, including Frank Garcés and Willy Garcia who each played for Barrie. However, the league noted Hamilton's signing of Fernando Rodney as a key pull factor.
“The year-over-year attendance growth in the IBL has been incredible and we have every expectation that it will continue to grow,” said IBL commissioner Ted Kalnins in a release. “It is clear that there is a strong appetite in Canada for affordable baseball entertainment with the special quality of an intimate, Minor League-calibre in-stadium fan experience.”  Â
Toronto's landmark signing of Ayami Sato, although later proving controversial, also drew an unprecedented amount of interest and media attention early in the season. However, Toronto does not sell tickets to its games at Christie Pits Park. Brantford also didn't sell tickets to its games at Arnold Anderson Stadium in 2025 after being acquired by new ownership.
The IBL also claims new records were set for corporate sponsorship and viewership of live-streamed games, which consistently had peaks of over 2,000 late in the regular season and in the postseason for some teams.
