Intercounty Sets New Single-Season Attendance Record for Third Consecutive Year
For the third consecutive season, the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) has announced a new single-season attendance record during the 2025 regular season.
A total of 218,648 fans attended games across nine cities—an increase of more than 34,000 compared to last year—as the league enters postseason play later this week.
Several clubs also set new franchise attendance records in 2025:
- Welland Jackfish welcomed a team-record 54,541 fans to The Pond (Welland Stadium), including nine sellouts.
- London Majors once again drew strong crowds to historic Labatt Park, the world’s oldest continuously operating ballpark. The season was highlighted by a sold-out school day game, along with packed houses on Father’s Day, Canada Day, and two special nights when the team rebranded as the Forest City Cobra Chickens.
- Hamilton Cardinals recorded back-to-back sellouts for both school day games for the second straight year and successfully hosted the All-Star Showdown, which drew nearly 2,200 fans to Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.
With the 2025 regular season in the books, the IBL now looks ahead to its 107th postseason, building on the momentum of another record-breaking summer and continuing to deliver top-tier baseball to communities across southern Ontario.
2025 IBL Quarterfinal Matchups
- (1) Welland Jackfish vs. (8) Kitchener Panthers — Series opens Thursday in Welland
- (2) Barrie Baycats vs. (7) Toronto Maple Leafs — Series opens Thursday in Barrie
- (3) London Majors vs. (6) Guelph Royals — Series opens Friday in London
- (4) Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs. (5) Hamilton Cardinals — Series opens Thursday in Chatham at Fergie Jenkins Park, as the Barnstormers chase their first playoff win and series victory in just their second season of play
About the IBL
The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is the top-level baseball league in Canada, featuring former Major League Baseball players, professional minor leaguers, and elite NCAA athletes. Founded in 1919, the IBL is one of the longest continuously operated baseball leagues in the world and has served as a training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office executives. More than 40 IBL alumni have advanced to Major League Baseball or returned to the league following their MLB careers.
The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is the top-level baseball league in Canada, featuring former Major League Baseball players, professional minor leaguers, and elite NCAA athletes. Founded in 1919, the IBL is one of the longest continuously operated baseball leagues in the world and has served as a training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office executives. More than 40 IBL alumni have advanced to Major League Baseball or returned to the league following their MLB careers.
The league is comprised of teams from Barrie, Brantford, Chatham-Kent, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Toronto, and Welland.
For more information, visit www.theibl.ca.
For more information, visit www.theibl.ca.