Detroit Tigers: Making Baseball Fun Because of the Fans

I’ve been to numerous games at Comerica Park to support the Detroit Tigers, but nothing prepared me for the immense enthusiasm at the WBC USA vs. Dominican Republic game.

If Detroit Tigers fans – or any MLB fans – had this much fun at a baseball game, every stadium would sell out for Every. Single. Game.

The fans supporting the Dominican Republic bring their own music – drums, cow bells, plastic plantains, and more. The rhythm and enthusiasm is extremely contagious.

They stand up for every player, cheer for every strike against the opposing team and ball for their team, and explode with noise at every out. When Jose Reyes was up to bat, Marlins Park became a huge choir of “Jose…Jose. Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose.”

Mar 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Fans react outside of Marlin Park before a game between the Dominican Republic and USA during the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /

Manny Machado received some of the loudest cheers I’ve ever heard. When Robinson Cano walked up to the plate, the entire stadium stood and shouted MVP.

The USA crowd is so much more reserved. If the USA wants to grow the MLB and pull in the young fans, it’s time to emulate the Dominican Republic fans. Shouts of “home run” in Spanish greeted Jose Bautista.

It doesn’t take much to get hype at a baseball game! And, it is so much more fun. The trick is to show up with your team’s flag, hat, and a tee. Then bring something that makes noise and play it with a dance rhythm. After that, watch the game and cheer on the team, not with a few claps and attaboys, but with full-on joy and love for the game.