As if the Dodgers needed any more financial issues added to the ongoing fight between owner Frank McCourt and Major League Baseball, Jim Peltz of The Los Angeles Times wrote Monday that the near-8,000 person drop in per-game attendance from last season will likely cost the Dodgers upwards of $27 million in concession, sales and parking revenue.

Between ownership issues and the team’s fourth-place, 52-61 record (28-31 at home), attendance at Dodgers games has fallen by an average of 7,902 since last season, representing a 17.7 percent drop. The next-highest decline is the Mariners at 4,213 fewer attendees per game. Peltz wrote that overall league attendance has declined by an average of 91 viewers per game.

“When people don’t go to the ballpark, the Dodgers lose ticket revenue but they also lose concessions revenue and ultimately sponsorship and advertising revenue,” said Smith College economics professor Andrew Zimbalist.

Although team financial statements could not be acquired, Pelt wrote that the $27 million figure comes from a combination of attendance comparisons, average ticket prices as calculated by Team Marketing Report, and concessions and parking revenue figures revealed last year during the McCourt divorce case.

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