PRWEB - Winter Storm Rex continues to bring cold, snow, and spring fever to much of the country and baseball fans are taking the hint. A brand new season and the balmy Florida and Arizona temps have spring training tickets in the top of sports queues nationwide, according to Marta Ault at online ticket marketplace BuyAnySeat.com.

With no winter respite in sight for much of the north and east, the only option is to fly south for relief: trade in that icy, wind-driven tundra for those warm welcoming breezes and sun-kissed grassy knolls.

Last year, nearly 3.4 million fans attended MLB’s early season camps in Florida and Arizona. Based on current ticket projections, the number of fans heading south could hit 3.5 million or more this year... an unexpected silver lining to the arctic cold gripping most of the continental U.S.

“As far as ticket sales, the current leaders are the Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox, and Orioles,” said Marta Ault at online ticket marketplace BuyAnySeat.com. “Ticket prices are low and the weather is warm, making these events a big draw.”

Full-squad workouts are in full swing around the league and MLB preseason games officially begin on February 26, 2014. The Yankees in Tampa led 2013 Florida spring training attendance with an average of 10,173 fans, while the Diamondbacks topped turnout in Arizona with an average attendance of 11,021.

While Florida and Arizona are now the only states that host spring training, this was not always the case. MLB teams have held spring training away from home since the 1890’s in such places as Hot Springs, Arkansas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; New Orleans and later Phoenix and West Palm Beach.

The Pittsburgh Pirates traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, while others spent time in Puerto Rico and in cities of northern Mexico during the 40’s and 50’s. The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees also trained in Havana, Cuba and the Dominican Republic during the late 40’s and 50’s.

The Detroit Tigers are credited with being the first team to conduct spring training camp in Arizona. They trained in Phoenix in Riverside Park at Central Avenue and near the Salt River in 1929. Meanwhile the Philadelphia Phillies became the first of the current major-league teams to train in Florida after they spent two weeks in Jacksonville, in 1889. Currently 15 teams train in Florida and 15 in Arizona.

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