Tartan Army swells Miami Marlins attendance to 20,008

Approximately 8,000 Scotland supporters attended a Major League Baseball match between the Miami Marlins and the Texas Rangers at loanDepot Park on Monday. The attendance was facilitated by a special ticket package for the 'Tartan Army', contributing to an announced crowd of 20,008, with the Scottish contingent comprising nearly half of the total attendance.

The event occurred during Scotland’s World Cup road trip in the United States, marking their first World Cup campaign in 28 years. This gathering follows a similar large-scale fan presence at Fenway Park in Boston earlier in the fortnight, where supporters similarly filled the stadium for a Red Sox game and prompted emergency beer runs in local bars.

Roughly 8,000 fans marched to the stadium behind a pipe band before the game. The Miami Marlins lost the match 4-3 to the Texas Rangers, though the result was reportedly of secondary importance to the supporters. This marks the second baseball game in two weeks to be significantly impacted by the travelling Scottish fans.

The high attendance is notable for the Marlins franchise, which often plays in front of sparse crowds, making the recent figures a novelty for the club. The Tartan Army’s presence is part of a broader tour that has included stops in Boston, where they previously united fans from Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti in street chants.

The source material notes that the scale of fan numbers is starting to look almost made up, suggesting the figures may be perceived as exaggerated or surprising, though no specific data discrepancy is confirmed. The exact number of Scottish fans is described as "roughly 8,000", indicating an estimate rather than a precise headcount.