White Sox fail to draw 2 million fans for first time since 2004

Sunday's home finale at U.S. Cellular Field drew an announced crowd of 26,831 fans, a number that wasn't large enough to help the Chicago White Sox reach the 2 million attendance mark for the first time since 2004.

According to CSNChicago.com, this is the sixth straight season the attendance has declined. The franchise drew a club-record 2.9 million fans in 2006, the year after it won the World Series. Since then, the White Sox have made the playoffs just once ('08) and finished second in the American League Central Division twice. Chicago finished below .500 in '11, '09 and '07. Last season, the White Sox drew 2,001,117 fans.

Chicago (83-76) will end its 2012 season in Cleveland. There the White Sox will play a season-ending three-game series against the Indians, who will try to prevent Chicago from completing a miracle comeback in the AL Central Division -- with three games to go, the White Sox trail the Detroit Tigers by three games.