CHL Central Hockey League

CHL Attendance Climbs as Post-Season Nears

February 3, 2005 - Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


With just over six weeks left in the 2004-2005 Central Hockey League regular season, the CHL continues to lead all North American "AA" professional leagues in average attendance, welcoming an average of 4,326 fans per contest through February 2nd. Several recent games have boosted the average, including a franchise record crowd of 12,430 in Bossier-Shreveport on January 28th, 7,111 in Tulsa on January 29th, and 8,161 at a Kid's Day matinee contest in New Mexico Tuesday.

Five of the top 10 drawing "AA" teams are CHL members, including perennial attendance champion Oklahoma City, who leads all "AA" clubs with an average of 7,607 per game at the Ford Center. The Blazers are in position to capture their sixth consecutive attendance title, finishing atop the average attendance standings in each of the last five seasons of play.

Other CHL clubs represented in the Top 10 "AA" attendance rankings include the Laredo Bucks (4th; 6,129 at the Laredo Entertainment Center), Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (7th; 5,489 at the CenturyTel Center), Colorado Eagles (8th; 5,289 at the Budweiser Events Center) and Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (9th; 5,221 at the Dodge Arena). The five clubs are among a total of 11 "AA" teams in North America drawing better than 5,000 fans per game.

The Central Hockey League has enjoyed 30 sellouts to date this season, including the CHL season high crowd of 12,430 recorded by Bossier-Shreveport last Friday. Northwest Division leading Colorado leads the CHL in sellouts this year, and have a streak of 52 straight dating back to their inaugural 2003-2004 season. The Eagles are also in position to challenge for the minor league record of 83 consecutive sellouts set by the ECHL's Columbus Chill in the early 90's, as 10 home sell-outs to conclude the current season would give the Eagles an opportunity to tie the mark at their 21st home game of next year. The Eagles 2003-2004 expansion sibling Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees rank second in CHL shutouts this season with six.

The 2004-2005 season concludes on Sunday, March 20th, with eight clubs advancing to participate in the Ray Miron President's Cup Finals.



Central Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2005


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