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ECHL Attendance Increases For Third Straight Year

April 14, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL raised its average attendance for the third straight year in 2005-06 drawing 3,934,794 for 900 games which is an average of 4,372 per game, an increase of more than nine percent from 2004-05 and the largest per-game average since 1999-2000.

Six teams surpassed 200,000 and nine teams averaged 5,000 per game for the first time since 1999-2000 as the league welcomed 39 sellout crowds and 13 of the 22 returning teams raised their average attendance from a year ago.

"The 2005-06 season marks the third-consecutive season of increased attendance after seven consecutive years of decline. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of all our teams and the increased support of our fans across the continent," said ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna. "The nine-percent increase is a very positive trend, but it masks the fact that attendance only increased about one percent among our returning teams. We have much work to do to continue to build our fan base and we remain committed to continuing to grow our audience in upcoming seasons."

Stockton became the first team other than Florida to lead the league in attendance in the past five years as the first-year Thunder drew 228,364 and averaged 6,343 per game, including five sellouts at the new Stockton Arena. The Everblades had 224,628 fans and averaged 6,239 per game to finish second. Florida has not had less than 220,000 fans or averaged less than 6,200 fans in each of its seven seasons in the ECHL. San Diego finished third with 210,305 and 5,841 per game, bolstered by five crowds of over 10,000 including a team record 13,001 on Nov. 5.

Charlotte raised its average attendance by more than 15.5 percent to finish fourth with 210,132 and 5,837 per game. The Checkers led the league with 10 sellouts at Bobcats Arena, which has a listed capacity of 6,800 for hockey, including two crowds of more than 10,000 and four crowds in excess of 9,000.

Bakersfield surpassed 200,000 fans for its first time, finishing fifth with 201,729 and 5,603 per game. The Condors raised their attendance more than 3.5 percent from a year ago and almost 20 percent from their inaugural season in 2003-04. Reading had a pair of sellouts, including a team record 7,315 on Mar. 4, as the Royals exceeded 200,000 for the third time in their five-year history finishing sixth with 200,465 and 5,568 per game.

Las Vegas raised its attendance more than 6.5 percent to 5,531 per game while Gwinnett, which drew a team record 11,355 on Nov. 11, finished eighth at 5,524 per game and South Carolina was ninth after raising its attendance to 5,000 per game.

Idaho had seven sellouts, tying Florida for the second-most in the league, while Alaska had four sellouts, including team-record tying crowds of 6,451 on Mar. 31 and Apr. 1, and the Aces increased their attendance by more than three percent from a year ago and by more than nine percent from 2003-04.

Toledo sold out its season opener for the third season in a row and increased its attendance by more than nine percent to 3,970 while Victoria moved into its permanent home at the Save-On-Foods Centre and averaged 4,230 per game.

Wheeling raised its attendance by more than two percent to 3,007 per game, the highest average since 2001-02 for the Nailers, while original league member Johnstown saw its average climb by more than 1.5 percent to 2,421 per game.

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