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Stockton, Florida Have ECHL's Highest Attendance Since 2000-01

April 28, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release


PRINCETON, N.J. - For the first time since 1998-99 the ECHL had 10 teams that averaged more than 5,000 fans per game led by Stockton and Florida, who had the two highest average attendances since 2000-01. Thirteen of the 22 returning teams raised their attendance from 2005-06 as the league had 35 sellouts for the fourth year in a row.

Stockton became the first team other than Florida to lead the league in attendance two years in a row since Louisiana from 1995-99. The Thunder raised their average attendance by 6.5 percent to 6,780 per game and had three sellouts at Stockton Arena, which will host the ECHL All-Star Game on Jan. 23, 2008.

Florida raised its average from a year ago to 6,248 per game. The Everblades have not averaged less than 6,200 per game in their nine seasons and led the league in attendance for a record five straight years from 2000-05.

Johnstown had its largest attendance since 1997-98 and raising its average by 6.5 percent, the fourth-largest increase in the league. The Chiefs had a sellout crowd of 4,136 on New Year's Eve and their second sellout of the season with 4,021 on Feb. 28.

Fresno had the largest attendance increase of any team with 12.7 percent to 5,116 per game and Utah averaged 3,844 per game up almost nine percent, the second-largest increase among teams. Returning after being forced to miss the 2005-06 season because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Texas raised its average by 7.5 percent from 2004-05, which was the third-largest increase.

Charlotte led the league with 11 sellouts while raising its attendance to 5,935 per game to finish third in the league. The Checkers led the league a year ago with 10 sellouts at Bobcats Arena with a listed capacity of 6,800 for hockey but which can accommodate larger crowds. Charlotte has had three crowds over 10,000 including a team record 11,237 on Feb. 10 and eight other crowds of more than 9,000.

Idaho finished second with six sellouts including 5,533 on Jan. 20, which is the largest crowd since the team joined the ECHL as an expansion team in 2003-04. The Steelheads have had 29 sellouts since joining the league, including a league-leading 10 in the regular season and five in the Kelly Cup Playoffs their first season.

Bakersfield raised its attendance for the fourth consecutive season finishing fourth with 5,848 per game after drawing 200,000 for the second consecutive season with a team record 210,531. The Condors had a 4.2 percent attendance from last year and 29.6 percent from 2003-04 when they joined the league as an expansion team. Bakersfield had five crowds over 8,000 at Rabobank Arena, including the fourth-largest crowd in history with 8,743 on Nov. 25, 2006.

Alaska drew 6,451 on Oct. 20, 2006 and Apr. 7 marking the sixth time in the regular season and the 15th time overall that the team has had standing-room-only crowds at Sullivan Arena. The Aces raised their average attendance to 5,152 per game, which is up by 5.2 percent from a year ago and 18.8 percent since they joined the league as an expansion team in 2003-04.

Dayton raised its attendance by 5.2 percent, which was the seventh-largest increase from last season. The Bombers, who have raised their attendance each of the last two seasons, had a sellout crowd of 9,989 which is the largest crowd at the Nutter Center since a team record 10,057 on Jan. 23, 2004.

Gwinnett finished fifth in attendance with 5,654 per game, up 2.3 percent from a year ago. For the fourth time in history the Gladiators had a sellout crowd with 11,355 on Nov. 4, 2006 while also having two other crowds over 10,000 and a fourth that was over 9,000. Reading averaged over 5,000 for sixth straight year, including a sellout for opening night and another crowd over 7,000, while Wheeling had a sold-out crowd on Apr. 4.

Phoenix, Victoria and South Carolina all raised their average attendance highlighted by the Salmon Kings first-ever sellout at Save-On-Foods Centre and the Stingrays having 10,112 for their season opener and 10,496 on Jan. 20, their first sellout since 1998.

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