List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues

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The table below lists domestic professional sports leagues from around the world by total attendances for the last completed season for which data is available. It is unlikely that any leagues with total attendances over 10 million are missing, but below that level the table is very incomplete at present.

File:Goalposts.jpg
A full house for an Australian rules football match, a regular occurrence at Subiaco Oval in Perth. The AFL, played at high-capacity cricket grounds, attracts the largest attendances of any domestic sporting leagues in Australia

Points to consider:

  • The correlation between revenue and attendance is quite weak. For example, the NFL is on a par with Major League Baseball financially despite having less than one quarter of the total attendance because it charges much higher ticket prices, has a larger television contract, and only plays 16 games per year per team, compared to the MLB's 162.
  • In some cases the figures listed are for main season games only.
  • In some sports (mainly North American centered sports) the main league competition provides each club or franchise with virtually the whole of its attendance and revenue. In others, there are multiple competitions, for example leading English football clubs compete in four competitions each season, but only the league competition is listed below.
  • In some sports, for example rugby union, international competitions and transnational club competitions provide a significant part of total attendances and revenue.
  • Free or heavily discounted seats may be counted by some leagues. No-shows for paid seats may be included in some cases, but not in others.
  • Not all leagues publish official attendance figures. Various media outlets produce their own figures and sometimes these do not agree, but the differences in the averages given are usually no more than one or two per cent.
  • The "leagues" below include pure league competitions, where the team that finishes at the top of the table is declared the winner, such as the FA Premier League, and hybrid league/knock-out competitions, where the best league performers enter a knock-out phase (also called a playoff) to decide the winner, such as the Australian Football League (Aussie Rules).

Table

The leagues are segregated by means of being held on outdoor stadiums or indoor arenas, although some games in outdoor leagues are held under a retractable roof when weather conditions (such as rain) do not allow the game to be played effectively. The tables are sorted by average attendance.

Outdoor

League Sport Country Season Games Total attendance Average attendance Source
NFL American football United States 2006 256 17,340,879 67,738

[1]

Bundesliga Football (soccer) Germany 2006-07 306 11,899,765 38,888 [2]
Australian Football League Australian rules football Australia 2006 176 6,204,056[A] 35,250 [3]
Premier League Football (soccer) England 2006-07 380 13,057,940 [B] 34,363 [4]
Major League Baseball Baseball United States (29 teams); Canada (1 team) 2006 2,420 76,043,902 31,423 [5]
Canadian Football League Canadian Football Canada 2006 72 2,112,696 29,343 [6]
La Liga Football (soccer) Spain 2006-07 380 10,958,440 28,838 [7]
NPB Baseball Japan 2005 846 19,924,613 [C] 23,552 [citation needed]
Ligue 1 Football (soccer) France 2006-07 380 8,290,346 21,817 [8]
NFL Europa now defunct American football Germany (5 teams); Netherlands (1 team) 2007 31 648,727 20,927 kenn.com
Serie A Football (soccer) Italy 2006-07 380 7,019,740 18,473 [9]
J. League 1 Football (soccer) Japan 2006 306 5,597,408 18,292 [10]
Football League Championship Football (soccer) England
(1 club in Wales)		 2006-07 552 10,057,992 18,221 [9]
Eredivisie Football (soccer) Netherlands 2006-07 306 5,523,957 18,052 [11]
Primera División Argentina Football (soccer) Argentina 2003-04 384 6,667,392 17,363 [1]
Bundesliga 2 Football (soccer) Germany 2006-07 306 5,145,311 16,815 [12]
Turkish Premier Super League Football (soccer) Turkey 2003-04 306 5,140,494 16,799 [9]
National Rugby League Rugby league Australia (15 clubs); New Zealand (1 club) 2006 189 3,115,701 16,485 stats.rleague.com
Scottish Premier League Football (soccer) Scotland 2006-07 228 3,692,232 16,194 [9]
MLS Football (soccer) United States (12 clubs); Canada (1 club) 2006 192 2,976,787 15,504 [13]
A-League Football (soccer) Australia (7 clubs); New Zealand (1 club) 2006-07 90 1,263,785 14,042 ausfootballreview.com
Air New Zealand Cup Rugby union New Zealand 2006 70 937,230 13,389 nzrugbyworld.com
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Football (soccer) Brazil 2006 380 4,495,751 12,385 [2]
Russian Premier League Football (soccer) Russia 2006 240 2,830,268 11,792 Premier League
Guinness Premiership Rugby union England 2006-07 132 1,539,334 11,662 [14]
Currie Cup Rugby union South Africa 2004 - - 11,433 [3]
Portuguese Liga Football (soccer) Portugal 2006-07 240 2,552,640 10,636 [9]
Chinese Super League Football (soccer) China 2006 210 2,228,300 10,600 Sina Sports (In Chinese)
Top 14 Rugby union France 2006-07 182 1,920,079 10,549 [15]
Jupiler League Football (soccer) Belgium 2006-07 306 3,223,098 10,533 [9]
K-League Football (soccer) South Korea 2006 182 1,823,811 10,021 Soccer World (In Korean)
Swiss Super League Football (soccer) Switzerland 2006-07 180 1,741,140 9,673 [9]
Polish Extraleague Motorcycle speedway Poland 2005 68 650,500 9,566
Allsvenskan Football (soccer) Sweden 2006 182 1,714,986 9,423 [9]
Norwegian Premier League Football (soccer) Norway 2006 182 1,648,193 9,056 [9]
Ukrainian Premier League Football (soccer) Ukraine 2006-07 240 2,172,480 9,052 [9]
Super League Rugby league England (1 club in France) 2006 168 1,516,342 9,026 [16]
Serie B Football (soccer) Italy 2006-07 462 3,954,720 8,560 [9]
Danish Superliga Football (soccer) Denmark 2006-07 198 1,604,592 8,104 european-football-statistics.co.uk
Austrian Bundesliga Football (soccer) Austria 2006-07 180 1,443,960 8,022 [9]
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B Football (soccer) Brazil 2006 380 2,896,651 7,958 [4]
Segunda División Football (soccer) Spain 2006-07 462 3,660,888 7,924 [9]
Football League One Football (soccer) England
(1 club in Wales)		 2006-07 552 4,133,928 7,489 The Football League
Twenty20 Cup Cricket England (1 team in Wales) 2005 79 544,820 6,896 ecb.co.uk - small adjustment for apparent mathematical error
Ligue 2 Football (soccer) France 2006-07 380 2,589,112 6,813 [17]
Polish Premier League Football (soccer) Poland 2006-07 182 951,860 6,783 [9]
International League Baseball United States/Canada 2005 1,008 6,687,496 6,634 [5] and official site for number of games
Chinese Football Association Jia League Football (soccer) China 2004 272 1,784,900 6,562 [6]
Super League Greece Football (soccer) Greece 2006-07 240 1,541,760 6,424 [9]
Pacific Coast League Baseball United States 2005 1,145 7,346,408 6,415 [7] and official site for number of games
J. League 2 Football (soccer) Japan 2006 312 1,998,648 6,406 J. League
Celtic League[E] Rugby union Ireland/Scotland/Wales 2006-07 110 670,290 6,093 Magners League
Korea Baseball Organization Baseball South Korea 2006 504 3,040,254 6,032 Korea Baseball Organization
Divizia A Football (soccer) Romania 2006-07 306 1,657,602 5,417 [9]
Texas League Baseball United States 2005 560 2,834,335 5,061 [8] and official site for number of games
Czech Premier League Football (soccer) Czech Republic 2006-07 240 1,169,740 4,874 [9]
Ligat ha'Al Football (soccer) Israel 2006-07 198 960,102 4,849 [9]
USL First Division Football (soccer) United States/Canada 2006 168 783,999 4,667 kenn.com
Eastern League Baseball United States 2005 852 3,944,195 4,629 [9] and official site for number of games
Rugby Pro D2 Rugby union France 2006-07 240 1,083,379 4,514 [18]
Russian First Division Football (soccer) Russia 2006 462 208,180 4,506 rsssf
Kazakhstan Super League Football (soccer) Kazakhstan 2004-05 240 1,049,760 4,374 [9]
Top League Rugby Union Japan 2004-05 66 287,788 4,360 Top League
Major League Lacrosse Lacrosse United States 2006 60 257,714 4,295 Pointstreak.com
Football League Two Football (soccer) England
(1 club in Wales)		 2006-07 552 2,281,416 4,133 The Football League
Pioneer League Baseball United States 2005 152 616,332 4,055 [10] and official site for number of games
Northern League Baseball United States/Canada 2005 373 1,465,320 3,928 Northern League
PNGNRL Rugby league Papua New Guinea 2004 - - 3,919 [11]
Mexican League Baseball Mexico 2005 864 322,958 3,844 msl.com.my
Midwest League Baseball United States 2005 977 3,486,775 3,569 [12] and official site for number of games
Southern League Baseball United States 2005 687 2,416,231 3,517 [13] and official site for number of games
New York - Penn League Baseball United States 2005 528 1,789,962 3,390 [14] and official site for number of games
CPBL Baseball Taiwan 2005 300 1,014,695 3,294 cpbl.com.tw
SANFL Australian rules football Australia 2006 102 309,874 3,228 footysa.com
South Atlantic League Baseball United States 2005 1,098 3,541,992 3,225 [15] and official site for number of games
County Cricket Championships Cricket England/Wales 2005 144 462,919 3,215 [Wisden 2006]
Eerste Divisie Football (soccer) Netherlands 2004-05 342 1,053,702 3,081 [9]
Prva HNL Football (soccer) Croatia 2006-07 198 598,158 3,021 [9]
Northwest League Baseball United States/Canada 2005 304 879,738 2,894 [16] and official site for number of games
Corgoň Liga Football (soccer) Slovakia 2006-07 216 624,024 2,889 [9]
Carolina League Baseball United States 2005 561 1,589,346 2,833 [17] and official site for number of games
Bulgarian A Professional Football Group Football (soccer) Bulgaria 2006-07 240 669,600 2,790 [9]
Cyprus A Division Football (soccer) Cyprus 2006-07 182 490,854 2,697 [9]
Meridian Superliga Football (soccer) Serbia 2006-07 192 519,948 2,626 european-football-statistics.co.uk
Arany Aszok Liga Football (soccer) Hungary 2006-07 240 588,720 2,453 european-football-statistics.co.uk
GNF 1 Football (soccer) Morocco 2006-07 240 579,520 2,415 GNF Stats
First Championship Rugby league Russia 2004 - - 2,331 [18]
California League Baseball United States 2005 698 1,580,563 2,264 [19] and official site for number of games
Malaysia Premier League Football (soccer) Malaysia 2005 168 372,624 2,218 msl.com.my
WAFL Australian rules football Australia 2006 94 207,154 2,204 WAFL
Scottish Football League First Division Football (soccer) Scotland 2006-07 180 392,580 2,181 Football365.com
Superettan Football (soccer) Sweden 2006 168 353,640 2,105 [20]
Nationwide Conference Football (soccer) England 2004-05 462 913,898 1,978 ESPN Soccernet
National League One Rugby league England 2006 90 166,676 1,852 [21]
Frontier League Baseball United States 2005 561 1,038,333 1,851 Frontier League
League of Ireland Premier Division Football (soccer) Republic of Ireland (1 team in Northern Ireland) 2005 198 348,282 1,759 european-football-statistics.co.uk
Russian Second Division Football (soccer) Russia 2006 1,311 2,215,310 1,690 rsssf
USL 2nd Division Football (soccer) United States 2005 90 144,027 1,600 kenn.com
Allsvenskan Bandy Sweden 2005-06 112 141,680 1,265 [22]
Florida State League Baseball United States 2005 810 986,771 1,218 [23] and official site for number of games
Landsbankadeildin Football (soccer) Iceland 2006 90 98,026 1,089 [24]
Scottish Football League Second Division Football (soccer) Scotland 2006-07 180 185,220 1,029 Football365.com
Appalachian League Baseball United States 2005 334 311,484 933 [25] and official site for number of games
National League Two Rugby league England 2006 132 86,173 653 [26]
Scottish Football League Third Division Football (soccer) Scotland 2006-07 180 94,140 523 Football365.com
National Division Two Rugby union England 2006-2007 153* 71,747* 469* [27]
League of Wales Football (soccer) Wales 2005-06 306 81,988 268 League of Wales website
Rugby Union National League 3 (South) Rugby union England 2006-07 159* 45,553* 286 [28]
Rugby Union National League 3 (North) Rugby union England 2006-07 161* 42,354* 263 [29]

Indoor

League Sport Country Season Games Total attendance Average attendance Source
NBA Basketball United States (29 teams); Canada (1 team) 2006-07 1,230 21,841,480 17,757 [19]
NHL Ice Hockey United States (24 teams); Canada (6 teams) 2006-07 1,230 20,861,787 16,961 [20]
Arena Football League Arena football United States 2007 144 1,887,054 12,415 ArenaFan
National Lacrosse League Indoor lacrosse United States (11 teams); Canada (3 teams) 2007 104 1,070,575 10,293 Pointstreak.com
WNBA Women's basketball United States 2006 238 1,779,366 7,746 [30]
Philippine Basketball Association Basketball Philippines 2005-06 219 737,782[D] 6,647 PBA.ph
Elitserien Ice hockey Sweden 2006-07 330 2,064,204 6,255 stats.swehockey.se
Deutsche Eishockey-Liga Ice hockey Germany 2006-07 364 2,247,521 6,175 del.org
Nationalliga A Ice hockey Switzerland 2004-05 264 1,450,591 5,495 internationalhockeygang.org forum
American Hockey League Ice hockey United States (26 teams); Canada (3 teams) 2006-07 1,080 5,909,687 5,472 mib.org/~lennier/hockey/
Czech Extraliga Ice hockey Czech Republic 2004-05 364 1,826,507 5,018 internationalhockeygang.org forum
af2 Arena football United States 2005 147 716,422 4,873 arenafan.com
Handball Bundesliga Handball Germany 2005-06 306 1,390,158 4,543 Handball Bundesliga
Central Hockey League Ice hockey United States 2006-07 544 2,387,286 4,388 mib.org/~lennier/hockey/
MISL Indoor soccer United States 2005 145 628,948 4,338 kenn.com
ECHL Ice hockey United States (24 teams); Canada (1 team) 2006-07 900 3,752,804 4,170 mib.org/~lennier/hockey/
Russian Hockey Super League Ice hockey Russia 2004-05 480 1,871,801 3,900 internationalhockeygang.org forum
NBL (Australia) Basketball Australia (12 clubs); New Zealand (1 club); Singapore (1 club) 2004-05 176 644,976 3,665 NBL official site
United Hockey League Ice hockey United States 2006-07 380 1,307,858 3,441 mib.org/~lennier/hockey/
Basketball Bundesliga Basketball Germany 2006-07 289 (without the 2007 playoffs) 1,031,096 3,370 BBL official site
Southern Professional Hockey League Ice hockey United States 2006-07 209 624,017 2,985 mib.org/~lennier/hockey/
pointstreak.com
Slovak Extraliga Ice hockey Slovakia 2004-05 270 766,816 2,840 internationalhockeygang.org forum
Lega Pallavolo Serie A Volleyball Italy 2005-06 187 469,799 2,512 Serie A Volleyball official site
HockeyAllsvenskan Ice hockey Sweden 2006-07 360 679,156 1,887 [31]
UPC Ligaen Ice hockey Norway 2005-06 247 329,768 1,335 hockey.no
Pro A Volleyball Volleyball France 2005-06 182 213,678 1,174 [32]
Norwegian Premier League Handball Norway 2005-06 132 58,958 447 handball.no

Notes

  • A (Note: does not include 2006 AFL Finals Series). See also Australian rules football attendance records
  • B The total attendance for the four fully professional football divisions in England (FA Premier League, Football League Championship, Football League 1 and Football League 2) in 2004-5 was 29,252,189. This doesn't include domestic and European cup games.
  • C Until 2005, the attendance figures in NPB were estimated by the home teams. The estimated figures were normally much higher than the actual numbers of spectators in the game. The total and average attendances only covered regular season games.
  • D The total attendance is for games held on Metro Manila only in which almost all gamedates are doubleheaders, and ticket holders pay for both games.
  • E The league is now known as the Magners League since a 2006 sponsorship deal.

Top 10 in total attendance (Outdoor and Indoor)

League Sport Country Season Games Total attendance Average attendance
Major League Baseball Baseball 29 teams in United States / 1 team in Canada 2006 2,419 75,997,622 31,417
NBA Basketball 29 teams in United States / 1 team in Canada 2006-07 1,230 21,841,480 17,757
NHL Ice Hockey 24 teams in United States / 6 teams in Canada 2006-07 1,230 20,861,787 16,961
NPB Baseball Japan 2005 846 19,924,613 23,552
NFL American Football United States 2006 256 17,340,879 67,738
FA Premier League Football (soccer) England 2005-06 380 12,876,182 33,885
Bundesliga 1 Football (soccer) Germany 2006-07 306 11,899,765 38,888
La Liga Football (soccer) Spain 2005-06 380 11,031,020 29,029
Football League Championship Football (soccer) England
(1 club in Wales)		 2005-06 552 9,724,032 17,616
Serie A Football (soccer) Italy 2005-06 380 8,245,240 21,968

See also

References

  1. ^ NFL News (2001-01-04). "NFL sets paid attendance record". Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  2. ^ Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH. "General statistics - Bundesliga". Retrieved 2007-05-22.
  3. ^ http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=32145
  4. ^ "FA Premier League Handbook 2006-07: Statistics". FA Premier League. Retrieved 2007-05-22. (free registration required)
  5. ^ "Major League Baseball's record attendance tops 76 million". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  6. ^ "Schedule". Canadian Football League. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  7. ^ "EFS attendances". europeanfootballstatistics.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
  8. ^ "Ligue 1 Attendances By Day 2006/07". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x european-football-statistics.co.uk "EFS Attendances". European Football Statistics. Retrieved 2007-04-21. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  10. ^ J. League. "Attendance: 2006 J.League Division 1". Retrieved 2007-04-22.
  11. ^ Vandenberghe, Dirk (2007-05-01). "Nieuwe stadions lokken voetbalfans" (in Dutch). NRC Handelsblad. Retrieved 2007-05-08.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  12. ^ Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH. "General statistics - 2nd Bundesliga". Retrieved 2007-05-22.
  13. ^ Major League Soccer (2006-10-30). "Stats - 2006". Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  14. ^ "Attendance Table 2006-07". Premier Rugby. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
  15. ^ Ligue Nationale de Rugby. "Affluence totale par club: TOP 14 - 26 premières journées - Saison 2006-2007" (in French). Retrieved 2007-06-17.
  16. ^ "engage Super League XI sets attendance record". engage Super League. 2006-09-18. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
  17. ^ "Ligue 2 Attendances By Day 2006/07". Ligue de Football Professionnel. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  18. ^ Ligue Nationale de Rugby. "Affluence totale par club: Pro D2 - 30 premières journées - Saison 2006-2007" (in French). Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  19. ^ "NBA sets attendance record with 21.8 million spectators". AFP. Retrieved 2007-04-22.
  20. ^ NHL News (2007-04-09). "NHL sets records for total, average attendance". Retrieved 2007-04-22.
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