Down The Stretch: NHL Passes NBA In Average Attendance

With a little more than a month left in the NBA and NHL regular seasons, the NHL’s average attendance of 17,151, buoyed by the Penguins-Sabres Amp Energy Winter Classic, has surpassed the NBA's average of 17,145 through March 3. The NHL, which has an average capacity of 18,443 fans per game, is filling arenas to 93.1% capacity. The NBA, with an average capacity of 19,201, is at 89.2% capacity. However, of the 10 markets where NHL and NBA teams share a venue, seven have NBA teams outdrawing the NHL co-tenant in average attendance. Also, the NHL’s New Year’s Day outdoor game drew 71,217 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Assuming the Sabres had played that game at home and had drawn their HSBC Arena average of 18,663, the NHL average would be 17,098 fans per game, 47 fans less per game than the NBA. The following lists average attendance for the NHL and NBA, with comparisons to the same period last year. Also included is average attendance and percent capacity for venues that have NHL and NBA tenants (THE DAILY).