ECHL Attendance Down 1.8%; Toledo Walleye Lead With 5,826 Per Game

The ECHL, considered the Double-A level of North American hockey, is averaging 4,099 fans per game this season, down 1.8% compared to the same period a year ago. The league this season added two clubs -- the Colorado Eagles and Chicago Express -- while the Victoria Salmon Kings ceased operations in British Columbia after last season. This season marks the first time since ’04 that there is no club based in Canada. The Toledo Walleye lead all clubs with 5,826 fans per game, up 2% from last season. That figure is just ahead of the AEG-owned Ontario Reign, who have led the league in average attendance the past two seasons. The Reign’s home attendance is down 6.8% at Citizens Business Bank Arena in San Bernardino County, Calif. The Greenville Road Warriors are seeing the sharpest drop in the league, down 10% during their second season at BI-LO Center. After finishing last season at the bottom in attendance, the Trenton ECHL franchise folded, but was revived by new ownership in time for the current season. The team switched affiliations from the Devils to the Flyers and attendance is up a league-best 36.2% at Sun National Bank Center. Also seeing double-digit percentage increases are the Utah Grizzlies, Wheeling Nailers and Cincinnati Cyclones. Listed below is team-by-team attendance for the ECHL through Jan. 29, with comparisons to the same period last year (THE DAILY).

ECHL ATTENDANCE THROUGH JAN. 29
TEAM	GMS	TOTAL	AVG.	PREV.	% +/-	'10-11 GMS
Toledo Walleye	23	134,005	5,826	5,714	2.0%	20
Ontario Reign	18	104,125	5,785	6,207	-6.8%	20
Stockton Thunder	20	114,979	5,749	6,154	-6.6%	17
Colorado Eagles*	20	105,780	5,289	n/a	n/a	n/a
Gwinnett Gladiators	22	108,976	4,953	5,046	-1.8%	22
Bakersfield Condors	22	108,918	4,951	4,972	-0.4%	20
Florida Everblades	21	99,243	4,726	4,773	-1.0%	21
Cincinnati Cyclones	18	79,958	4,442	4,018	10.6%	19
Alaska Aces	28	118,774	4,242	4,229	0.3%	21
Utah Grizzlies	25	104,450	4,178	3,598	16.1%	19
Reading Royals	20	81,097	4,055	4,346	-6.7%	17
Las Vegas Wranglers	21	83,761	3,989	3,851	3.6%	28
Idaho Steelheads	19	73,792	3,884	3,784	2.6%	23
Elmira Jackals	22	74,610	3,391	3,541	-4.2%	22
Greenville Road Warriors	22	69,544	3,161	3,514	-10.0%	23
South Carolina Stingrays	23	71,306	3,100	3,144	-1.4%	24
Trenton Titans	20	58,306	2,915	2,140	36.2%	22
Kalamazoo Wings	20	54,196	2,710	2,925	-7.4%	17
Wheeling Nailers	24	61,802	2,575	2,230	15.5%	22
Chicago Express**	21	50,674	2,413	n/a	n/a	n/a
ECHL TOTALS	429	1,758,296	4,099	4,175	-1.8%	377

NOTES: All ECHL attendance data is based on totals posted immediately following games. Figures do not reflect any subsequent adjustments made by teams or the league. Last season's ECHL attendance includes the Victoria Salmon Kings, who folded following the '10-11 season. * = Team moved to ECHL after playing last season in the CHL. ** = Expansion club.