The ECHL this season averaged 4,386 fans per game, marking the Double-A level’s lowest average attendance since ’11-12. Attendance was down 5% from last season. The league lost its three California-based teams to the AHL after last season, including the Ontario Reign, who led the ECHL at the gate in five of six seasons before departing. Filling the void for those three clubs this season were the East Coast markets vacated by the AHL in Manchester, N.H., Norfolk, Va., and Glens Falls, N.Y. The Ft. Wayne Komets took over the top spot among all 28 ECHL clubs in attendance this season, with 7,484 fans per game, up 3% from last season. The Wheeling Nailers led all teams in gains, up just under 12%. The sharpest drop at the gate belonged to the Evansville IceMen (-19%), who announced in November their intent to move to Owensboro, Ky. The club will be dormant next season as renovations are made to Owensboro Sportscenter (THE DAILY).
|
'15-16 ECHL REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE
|
| TEAM |
GAMES
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
| Ft. Wayne Komets |
36
|
269,413
|
7,484
|
7,277
|
2.8%
|
| Toledo Walleye |
36
|
251,369
|
6,982
|
6,440
|
8.4%
|
| Orlando Solar Bears |
36
|
224,131
|
6,226
|
6,209
|
0.3%
|
| Tulsa Oilers* |
36
|
219,215
|
6,089
|
5,479
|
11.1%
|
| Florida Everblades |
36
|
187,705
|
5,214
|
5,205
|
0.2%
|
| Missouri Mavericks* |
36
|
185,531
|
5,154
|
5,317
|
-3.1%
|
| Utah Grizzlies |
36
|
183,415
|
5,095
|
4,919
|
3.6%
|
| Atlanta Gladiators |
36
|
177,935
|
4,943
|
4,927
|
0.3%
|
| Colorado Eagles |
36
|
176,611
|
4,906
|
5,289
|
-7.2%
|
| Wichita Thunder* |
36
|
168,563
|
4,682
|
5,007
|
-6.5%
|
| Manchester Monarchs** |
36
|
166,403
|
4,622
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Allen Americans* |
36
|
164,559
|
4,571
|
4,096
|
11.6%
|
| Cincinnati Cyclones |
36
|
164,333
|
4,565
|
4,342
|
5.1%
|
| Quad City Mallards* |
36
|
157,296
|
4,369
|
3,913
|
11.7%
|
| Idaho Steelheads |
36
|
151,111
|
4,198
|
4,030
|
4.2%
|
| Evansville IceMen |
36
|
145,545
|
4,043
|
5,019
|
-19.4%
|
| South Carolina Stingrays |
36
|
142,437
|
3,957
|
3,979
|
-0.6%
|
| Indy Fuel |
36
|
138,825
|
3,856
|
3,720
|
3.7%
|
| Alaska Aces |
36
|
137,854
|
3,829
|
4,367
|
-12.3%
|
| Norfolk Admirals** |
36
|
135,599
|
3,767
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Reading Royals |
36
|
135,004
|
3,750
|
4,192
|
-10.5%
|
| Rapid City Rush* |
36
|
133,800
|
3,717
|
3,856
|
-3.6%
|
| Greenville Swamp Rabbits |
36
|
131,698
|
3,658
|
3,619
|
1.1%
|
| Wheeling Nailers |
36
|
100,627
|
2,795
|
2,499
|
11.9%
|
| Elmira Jackals |
36
|
100,251
|
2,785
|
2,557
|
8.9%
|
| Brampton Beast* |
36
|
100,216
|
2,784
|
2,572
|
8.2%
|
| Adirondack Thunder** |
36
|
88,630
|
2,462
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Kalamazoo Wings |
36
|
82,738
|
2,298
|
2,703
|
-15.0%
|
| ECHL TOTALS |
1,008
|
4,420,814
|
4,386
|
4,598
|
-4.6%
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES: Attendance from the '14-15 season includes three clubs who moved to AHL: the Ontario Reign, Bakersfield Condor and Stockton Thunder. * = Seven new teams were added to the ECHL for '14-15 following a merger with the Central Hockey League. ** = Expansion market for '15-16 season.
