The Premier League is on course to set an average attendance record this season. This comes after the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on many things, including crowds inside stadiums. Leagues from all over the world either banned fans or limited them from March of 2020 up until Spring of 2021. However, crowds are now surpassing previous Premier League records.
For the first time in the English top flight’s history, stadium attendance is averaging over 40,000 fans per game. The Times is reporting that this shows a steady increase in attendance in recent years. Premier League crowds during the 2021/22 campaign previously set the record for average onlookers at 39,574. This was a minor increase of fans compared to the 2019/20 season (not including COVID-period games).
One aspect worth noting is the fact that teams declare attendance based on ticket sales. This obviously tends to inflate official numbers just a bit, particularly when considering season tickets. Fans that purchase season ticket packages may miss certain matches more freely, because they know they will be back inside the stadium soon.
Red Devils top the charts thanks to roomy Old Trafford
Manchester United is leading the average attendance chart among Premier League teams. Old Trafford, currently the largest ground in the league, has a capacity of about 74,000 people. The Red Devils are reporting an average attendancejust shy of 74,000 per top flight game. West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Liverpool round out the division’s top five teams in ticket sales.
Increasing fan interest is obviously a significant factor in these reported figures. However, many top flight clubs have either build new massive stadiums or renovated their current arenas to accommodate more fans. Spurs, for example, completed their new stadium in 2019. The north London outfit went from a capacity of 36,000 at White Hart Lane, to over 62,000 at the new arena.
Average attendance bumps not exclusive to Premier League
Attendance numbers are not, however, solely up in just the Premier League. All of English Football League’s divisions are experiencing a surge in stadium turnout. The aforementioned news outlet claims that the second-tiered Championship currently has their fifth-highest total average attendance to date. League One and League Two both currently have their highest attendance numbers in over 45 years. The fifth-tiered National League has also seen record turnout as well.
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