Poor Attendance in the Premier League?
January 26, 2008 by Jyle Dupuis
Filed under News
This weeks news came as no surprise that the English Premier League is experiencing a high attendance rate. Teams like Manchester United and Chelsea have sky rocketed their budgets from tickets sales and merchandise sold around the world.
Within the Premier League it was reported that their teams have an average attendance of about 36,000 fans per game. So why then do some people believe there is a problem? BBC reported that sad defensive playing teams actually deter fans from attending and that more needs to be done to revitalize the game and make it more exciting. Are we asking now that all players become super hero’s? Some Asian countries have created their own versions of football that resembles more of a ‘don’t let the ball touch the ground’ passing game.
Read the article here and let me know what you all think?
“Why do people believe there is a problem?”
Well take these football ‘clubs’ as an example, Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Reading, Wigan and Fulham.
Then look at their attendances from their last home game:
Middlesbrough: 24,000
Fulham: 25,000
Reading: 24,000
Birmingham: 25,000
Wigan: 19,000
Portsmouth: 19,000
Then you only have to look at some of the attendances in LEAGUE ONE!!!
Leeds United: 38,256
Nottingham Forest: 28,520
Its’ bloody embarrassing, there is NO reason why these PREMIER LEAGUE attendances should be beaten by clubs in League one.
ive got a good reason…..maybe because none of the teams you just stated have capacities capable of reaching the attendences at elland road and forest, middlesborough are the only 1 that could come close with around a 31,000 capacity and maybe birmingham who can hold around 28,000…the rest are between 20 and 25 thousand so if you think about it they really arnt that far off reaching there capacites.
Middlesbrough are often cited as one of the poorly supported clubs in the EPL. The fact is, despite getting 30K+ crowds for a couple of seasons in the late 1990’s, Boro’s average gate in the top flight since the war has been no more than 19,000. Middlesbrough is a relatively small town, not much bigger (population-wise) than Ipswich & Brighton, and only a third of the size of their neighbours Newcastle. Their current attendances are a truer reflection on their catchment size. A bit of perspective is needed instead of just looking at raw match-day numbers! Birmingham on the other hand is England’s 2nd city with a population in the millions. If any club is poorly supported for their catchment area, its them (despite sharing the same city as Villa).
Largest attendance at Springfield Park: 30,611 Wigan v. Sheffield Wednesday (FA Cup 1928-29)
Largest attendance at Springfield Park (Wigan Athletic): 27,526 v. Hereford (FA Cup 1953-54)…This is still the largest attendance between two non-league clubs out-side of Wembley.
I’m a Wigan fan. In regards to support we are a small town surrounded by Large Cities. We are 25 mins drive from Liverpool and Everton Grounds. We are 30 mins from UTD. 40 mins from Man City. 15 mins from Boton , 20 mins Blackburn. These have all been established many years longer and all in larger catchment areas.
On the other hand I went to Newcastle’s ground. Never again. They stick you in the lands of the Gods and Charge you £25 for the convenience. What on earth the Newcastle punters pay on ground level I wouldn’t know, and to watch a poor team. Ask me why. Well it took me 3 hours to drive to back water where people seemed to have nothing else to do but look forward to football. I’m afraid it will take a lot of money to tempt any footballer up there. That said I would like more fans at Wigan. But where are they to come from in the immediate short term? We are developing the youth support and we play attractive football, so it will take time. I do Balk at why any local male would sooner be at Asda or Tesco’s down the road pushing a trolley than be at the game, Saturday or Sunday, and Sky don’t help because if they do televise a Wigan V anybody game its always when Wigan are at playing at home. But modern culture has the most to do with it and then again the costs. Wigan as a club has earned the right to play in the premiership, and they are a well run club almost like a mini UTD. I believe if you put the likes of Leeds and Forrest in the Premiership for free they’d still get relegated and they would still struggle. Look at Newcastle. They have won nothing for 50 years. Maybe their fans should move to Wigan and come and watch us rather than waiting another 50 years. I love the Geordies