The Impact Of The Champions League On Domestic Attendances

[Sportlad]

When clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two play their fixtures on the same evenings as Champions League games, there is a noticeable decline in their attendances. I never really considered this but the following article - http://www.thestatszone.com/articles/the-impact-of-the-champions-league-on-domestic-attendances - highlights this issue.

As the article suggests, the powers that be were looking at a radical restructure which would have seen four leagues of 20 teams introduced - which would have negated the need for so many midweek fixtures - but these plans have fallen through.

Interesting analyses though. What do you think? Would the restructure have benefited revenue for lower league clubs?

 

[joethegill]

I've not read that article but removing 4 home fixtures from the revenue of a lower league club is hardly likely to be a benefit.

 

[bantamigo]

Midweek games in winter are always going to have lower attendances due to lower away crowds, cold weather keeping older and younger fans away. You can't just say it s because of the Champions League.

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

Midweek games in winter are always going to have lower attendances due to lower away crowds, cold weather keeping older and younger fans away. You can't just say it s because of the Champions League.

There's also the impact of Christmas and people having less money to spend.

 

[Bobbin']

I agree that lower attendances aren't necessarily anything to do with the Champions League particularly as all games are now only shown on BT sport but if it were the case I don't see why we should reshuffle the whole league structure to suit the 'fans' that would rather sit on their sofa watching that than go and watch their own side.

As Joe rightly said, removing 4 home games will probably be more damagaing than a handful of lower attendances, we are typically getting around 8,000-9,000 this season for midweek home games and around 11,000 - 12,000 for Saturday games. There is no way that we are going to get crowds of 20,000+ for 4 home games in league one to make up the difference. Even getting 2,000 or so extra every home game is unlikely as the ones who already go to home games on a Saturday are already in that 12,000.

 

[Andy Proctor]

Theres alot more night games being played nowadays. Vale must have had 5 night home games so far rochdale millwall charlton derby mansfield. Also had to move chesterfield to a night match aswell. This is not just affecting home support as the number of our home fans is 500 down on last season no one is bringing away support to vale either. Oxford with 606 and a poor 604 from that so called massive club coventry who are the first team slag other teams followings off are another reason why home crowds are down for us as thats the most anybody has brought to us.

 

[LadyWomble]

Midweek games in winter are always going to have lower attendances due to lower away crowds, cold weather keeping older and younger fans away. You can't just say it s because of the Champions League.

Exactly. If I read that correctly, they use season average attendance as their comparator. A truer comparison would be, e.g., L1 midweek attendances in December or whenever these (mostly non-)Champions league games are played. But that would take a lot more research.

 

[Dayul]

This is one of the reasons I was fairly open to the EFLs idea of binning off mid week games. Our mid week crowds have got progressively worse over the last 15 years. I reckon clubs at League 1 and below around cities that have clubs regularly qualifying for Europe seem to suffer most I.e Manchester , Liverpool & London . Seems to be a trend amongst clubs who have spent the last 20+ years outside of the top flight seem to have a lot of fans who see the lower league club as their "second" team and viewing a Prem side on telly as their first.

 

[WhiteRussian]

I would love to be able to bin Tuesday night matches in winter. Cold, dark, not getting out of the ground until close to 22:00. I just don't find enough enjoyment to go to them.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Champions League nights have have never had any clear effect on our Tuesday night gates.

Our Tuesday nights are always about 7% (1,500) below average regardless of whether there's a Champions League match or not.

The main reason is less young children are able to make night matches (school in the morning etc). Also the out of towners are less likely to travel longer distances in the week compared to weekends where they might combine going to matches with family visits and of course the weather tends to be colder at night compared to Saturday afternoons.

However there are adults who work Saturdays or play football Saturday that can only make night games.

Also I agree that maybe certain clubs that sit on the outskirts of Manchester etc are more affected.