Attendance record in Europe

[Doktor Kosmos]

IIHF link

SC Bern top attendance list again while setting new all-time record

The defending Swiss champion SC Bern set a new all-time attendance record for a club team in Europe for the 2004-2005 season. SC Bern recorded an average of 15,360 fans in 22 home games in the 16.771 BernArena, to top all European clubs for a fourth consecutive year. The Swiss league plays a 44-game schedule.

This is the first time the 15.000-barrier is broken in European club hockey. SC Bern surpassed the old record set last year by an average of more than 2.000 fans per game. The club recorded an average of 13.034 in the 2003-2004 season.

The impressive increase is rather surprising considering that the 03-04 champion SC Bern has been struggling for the entire season, even to make the playoffs. The club clinched the eighth and final playoff spot on the last day of the regular season. SC Bern eliminated first-place HC Lugano in five games in the first round.

As all the top European leagues have now concluded their regular seasons, the annual IIHF count of Europe's Top-25 clubs shows that the ranking among the top eight clubs has not changed from last season. The average of 11.676 recorded by Frölunda HC (Gothenburg) is an all-time record for the Swedish Elitserien, as the club has been filling the 12.044-seat Scandinavium arena for a capacity rate of 96,9 percent. The club sold out 16 out of 25 home games. The Swedish league plays a 50-game regular season.

Russian Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has the best capacity rate of the top ten clubs with 98,9 percent at the 9.046-seat Arena-2000.

Best attendance figures in European hockey leagues 2004-2005

(Numbers in brackets indicate position last season)

1. (1) SC Bern -- SUI -- 15'360 -- 91,6%

2. (2) Kölner Haie -- GER -- 12'235 -- 66,1%

3. (3) Hamburg Freezers -- GER -- 11'883 -- 92,8%

4. (4) Frölunda HC, Göteborg -- SWE -- 11'676 -- 96,9%

5. (5) Jokerit, Helsinki -- FIN -- 9'636 -- 70,5%

6. (6) Lokomotiv Yaroslavl -- RUS -- 8'941 -- 98,9%

7. (7) HC Pardubice -- CZE -- 8'770 -- 94,8%

8. (8) Färjestads BK, Karlstad -- SWE -- 7'956 -- 96,4%

9. (x) Linköping HC -- SWE -- 7'703 -- 90,6%

10. (x) Slavia Prague -- CZE -- 7'696 -- 44,4%

11. (11) Djurgardens IF, Stockholm -- SWE -- 7'391 -- 53,3%

12. (9) TPS Turku -- FIN -- 7'230

13. (13) HIFK Helsinki -- FIN -- 7'007

14. (16) HV71 Jönköping -- SWE -- 6'993

15. (x) Metallurg Novokuznetsk* -- RUS -- 6'700

16. (x) Sibir Novosibirsk* -- RUS -- 6'700

17. (15) Frankfurt Lions -- GER -- 6'419

18. (18) HC Plzen -- CZE -- 6'128

19. (14) DEG Metro Stars, Düsseldorf -- GER -- 5'962

20. (x) Sparta Prague -- CZE -- 5'953

21. (20) HC Lausanne -- SUI -- 5'932

22. (17) Kärpät Oulu -- FIN -- 5'892

23. (23) Timrà IK -- SWE -- 5'480

24. (22) Ilves Tampere -- FIN -- 5'394

25. (x) HC Kladno -- CZE -- 5'374

* Figures for Metallurg Novokuznetsk and Sibir Novosibirsk are estimated.

As far as I know, Djurgården plays in the the arena in Sweden with the highest capacity. Despite of this fact, they have an average attendance of only 50 % (well 53,3 & to be exact). Other Swedish clubs with high attendance capacity arenas like Frölunda, Färjestad and Linköping all had at least a 90 % attendance average.

[Edited on 2005/3/17 by Doktor Kosmos]

[ch_nl]

I think theese stats shows how important the development of hockey in europe is.

Russia, Finland, Sweden and Czech Republic may have the best players best teams but the top three are from Germany and Switzerland.

And at the same time I wonder why Austria hasn't been able to follow Switzerland. Am I just ignorant not to reckognize them as two different coutries or aren't they "linked" in a way?

I also find it interesting that none of the Moscow clubs CSKA and Dynamo are not in the top. And where is AK Bars Kazan?

[Doktor Kosmos]

Don't you think Germany and Switzerland is leading the way because that's where the money is? As far as I've heard, Russia is also experiencing an economical boom.

I know it's a hypothetical question, but wouldn't it be interesting to see what the numbers would be like if there was no NHL lockout?

[ch_nl]

No I don't think that the main reason why Bern, Hamburg and Cologne.

Bern has two of my favourites: Briere and Dumont. But could that alone be reason enough for over 15.000 in the crowd?

And who's playing with Kölner Haie?! Who's more than Jim Dowd plays with Hamburg?

No I don't think that the main thing is the money. For if that was true the top three club would have signed bigger namnes.

I think Germany and Switzerland are growing a hockey culture. Switzerlad has done very very well in the last years World Juniors. And the factor that theese cities are big enough.

But I do agree that it would have been very interesting to see theese numbers with an ongoing NHL season.

[bombTHEice]

Originally posted by ch_nl

Russia, Finland, Sweden and Czech Republic may have the best players best teams but the top three are from Germany and Switzerland.

And at the same time I wonder why Austria hasn't been able to follow Switzerland. Am I just ignorant not to reckognize them as two different coutries or aren't they "linked" in a way?

Hockey is becoming more and more popular in the last year but the arenas simply don't have the capacity as the big arenas in Germany or Suisse. Our 2 biggest arenas are in Innsbruck and Vienna (where also the WC will be played) with about 7000 to 8000 seats (as far as I know). Especially Vienna could have easily a bigger one, they are sold out every game.