+xthe Average A league crowd is not bad when compared in Asia or Globally, but it should be better non the less. It’s slso worth remembering a few points when comparing :take out the finals series so it’s a like for like comparison (two-thirds if the world don’t have finals); Remember Australia doesn’t have a competing second division like many countries do. The average in many second divisions detracts from the top flight average as fans follow their team not a competition. And finally most competitions have pro/rel in place which can see large drawing clubs relegated and replaced by low drawing clubs eg Bournemouth replace Sunderland in the EPL. (Imagine Collingwood or Bronco’s getting relegated and replaced by a team from Coffs Harbour?).
yes sometimes expansion means reduction in attendance numbers, by this point I mean you need to have a strong second division first so that lower-tier clubs could develop their own fan base ahd when they got promoted they will bring positive changes to the League. not only for attendance numbers but also competiveness
like what happend in J-League and CSL,expansion teams are from second tier, not just organise a new club come from nowhere.
Meanwhile when K-League introduce second level in 2013, as there is not enough clubs they have to relegate teams from top level, the average attendance then drops a lot.and the League has a lot of trouble in commercial.
K-League Average attdance by year
1983 10,493 professional League starts with 5 clubs,2 professional and 3 ameturish clubs, under Official name of Korean Super League (KSL)
1984 4,093 expanded to 8 clubs,6 professional and 2 ameturish clubs.
1985 5,393
1986 3,500 reduced to 6 clubs, 5 professional and 1 ameturish clubs, rename as Korea Professional Football League (KPFL)
1987 3,233 reduced to 5, fully professional
1988 3,757
1989 4,128 expanded to 6
1990 4,211
1991 9,871
1992 11,553
1993 8,532
1994 7,152 expanded to 7
1995 10,258 expanded to 8
1996 10,388 expanded to 9
1997 6,731 expandd to 10
1998 11,780 renamed as K-League
1999 14,413
2000 10,052
2001 12,745
2002 14,600
2003 9,800 expanded to 12
2004 11,941 expanded to 13
2005 11,258
2006 10,339 expanded to 14
2007 11,786
2008 12,901
2009 11,226 expanded to 15
2010 10,941
2011 11,634 expanded to 16
2012 7,045 relegation introduced, two K-League clubs relagated to K2
2013 7,652 reduced to 14 clubs, K2 League started pro/rel started
2014 7,932 reduced to 12 clubs
2015 7,720
2016 7,873
2017 6,505
J1-League Average attendance by year
1993 17,976 professional League started with 10 clubs
1994 19,598 expanded to 12, new teams are promoted from JFL
1995 16,922 expanded to 14
1996 13,353 expanded to 16
1997 10,131 expended to 17
1998 11,982 expanded to 18
1999 11,658 reduced to 16, JFL becomed professional and rebanded as J2, relegation from J1 starts
2000 11,065
2001 16,548
2002 16,368
2003 17,351
2004 18,965
2005 18,765 expanded to 18
2006 18,292
2007 19,066
2008 19,202
2009 18,985
2010 18,428
2011 15,797
2012 17,566
2013 17,226
2014 17,240
2015 17,803
2016 17,968
2017 18,883
CSL Average attendance by year
1992 17,429 Jia-A last edition of Semi-Pro season, 8 clubs
1993 no League, clubs rebanded to realise professionalism
1994 16,326 first professional season of Jia-A and Jia-B, Jia-A expanded to 12 clubs, with 4 teams promoted from Jia-B
1995 23,790
1996 24,266
1997 21,220
1998 21,335 Expanded to 14
1999 19,909
2000 19,901
2001 18,296 pro/rel cacelled
2002 14,984 expanded to 15
2003 17,710
2004 10,838 reduced to 12 and rebanded as CSL
2005 10,284 expanded to 14
2006 10,611 expanded to 15 pro/rel resumed
2007 15,112
2008 13,444 expanded to 16
2009 16,059
2010 14,581
2011 17,651
2012 18,740
2013 18,571
2014 18,986
2015 22,193
2016 24,159
2017 23,766 announced expansion plan, will expand to 18 clubs by 2022