High ticket prices, kick-off times changed for television, increasing numbers of live televised matches and less competition for the top three places in the Premiership have been blamed as attendances drop significantly for the first time in nearly 20 years. With the value of media rights having declined in recent times, a reduction of income at the gate would constitute a second considerable blow.

Top-flight attendances have been rising consistently since the late 1980s, the average having grown about 60 per cent in that period, but there has been a levelling off over the past two seasons. There was a drop in the average Premiership crowd figure from 35,008 in 2003-04 to 33,892 last term, but that can be attributed almost entirely to three well-supported clubs being relegated and replaced by three smaller clubs.

To avoid such considerations, it is worth comparing the attendances at those fixtures played so far this season in the Premiership and Championship that also took place last term, thus ignoring games involving Sunderland, Wigan Athletic and West Ham United in the Premiership and those of the six sides newly promoted or relegated into the Championship. The comparison is therefore direct and fair, and the results make grim reading.

The 34 relevant Premiership matches played this season have attracted an average attendance of 33,415, more than 1,500 down on the corresponding fixtures last term, a drop of 4.5 per cent. Matters are worse in the Championship, where the underlying increase, unlike with the Premiership, had yet to level off last season. Taking the fixtures played in the Championship that also took place last season — 54 — the average attendance was 15,839 last term but only 14,477 in this campaign, a fall of 7 per cent.

Manchester City have suffered the biggest fall in attendances in the Premiership, with an average of 4,800 fewer people having watched their meetings with West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth compared with last season. That is a surprise given the team is resurgent under Stuart Pearce, as is the fact that Middlesbrough have experienced the second largest drop of 3,500.

Given that Bolton Wanderers have endured the sixth greatest drop, one of about 2,000 per match, despite having just qualified for European competition for the first time, it seems that a desire to watch a winning team is far from the only factor in determining how many spectators will turn up. It should be said, though, that Everton, after their recent success, have recorded the greatest increases, with 1,450 extra people watching their home match with Manchester United compared with last season and 1,350 more attending the meeting with Portsmouth.

Leeds United have seen the most dramatic falls in attendance in the Championship after protests from fans about the cost of entering Elland Road. Their matches against Brighton & Hove Albion and Millwall have each attracted about 6,000 fewer people than last term, while their meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers was watched by 21,229, compared with 29,773 last season.

Millwall have also seen huge drops in attendances at the New Den, where more than 6,000 fewer people watched them face Ipswich Town. The Wolves-Millwall fixture suffered a drop of 3,000 people. Bean counters across the country will be worried.

DEBATE

High ticket prices?
Dull tactics?
The Ashes effect?
High player wages?
What’s put you off football?

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