UK League One Attendances : 2016-17 (By Club)

Getting figures for the third division is quite challenging so I went back just two years, realising that to go further would perhaps be a bridge too far when trying to find all the statistics. Even with the ones below one match did not have the clubs release an attendance figure for it. In those cases a calculated estimate was made. As it was for just one game, it has no real effect on the data.*

For 2017, Toulouse and Rochdale left to go up to the Championship. Incoming were Whitehaven and Workington from the Championship and a new team in Toronto. That took the total of teams up to 16 in 2017 from 15 in 2016.

It's interesting to note how moving up and down affected those club's crowd numbers. Going up, Toulouse attendances were +40% and Rochdale and +66%. The relegation for Whitehaven dropped their attendance average a mere -5% and Workington just -7%.

Without doubt the big talking point for 2017 was the introduction of a newly formed club from Canada. At home they were playing before an audience that largely didn't even know the game existed until the Toronto Wolf Pack turned up. Would the locals embrace this new sport?

An average in excess of 6,600 says yes. The fact that curious onlookers returned for more and got behind their team with vigour was fantastic. The team also played before larger than average crowds in the UK, often the best attendance for the season for the club they visited.

The Wolf Pack helped mightily in taking the League 1 attendance average figure up 56%! However, when they go in 2018, what will be the likely outcome for the average attendance figure? Oldham and Bradford are coming down, the latter will help to compensate for the loss of Toronto, as they bid adieu and head to the Championship above. One other - yet to be decided - will also leave with them, possibly Barrow.

Summary: The League 1 was barely noticed and I must say until 2017, I knew next to nothing about it. Having Toronto in the competition got me and thousands of others aware, and interested in it. I even got to see some games from League 1 and there are some fine clubs and players in that division.

Hopefully the departure of Toronto won't see this part of the game slip back into obscurity. It is mooted that there are more teams to be added from North America in due course and if they take the same route, then more excitement and travel awaits the players and fans from League 1.

		LEAGUE 1
		2017		2016
		Toronto	6,639	Toulouse	1,540
		Newcastle	979	Newcastle	1,017
		York	887	Barrow	918
		Barrow	853	Keighley	655
		Keighley	742	Doncaster	623
		Whitehaven	664	York	594
		Workington	654	Rochdale	528
		Doncaster	577	Coventry	486
		London Skol	473	North Wales	484
		Hunslet	421	Hunslet	454
		Coventry	401	London Skol	389
		North Wales	377	South Wales	315
		South Wales	229	Oxford	184
		Gloucester	205	Hemel	176
		Oxford	152	Gloucester	150
		Hemel	117
		Total	105,862	Total	59,579
		Avg	882	Avg	567

Please note the data above is for regular round matches only and excludes playoff competitions and finals.

PS. To see the Super League (div 1) or the Championship (div 2), simply click on them.

* If anyone knows the attendance for Oxford v Newcastle 18/06/17, please let me know. Thank you.