Headcount: AHL 2018-19 Edition

June 3, 2019

Welcome to Headcount! A series where we take a look at attendance trends throughout minor professional hockey. Today we will be taking a look at the AHL attendance from the 2018-19 season and comparing them to the 2017-18 season.

Teams will be placed in one of four different categories: 
- Excellent = More than 2,000 above League Average
- Above Average = Less than 2,000 above League Average
- Below Average = Less than 2,000 below League Average
- Danger Zone =  More than 2,000 below League Average

AHL Average Attendance for 2018-19 was 5,795, which is down 1.78% from the 2017-18 season (5,900).

2018-19 AHL Attendance (Attendance Average provided by HockeyDB.com)

         Team                             AAPG        Change from 2017-18
1. San Diego Gulls:                  9,021            -3.05% (9,305)
2. Hershey Bears:                    8,907            -2.11% (9,099)
3. Cleveland Monsters:            8,801            -3.22% (9,197)
4. Ontario Reign:                    8,352            +9.23% (7,646)
5. Grand Rapids Griffins:         8,206            +3.09% (7,960)
6. Providence Bruins:              8,045            -3.73% (8,357)
7. Chicago Wolves:                  7,929            -0.48% (7,967)
8. Lehigh Valley Phantoms:      7,720           -1.97% (7,875)
9. Charlotte Checkers:             6,682           +3.76% (6,440)
10. Toronto Marlies:                6,419            -3.98% (6,685)
11. Iowa Wild:                         6,409           +4.16% (6,153)
12. San Antonio Rampage:       6,210            +1.90% (6,094)
13. Syracuse Crunch:               5,595            +2.36% (5,466)
14. Laval Rocket:                    5,578           -16.63% (6,691)  
15. WB/S Penguins:                 5,549            -0.14% (5,557)
16. Milwaukee Admirals:          5,412            -2.42% (5,546)
17. Texas Stars:                       5,406           +2.19% (5,290)
18. Rochester Americans:        5,263            +1.31% (5,195)
19. Colorado Eagles:                5,140            +2.29% (5,025)*=2017-18 ECHL Attendance
20. Springfield Thunderbirds:   5,085            +2.01% (4,985)
21. Bakersfield Condors:          5,034            +4.27% (4,828)
22. Manitoba Moose:                4,722           -10.52% (5,277)
23. Tucson Roadrunners:          4,294            +1.83% (4,217)
24. Bridgeport Sound Tigers:    4,107            +4.82% (3,918)
25. Hartford Wolfpack:            3,942             -4.74% (4,138)
26. Utica Comets:                    3,917              0.00% (3,917)
27. Rockford IceHogs:              3,876             -1.00% (3,915)
28. Stockton Heat:                   3,690            +0.30% (3,679)
29. San Jose Barracuda:           3,680             -9.58% (4,070)
30. Binghamton Devils:            3,471            -10.91% (3,896)
31. Belleville Senators:            3,067            -14.99% (3,608)

With the biggest increase this season, the Ontario Reign climbed back up to over 8,000 after an AHL franchise low during the previous season. Many of the teams in the Middle 11 (#11-21) seen an increase in attendance as well, which made up for the Top 3 and Bottom 3 teams in attendance all seeing a drop in attendance from the 2017-18 season.

Each of the Bottom 3 teams had massive drops in attendance, each losing several hundred and each dropping over 9% of the previous seasons average. The San Jose Barracuda, Binghamton Devils, and Belleville Senators will need to figure out solutions of getting people back in their respective buildings.

None of them had the biggest drop though, as that goes to the Laval Rocket, who had a drop of over 16% and saw over 1,000 fewer people coming to games at Place Bell. Laval, who was in the Top 10 last season in attendance, has now dropped below the league average.

Speaking of the league average, only 12 teams were able to draw more than the average, but 7 of those teams were able to get 2,000 or more above the league average. That is more than the total of teams in that spot last year, as no one dropped out, but the previously mentioned Reign came into that range and definitely helped the league average from dropping further.

Not only that, but the Syracuse Crunch, Laval Rocket, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Milwaukee Admirals, and Texas Stars were all within just 500 people below the league average. While only one team, the San Antonio Rampage, was within 500 people above the league average.

Another massive drop was seen in Winnipeg, as the Manitoba Moose dropped more than 10% and had 500 fewer people on average. It should be noted that this number could drop more, as the WHL is relocating a team to Winnipeg for next season, which could definitely put a bigger strain on a market that also already has an NHL team.

-Marc of The Robinson Report