It has been somewhat fascinating for me to compare the Phoenix and other A-League crowds to various European leagues:
http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn...
Outside of comparisons to the major football powers of England, Germany, Spain and Italy, the A-League and the Phoenix are doing very well.
The A-League overall is ahead of Belgium (average 11,836 last season in their top league).
The Phoenix on last year's average would be the ninth best-supported team in Belgium.
If they end up averaging more than 9,414 this season, then they'd be the sixth best-supported team in Belgium.
The Phoenix crowds are comparable to the best-supported team in Croatia, Hadjuk Split (avge. 9806 last season) and are well ahead of all other teams in Croatia.
Based on last season's average attendances of 8,201, the Phoenix would be:
- the second-best supported side in Hungary (best avge. attendance there only 8447 at Ferencvaros),
- be the second-best supported team in Serbia (ahead of Partizan Belgrade)
- be the third-best supported side in the Czech Republic,
- be the third-best supported team in Austria (ahead of Sturm Graz)
- the fourth-best supported team in Denmark,
- be the fifth-best supported team in the Scottish Premier League (on this season's attendances would be the third-best after Celtic & Aberdeen due to Hearts and Hibs being relegated)
- be the sixth-best supported team in Ligue 2 in France (and only marginally behind Monaco in Ligue 1),
- be the fourth-best supported team in Greece (only slightly behind major club Panathinaikos who averaged only 8541 last season),
- be the fifth-best supported team in Italy's Serie B,
- be the second-best supported side in the Dutch Second Div. (Jupiler League) behind Willem II (three Eredivisie sides had worst attendances)
- be the sixth-best supported team in Portugal (Sporting Braga at number 5 only averaged 1700 more)
- be the sixth-best supported team in Sweden (marginally behind Helsingborgs)
- be the sixth-best supported team in Norway
- be the sixth-best supported team in Switzerland (not far behind FC Zurich and ahead of Grasshoppers)
- be the sixth-best supported team in Poland
- be the third-best supported team in Romania
- only 12 teams in the Russian top tier attracted more (would be only 1400 per game behind CSKA Moscow)
- be the sixth-best supported team in the Ukraine top flight
- have more than twice the supporters of the best-supported team in Finland, HJK Helsinki (avge. 4017 last season),
- have nearly three times the average of any team in Slovakia or Slovenia (including Maribor)
- be the ninth-best supported team in the Spanish Second Division
An improvement in Phoenix attendances of only a thousand or so per game would see them rocket up these European comparisons.
A-LEAGUE CROWDS 2013-14 REGULAR SEASON
| Team | Hosted | Average | High | Low | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Victory | 13 | 21,808 | 45,202 | 14,774 | 283,507 |
| Sydney FC | 14 | 18,682 | 40,388 | 10,148 | 261,543 |
| Brisbane Roar | 14 | 14,957 | 21,841 | 10,101 | 209,394 |
| Western Sydney Wanderers | 13 | 14,860 | 18,080 | 11,892 | 193,178 |
| Newcastle Jets | 14 | 11,949 | 16,634 | 7,692 | 167,285 |
| Adelaide United | 13 | 11,225 | 16,504 | 6,980 | 145,928 |
| Melbourne Heart | 14 | 9,933 | 26,491 | 5,046 | 139,059 |
| Perth Glory | 13 | 9,418 | 13,856 | 5,837 | 122,431 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 14 | 9,398 | 17,134 | 5,787 | 131,567 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 13 | 8,201 | 18,056 | 5,336 | 106,616 |
| League total | 135 | 13,041 | 45,202 | 5,046 | 1,760,508 |
BELGIAN JUPILER PRO LEAGUE 2013-14
| No. | Club | Average | Games | vs '13 | Highest |
| 1 | Club Brugge KV | 25.378 | 20 | 3,9% | 28.500 |
| 2 | R Standard de Liège | 24.850 | 20 | 21,7% | 27.700 |
| 3 | KRC Genk | 21.323 | 20 | 3,6% | 24.250 |
| 4 | RSC Anderlecht | 20.703 | 20 | 0,1% | 24.000 |
| 5 | KAA Gent | 17.464 | 18 | 73,1% | 19.950 |
| 6 | KV Mechelen | 9.414 | 18 | -7,3% | 12.000 |
| 7 | Oud-Heverlee Leuven | 8.391 | 17 | 4,8% | 9.500 |
| 8 | SV Zulte-Waregem | 8.295 | 20 | 7,9% | 10.500 |
| 9 | Cercle Brugge KSV | 7.536 | 18 | -11,3% | 14.500 |
| 10 | Sporting Lokeren OV | 7.265 | 20 | 17,8% | 9.350 |
| 11 | KV Kortrijk | 7.213 | 19 | 0,1% | 9.900 |
| 12 | K Lierse SK | 6.897 | 18 | 5,2% | 9.450 |
| 13 | RC Sporting de Charleroi | 6.247 | 18 | -5,1% | 11.400 |
| 14 | KV RS Waasland - SK Beveren | 5.228 | 18 | -11,6% | 8.600 |
| 15 | KV Oostende | 5.045 | 19 | 91,1% | 7.400 |
| 16 | RAEC Mons | 3.569 | 16 | -14,3% | 7.050 |
| . | Total | 11.836 | 6,1% | 28.500 |
OTHER EUROPEAN LEAGUES ATTENDANCES - CLICK ON COUNTRY NAME ON LEFT: