DULUTH - The Gwinnett Gladiators raised their average attendance for the third consecutive season and finished in the top five in average attendance in the ECHL for the third time in the first five seasons in Gwinnett. In addition, the ECHL celebrated its 20th season by being the only minor professional hockey league to raise its attendance in 2007-08.
The Gladiators had four crowds of more than 10,000 and raised their average for the third year in a row to 5,656 per game. The Gladiators have now had a crowd of 10,000 seven times in the last two years and 11 times overall, including four sellouts of 11,355.
The Gladiators saw a 3-game attendance total of 20,508, the 1st Annual "Pink in the Rink" weekend with three consecutive games on February 8th, 9th & 10th. The Gladiators had a season high crowd of 10,353 on November 10th and finished the 2007-08 season with four crowds over 10,000 fans.
The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game. It is the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans.
The Premier 'AA' Hockey League welcomed 3,756,191 fans, marking the fifth straight season and the 11th time in the last 12 years that it has exceeded 3.75 million fans. The 51 sold out crowds are the most in the last five seasons and mark the fourth time in the last five years that the ECHL has had at least 40 sellouts.
"While we had hoped that the increase would be more significant, the fact that there was an increase is a credit to the efforts of management and the teams across the league," said ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna. "We look forward to continuing these efforts to increase in growth in attendance and revenues for the 2008-09 season."
Cincinnati and Victoria led all of professional hockey in attendance increase with 36.8 percent and 14.7 percent, respectively, while Augusta was third in the ECHL and ninth overall with 10.9 percent. Cincinnati had a capacity crowd of 9,615 for its last home game on Mar. 28 eclipsing the team record of 7,584 on Nov. 29, 2002. Victoria had its second sellout crowd in history with 7,006 for its final regular season game and the Salmon Kings set team records with 175,354 fans and an average of 4,871 per game.
In its first season Elmira led the league with 14 sellouts followed by Charlotte with 12, Idaho with nine and Florida with six. The Steelheads lead the league in regular season sellouts the last five years with 38 followed by Charlotte with 33, Florida with 31 and Alaska with 20. The Jackals averaged 93.2 percent of capacity (3,525 per game) at First Arena which was up 2.9 percent from the previous season. Elmira had sellout crowds for seven consecutive Saturdays from Dec. 15, 2007-Mar. 1, 2008 while Idaho, which raised its average to 4,389 per game, had standing-room-only crowds on Friday and Saturday for three straight weeks.
Seven teams set the record for their largest crowd: Bakersfield (8,895 on Nov. 24, 2007), Charlotte (12,256 on Feb. 23), Cincinnati (9,615 on Mar. 28, 2008), Elmira (4,187 on Nov. 9, 2007), Idaho (5,631 on Jan. 19), Johnstown (4,238 on Nov. 30, 2007) and South Carolina (10,565 on Jan. 19).
South Carolina's crowd of 10,565 broke the team record set Jan. 18, 1997 and was the second sellout in the last two years for the Stingrays, who have raised their attendance each of the last three seasons.
Stockton led the league in attendance for the third year with 239,337 fans and an average of 6,648 per game while Florida was second with 217,185 and 6,033. The Thunder, who have had 12 sellouts in three seasons including four sellouts in 2007-08, are the first team to lead the league in attendance three consecutive years since Florida which led the ECHL for a record five straight years from 2000-05.
Charlotte had three of the five largest crowds in the league and finished third in attendance with 215,215 and 5,978 per game. The Checkers had the second-largest crowd with a team record 12,256 on Feb. 23, 2008 and the third-largest with 11,879 on Mar. 8, 2008. In the last two seasons the Checkers have had six crowds over 10,000 and nine others in excess of 9,000.
Returning after missing two years in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Mississippi had its largest attendance since 2001-02 with 3,753 per game, an increase of 9.6 percent from 2004-05 when the Sea Wolves last played.
Alaska had two sellouts this season including a team record tying 6,451 on Mar. 29. The Aces have had 20 regular season sellouts in their five seasons including seven crowds of 6,451.
Dayton raised its attendance for the third year in a row while Reading raised its average and Fresno had the largest crowd of the season with 12,590 on Feb. 9, 2008 and the fourth-largest with 11,582 on Mar. 22 and the sixth-largest with 10,669 on Jan. 11, 2008.
The Gladiators concluded their fifth anniversary season with a 2-0 loss to the South Carolina Stingrays in Game 5 of the Division Semifinals. Season tickets for the 2008-09 season are on sale now. Log on to gwinnettgladiators.com or call the Gladiators office at 770-497-5100 for more information.
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary as the Premier 'AA' Hockey League in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in three states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league that has 25 teams in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The 25 teams includes the Mississippi (Biloxi) Sea Wolves, who return after missing two seasons in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the expansion Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals. The ECHL will play 900 games beginning Oct. 18 and concluding Apr. 5.
The Gwinnett Gladiators open their sixth season as a proud member of the ECHL in October of 2008 - season ticket packages are on sale now. In addition, the Gladiators offer several unique multi-game ticket packages as well as discounted group rates, suite rentals, and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com.
The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and play all home games at the spectacular 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, where parking is always free.
Sunday
May 4th, 2025
3:42PM
