National Women's Soccer League attendance

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the top-tier professional women's soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2013, the 2016 season saw an average 5,558 spectators between the 10 teams, the highest average attendance in league history. NWSL has the second-highest average attendance among all women's professional sports leagues in the United States, second in average attendance per game behind the WNBA.

NWSL attendance has grown since the league's inaugural season in 2013. The average attendance of 5,558 in 2016 was a 30% increase over the 4,270 average in 2013. The total attendance of 555,775 in 2016 is a 47.9% increase over the 375,763 total in 2013.

Fans celebrating after a goal in Portland, Oregon.
The Portland Thorns' average attendance in 2016 was 16,945 fans.

2016 season

The following is a list of the average attendance for each of the ten NWSL teams at their regular-season games. It includes the team, the average attendance for the 2016 regular season and the 2015 regular season, the percentage change in attendance from season-to-season, the home venue, the home venue's capacity, and the percent of capacity.

Team 2016
Attendance 		2015
Attendance 		Change Stadium Capacity
(Unrestricted) 		Percent
(2016)
Boston Breakers 3,570 2,863 +24.7% Jordan Field 4,000 89.25%
Chicago Red Stars 3,005 4,210 -28.6% Toyota Park 20,000 15%
FC Kansas City 3,162 3,091 +2.3% Swope Soccer Village 3,557 88.9%
Houston Dash 5,696 6,413 -11.2% BBVA Compass Stadium 7,000
(22,039) 		81.4%
(25.8%)
Orlando Pride 8,785 – n/a Camping World Stadium[a 1] 60,219 14.6%
Portland Thorns FC 16,945 15,639 +8.4% Providence Park 20,438 82.9%
Seattle Reign FC 4,602 4,060 13.3% Memorial Stadium6,000
(12,000) 		76.7%
(38.4%)
Sky Blue FC 2,162 2,189 -1.2% Yurcak Field 5,000 43.24%
Washington Spirit 3,782 4,087 -7.5% Maryland SoccerPlex 4,000 94.6%
Western New York Flash[a 2] 3,868 2,860 +35.2% Rochester Rhinos Stadium[a 3] 13,768 28.1%
Notes
  1. ↑ The Pride will move to the new Orlando City Stadium (capacity 25,500) for the 2017 season and beyond.
  2. ↑ The Flash sold its NWSL franchise rights in the 2016–17 offseason to the owner of NASL team North Carolina FC, who relocated the NWSL team to the Research Triangle area as the North Carolina Courage.
  3. ↑ The relocated Courage will play at WakeMed Soccer Park (capacity 10,000) in Cary, North Carolina.

Season averages

Season Total Gate Games Average Change High avg. Team Low avg. Team Ref
2013 375,763 88 4,270 – 13,320 Portland Thorns FC 1,664 Sky Blue FC [1]
2014 446,820 108 4,137 –3.1% 13,362 Portland Thorns FC 1,640 Sky Blue FC [2]
2015 454,100 90 5,046 +21.9% 15,639 Portland Thorns FC 2,189 Sky Blue FC [3]
2016 555,775 100 5,558 +10.1% 16,945 Portland Thorns FC 2,162 Sky Blue FC [4]

Notes:

By team

Season BOSCHIFKCHOUNJORLPORSEAWASWNY
2013[5]2,427 1,711 4,626 -- 1,666 -- 13,320 2,306 3,625 4,485
2014[6]2,437 2,949 2,018 4,650 1,656 -- 13,362 3,666 3,335 3,177
2015[7]2,863 4,210 3,091 6,413 2,189 -- 15,639 4,060 4,087 2,860
2016[8]3,570 3,005 3,162 5,696 2,162 8,785 16,945 4,602 3,782 3,868

NWSL attendance vs. other leagues

vs. other North American women's professional leagues

The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the regular season average attendance for other professional women's sports leagues in North America.

League Year Started Sport # Teams Season Average
attendance 		Average vs.
prior season 		Total
Attendance 		Ref
Women's National Basketball Association 1996 Basketball 12 2016 7,655 +6.6% 1,561,530 [9]
National Women's Soccer League 2013 Soccer 10 2016 5,558 +10.1% 555,775 [4]
National Pro Fastpitch 2004 Fastpitch 5 2015 1,128 +26% ~135,360 [10]
National Women's Hockey League 2015 Ice hockey 4 2016–17 900 [11]

Notes: Italics indicate statistics for the previous season; NPF had 6 teams for its 2016 season, though attendance numbers for 2016 are not available.

vs. other North American professional soccer leagues

The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the regular season average attendance for other professional soccer leagues in North America.

League Year Started Division # Teams Season Average
attendance 		Average vs.
prior season 		Total
Attendance 		Ref
Major League Soccer 1996 Men's DI 20 2016 21,692 +0.6% 7,375,287 [12]
National Women's Soccer League 2013 Women's DI 10 2016 5,558 +10.1% 555,775 [4]
North American Soccer League 2011 Men's DII 12 2016 4,734 −19.9% 885,337
United Soccer League 2011 Men's DIII 29 2016 3,439 +2.1% 1,496,493 [13]

vs. other worldwide women's top-division soccer leagues

The following table compares the NWSL regular season average attendance against the regular season average attendance for a selection other top-flight soccer leagues from around the world; this list is not exhaustive, though women's soccer is relatively unpopular around the world and single-game attendances that get reported are often under 1,000.

League Year Started Nation # Teams Season Average
attendance 		Average vs.
prior season 		Total
Attendance 		Ref
National Women's Soccer League 2013 United States 10 2016 5,558 +10.1% 555,775 [4]
FA WSL 1 2011 England 9 2016 1,128 +4.8% ~72,200 [14]
Frauen-Bundesliga 1990 Germany 12 2015–16 1,076 +5.6% 142,001 [15]

Individual game highest attendance

Regular season, overall

Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Source
1Orlando Pride 3–1Houston Dash 23,403April 23, 2016[16]
2Portland Thorns FC 0–1Seattle Reign FC 21,144July 22, 2015[17]
2Portland Thorns FC 3–3Washington Spirit 21,144August 30, 2015[18]
2Portland Thorns FC 3–2Western New York Flash 21,144September 11, 2016[19]
5Portland Thorns FC 1–0Seattle Reign FC 19,231 July 30, 2016[20]
6Portland Thorns FC 1–0Houston Dash 19,123 August 3, 2014[21]
7Portland Thorns FC 2–0Boston Breakers 18,637 May 27, 2017[22]
8Portland Thorns FC 0–0Seattle Reign FC 18,114 May 29, 2016[23]
9 Portland Thorns FC 2-3 FC Kansas City 17,619 August 4, 2013 [24]
10 Portland Thorns FC 5-1 Boston Breakers 17,152 September 4, 2016 [25]

NWSL Championship playoffs

Rank Home team Score Away team Attendance Date Source
1Portland Thorns FC3–4Western New York Flash20,086October 2, 2016[26]
2FC Kansas City*1–0Seattle Reign13,264October 1, 2015[27]
3Western New York Flash1–2Portland Thorns FC9,129August 31, 2013[28]

Notes: Bold indicates Championship final for that year; * indicates "home" team for Championship final in predetermined venue

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Taking Attendance 8/18/2013: Final NWSL Attendance Numbers". Kenn.com. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Gerhke, Sarah (September 30, 2014). "NWSL: Breaking down 2014 attendance numbers, part I". Soccerwire. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  3. ↑ Goldberg, Jamie (September 11, 2015). "National Women's Soccer League sees record attendance numbers in third season". The Oregonian. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Goldberg, Jamie (November 16, 2016). "National Women's Soccer League once again saw rising attendance numbers in 2016". The Oregonian. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "2013 NWSL Statistics". Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ "2014 NWSL Statistics". Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ "2015 NWSL Statistics". Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  8. ↑ "2016 NWSL Statistics". Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  9. ↑ "2016 NBA Attendance Info". Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  10. ↑ "A Look Back At The NPF Year 2015". NPF. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Will Female Pro-Hockey Players Ever Get What They're Worth?". Yahoo. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  12. ↑ "MLS breaks regular-season attendance records for third straight season". October 24, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  13. ↑ "USL Total Attendance Soars by 33 Percent in 2016". September 28, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Year-on-year growth in Women's Super League attendances". November 7, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  15. ↑ de:Fußball-Bundesliga 2015/16 (Frauen)
  16. ↑ Rosenblatt, Ryan (April 23, 2016). "Orlando Pride set NWSL attendance record in first ever home match". Fox Sports. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "Seattle Reign beat Portland Thorns in front of record NWSL crowd". Sports Illustrated. July 23, 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  18. ↑ Blue, Molly (August 30, 2015). "Portland Thorns draw 3–3 with Washington Spirit in final home game of the season". The Oregonian. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  19. ↑ "Portland Thorns FC 3, Western New York Flash 2". SB Nation. September 11, 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  20. ↑ Goldberg, Jamie (July 30, 2016). "Final: Portland Thorns 1, Seattle Reign 0: Live chat recap". The Oregonian. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  21. ↑ Goldberg, Jamie (August 4, 2014). "Portland Thorns set NWSL attendance record". The Oregonian. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  22. ↑ "NWSL MATCH RECAP - Portland Thorns FC 2, Boston Breakers 0". Portland Timbers. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  23. ↑ "Seattle Reign, Portland Thorns play to a scoreless tie". The Seattle Times. May 29, 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  24. ↑ "RECAP - Portland Thorns FC 2, FC Kansas City 3". Portland Timbers. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  25. ↑ "Watch all the Portland Thorns goals in their 5-1 vs. Boston Breakers: Recap". OregonLive. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  26. ↑ "Flasth beat Thorns FC, 4–3, in extra time". National Womens Soccer League. October 2, 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  27. ↑ Goldberg, Jamie (October 1, 2015). "FC Kansas City wins second consecutive National Women's Soccer League championship title". The Oregonian. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  28. ↑ Hays, Graham (September 8, 2013). "Portland blazes trail with NWSL title". ESPN. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
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