French Football crowd figues

[Asterix]

One for you Brian, or anyone else who knows......

Why are attendance levels so low in the French top division? Recent matches involving Ajaccio and Auxerre had less than 10,000 fans; one game had only 5000 as the official attendance.

Is this normal? I'm guessing that reasons might include the fact that France's best players play abroad, and perhaps some regional clubs might not have very big stadiums.

I'm not knocking the situation, I'm just curious. What's the story?

 

[Aussie]

Dont tell me the club over priced tickets pricing out the average fan :wink:

 

[bili1888]

I guess one of the reasons are the players abroad(the best playing for ARSENAL).Also the french tradition is someway lost.No french stars in France at all.That withdraws people from the stadium.Maybe most of them prefer to watch them on TV.

 

[Gunner4Eva]

Why are attendance levels so low in the French top division? Recent matches involving Ajaccio and Auxerre had less than 10,000 fans; one game had only 5000 as the official attendance.

Wow....thats almost as bad as the NRL!!

 

[kevin_kyle]

Wow....thats almost as bad as the NRL!!

I have seen a bit of the French domestic game....it is of a decent standard.
Low attendances are because of a variety of reasons i guess.
And Monaco just made the final of the biggest platform Europe has to offer...

 

[skart14]

Not to mention lyon, who i think have a better chance of progressing then monaco...

 

[Soler]

One for you Brian, or anyone else who knows......

Why are attendance levels so low in the French top division? Recent matches involving Ajaccio and Auxerre had less than 10,000 fans; one game had only 5000 as the official attendance.

Is this normal? I'm guessing that reasons might include the fact that France's best players play abroad, and perhaps some regional clubs might not have very big stadiums.

I'm not knocking the situation, I'm just curious. What's the story?

If the match was played at Ajaccio then the factor of Ajaccio being a Corsican club with a small stadium and a smaller number of fans has to be taken into consideration.

The biggest French clubs - PSG, Marseille and Lyon - all have crowds bigger than Arsenal. Lens is a town of only 35,000 people and their stadium holds 41,000 and is sold out every week.

When it comes to the best fans I don't think anyone can beat Germany. Massive stadiums are sold out every week. Dortmund sell out the Westfalenstadion even though they suck.

 

[Unbeaten]

yeah, No one beats the German league. Amazing how they get so many spectators. respect

 

[seb_afc]

Wow....thats almost as bad as the NRL!!

I have seen a bit of the French domestic game....it is of a decent standard.
Low attendances are because of a variety of reasons i guess.
And Monaco just made the final of the biggest platform Europe has to offer...

monaco have a bigger capacity stadium than the population in monaco itself! how are they ever going to fill it.

 

[Asterix]

Yeah, I noticed that the clubs like Marseille, PSG and Lyon get great crowds. Auxerre seem to do extraordinarily well on the pitch for a small team - they are a production line of talent, although their last two home games have been watched by only 8000 people according to Soccernet's stats. It just seemed strange that some teams average 35-40k per game and others a lot less, even though their stadiums might hold 20k or so.

I was wondering if it's a cultural thing - is it just not as important to the French tp got to the football on the weekend as it is for the English or others?

 

[Soler]

No, it isn't. Football's never been the numero uno pastime and interest in France. I suppose it did receive a surge of interest when France won the World Cup and Euro 2000, but it's never been THAT big there.

 

[brianfrance]

No, it isn't. Football's never been the numero uno pastime and interest in France. I suppose it did receive a surge of interest when France won the World Cup and Euro 2000, but it's never been THAT big there.

Surely a bit right that 98 and 2000 were very important for the French football, but we're playing football for more than 100 years!!
Anyway, you were talking about auxerre > there's no people there, only cow and chicken and guy roux :roll:
I think the French Ligue 1 average aff. is 20'000 (or just a bit more), not that bad...

 

[Asterix]

Thanks brianfrance - that average is actually pretty healthy isn't it. I was particularly interested in Auxerre because they seem to turn out a bit of talent but no-one goes to watch them - but it makes sense if there's no one there doesn't it! cheers mate

 

[brianfrance]

I could speak about Auxerre 10 hours, so much to say about...
At the beginning of the season, they lost : Mexes (Roma), Boumsong (Rangers), Kapo (Juventus) and Cissé ('Pool). 6 months after, they are 3rd of Ligue 1, and still qualified in UEFA cup and French ligue Cup. WOW !

 

[Asterix]

Imagine if we lost Campbell, Toure, Henry and Bergkamp! :shock:




We'd have about 60m to spend mind you :wink:

 

[brianfrance]

We'd spend, but Guy Roux NEVER spend !!! He prefers play youngsters like Sagna, Kaboul or Akalé. And it works...

 

[Arjan]

We'd spend, but Guy Roux NEVER spend !!! He prefers play youngsters like Sagna, Kaboul or Akalé. And it works...

he did buy Kalou :wink: AND was beaten 2-0 by AZ!

 

[brianfrance]

Yes, Kalou (absolute bargain btw), or Pieroni (2M IIRC)