Griffins Attendance Has Risen

GRAND RAPIDS — Prior to last weekend’s regular season-ending home stand, per game attendance at Grand Rapids Griffins games was up 2.2 percent over last year, the first year of the five-year alliance the franchise has with the Detroit Red Wings.

The average crowd for the 38 Griffins homes dates prior to last Friday stood at 7,034, up 152 customers from last season and good enough for the franchise to rank seventh in attendance in the American Hockey League and ninth in all of minor pro hockey.

Average attendance in the AHL, though, had fallen by 6.4 percent from last season to 5,589 per-game customers for the 30-team league — the biggest percentage drop among the five leagues that make up the North American minor pro circuit.

Across the circuit, per game attendance was down 5 percent this season to 4,387.

Average attendance for the Muskegon Fury had fallen even further by 7.2 percent to 2,817 fans per game. Based on the most recent attendance figures, the Fury was ranked 83rd for attendance among the 93 teams in minor pro hockey.

Muskegon plays in the United Hockey League, which has the biggest attendance gain in the minor pro circuit. Attendance has jumped by 9.2 percent in the UHL this year to a per game average of 3,613.