Challenge League Attendances in 2013

The 2012 Challenge League season's average attendance of 468 was never likely to be matched in 2013, as the hugely popular Vegalta Sendai Ladies were promoted at the end of the season. Without the appeal of Vegalta Sendai, the 2013 average of 279 appears to be a disappointing drop, but in fact is a generally good average, especially with the expansion to sixteen teams. The highest attendance came on opening day, 1,682 turning up to watch Sfida Setagaya take on Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies. The lowest attendance was 30, which was the number of people who turned up to see Hoyo Sukarabu FC's home game aginst Bunnys Kyoto SC.

AS Elfen Sayama FC had the highest average attendance of any team, 673 for their season, which was higher than that which they achieved in the Nadeshiko League in 2011 (their 2012 average was 1,212). Their highest attendance was 1,225 which came in their very last match against Fukuoka J. Anclas. The team's lowest attendance was 292 which came in their second home game against the Japan Soccer College Ladies.

Sfida Setagaya FC finished with an average attendance of 640, a significant improvement over the 428 which they achieved in 2012 and the average of 350 achieved in their first season in 2011. Just as in 2012, their first home game attendance of 1,682 (against Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies) was by far their highest. Indeed, it was the highest attendance of any game in the Challenge League. Again, just as in 2012, their subsequent attendances dropped sharply. Their lowest attendance of 362 came for their game against Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades.

AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies' average was 470, which is their highest ever. Their season's best of 711 against Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades was also their highest ever home attendance. Their lowest attendance of 290 came against Ehime FC Ladies. However, this attendance was higher than that of every game in 2012, with the exception of their home game against Vegalta Sendai Ladies, which attracted 407. On six occasions this season that attendance was surpassed, and the team's progress in this area will please the club enormously.

Fukuoka J. Anclas managed an average attendance of 449. Although this appears to be a significant drop from the 894 the club achieved in 2012, that figure was inflated by a very large attendance for their opening home game against INAC Kobe Leonessa. Taking only their remaining eight games into consideration, their average in 2012 was 566. Their highest attendance of 953 came in their crucial final home game against Nojima Stella Kanagawa. Their lowest attendance of 113 came on a rainy day against Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies.

Nojima Stella Kanagawa had the fifth highest average attendance of any team at 343, which in their first year will be very pleasing. 501 turned up for their third home game against local rivals Nittaidai FC Ladies, although attendances dropped quite a bit towards the end of the season as their title challenge faltered. Their lowest attendance of 164 came against Ehime FC Ladies. With the team likely to challenge next year for Nadeshiko League entry, the club will look to increase its fanbase in Kanagawa, especially with the possibility of Yokohama FC Seagulls entering the Challenge League.

Ehime FC Ladies' average of 308 was a slight but disappointing drop from their first season's average of 346, although it has to be taken into account that all of their attendance figures are estimates. Their highest attendance came on the opening day of the season in a win over Bunnys Kyoto SC. None of their subsequent games attracted more than 380, and their lowest of 200 came against AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies.

Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies ended with an average of 269 in their first season, with their attendances dropping off as the season went on. Their second home game against Bunnys Kyoto SC attracted 460, the highest number of spectators for the season. Their final home game against Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita was attended by only 136. 

Je Vrille Kagoshima's average of 217 was quite decent, considering both that entry was not free and that the team was so poor. It was however their lowest average in any of their last six seasons in the Challenge League, and a significant decrease since the high of 672 in 2009. Their highest attendance came in a game they could not afford to lose against fellow strugglers Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades (they did lose, as it happens). Their lowest attendance was 156 which came against Nittaidai FC Ladies.

Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita managed to increase their average from 169 in 2012 to 189 in 2013 which although an encouraging increase, is still down on their average of 248 from their first season in 2010. They broke 300 once this year, attracting 303 for their game against AS Elfen Sayama FC. Their lowest came against bottom side Hoyo Sukarabu FC.

Bunnys Kyoto SC's average this season is 160. This figure is down on last season's of 182, but not significantly. Bunnys have never attracted large crowds, and even when in the top division only managed an average of 298 (in 2005). Their attendances are all estimates, the highest being 250 for a game against Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies and the lowest being 70 for their game against the Japan Soccer College Ladies.

Tokiwagi Gakuen High School's average of 142 was down on the 174 from 2012, but that average from last season was only so high because of the large attendance of 800 from their home derby game against Vegalta Sendai Ladies. This year's attendances were occasionally boosted by spectators attending JFL games in adjoining grounds. All of the Tokiwagi Gakuen attendances are estimates. On three occasions the attendance was estimated to be 200, first against Hoyo Sukarabu FC when some JFL fans attended, next against Sfida Setagaya, and finally against the Japan Soccer College Ladies, when the game was followed by a Vegalta Sendai Ladies home game. The lowest attendance of 70 came on the opening day against AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies, on a very cold and wet day when Vegalta Sendai Ladies were also playing at home, but not at the same location. One anomaly is that the team's home game against Ehime FC Ladies was postponed due to snow and when rescheduled was held in Ehime rather than in Miyagi. The attendance was 120.

Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades' average of 137 was poor for a club of such great history, indeed this figure is down significantly on the averages the club achieved in their previous spell in the league until they were relegated in 2010. Their highest attendance of 184 came against the Japan Soccer College Ladies, and their lowest of 78 came against Fukuoka J. Anclas.

The JFA Academy Fukushima's average was slightly down on 2012, from 150 to 143, though they're not likely to be too interested in this statistic. They attracted 270 to their match against Nojima Stella Kanagawa, where the presence of recent graduate Yoshimi Natsuki may have helped the attendance. On the final day, 223 watched Tokiwagi Gakuen High School win the league title. Their lowest attendance came against fellow schoolgirls Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies.

The Japan Soccer College Ladies' average of 129 was slightly down on the 133 achieved in 2012, though like the JFA Academy, won't be too bothered by the low numbers attending. Their highest of 232 came against AS Elfen Sayama FC, most likely bolstered by visitors from Sayama, and their lowest came against Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita. The total of 80 that day was only slightly bettered in their subsequent three games, with attendances of 89, 86, and again 86. Their final day attendance was better, at 178.

Nittaidai FC Ladies had the lowest average attendance of any of the academic sides at 106, with their highest attendance of 270 coming early in the season, an entertaining draw against AS Elfen Sayama FC. Their other home attendances were all quite low, with the lowest being just 43, against Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita.

Hoyo Sukarabu FC ended the season with an average of just 82, as they struggled all season. Their opening game had an estimated number of spectators of 130, but this was the high point. That game was against Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies, while their lowest attendance of 30, the lowest of any game in the league, came against Bunnys Kyoto SC.