The American Hockey League set a new attendance record in the 2023-24 season, with over 6.8 million fans attending games across North America. This total of 6,822,875 fans in 1,152 games marked a 5.0 percent increase from the previous season and surpassed the previous record set in 2015-16.
The average per-game attendance for the season was 5,922, the third-highest in league history. The Cleveland Monsters led the league in attendance for the fourth time in the last five seasons, averaging 10,347 fans per game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Hershey Bears, Laval Rocket, Chicago Wolves, and Coachella Valley Firebirds rounded out the top five in attendance.
Twenty-six of the league’s 32 teams saw an increase in attendance at their home arenas, with teams like Laval and the Hartford Wolf Pack showing significant growth. The Colorado Eagles sold out all 36 of their home games, while the Springfield Thunderbirds played to 93.1 percent capacity, with 14 consecutive sellouts to end the season.
As the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams, the American Hockey League has been a breeding ground for NHL talent, with nearly 90 percent of players in the NHL being AHL graduates. The 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs are set to begin on Tuesday.
