Rhein Fire further cemented its status as a crowd puller in the European League of Football (ELF) last season. Not just by winning the title in front of the ELF record crowd of over 41,000 fans in Gelsenkirchen. But also through an excellent average in Oberhausen and especially Duisburg with 11,392 visitors per home game.
It doesn’t take much imagination to imagine that the average would have cracked 12,000 if all six home games had been played in Duisburg, which was not possible due to construction work. In the coming year, the probability is quite high that the average will increase further and significantly. There are “only” five games in the Duisburg Arena again, but this time the sixth is in Düsseldorf. There will definitely be a lot of mobilization.
The fan base around Duisburg and Düsseldorf is undoubtedly still there. Is reliable. And loyal. But if you want to classify where Rhein Fire’s average attendance falls within German league sports, a comparison with the average attendance of the best leagues behind king football makes sense. And in Germany these are the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), the Handball Bundesliga (HBL) and the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL). Where does Rhein Fire stand in comparison to their audience numbers from the previous 2023/24 season?
There are only three ice hockey teams that had a better average attendance: the Kölner Haie as the clear leader (16,993) as well as the Eisbären Berlin (13,804) and Adler Mannheim (11,395).
Right behind them is Rhein Fire with its 11,392 in the regular season. As in the previous year, the two-time champion leaves some celebrities behind him. Alba Berlin, for example (8,403 fans), the Düsseldorfer EG (8,905) and now also the THW Kiel (10,160). You can find the complete top 20 in our photo gallery.
Of course, the comparison has to be a little flawed because Rhein Fire has six home games in the regular season, HBL and BBL teams have 17 each, and a DEL club even has 26 home games. But Fire has now consistently increased this average for three seasons, from almost 9,000 to almost 12,000, and consistently attracts fans from the Duisburg/Düsseldorf area.
And here is the competition for the attention and money of viewers. The DEG had an average of 8,905 fans in the previous season, although it was disappointing in terms of sport. MSV Duisburg with 12,119 in the same arena as Fire. Fortuna Düsseldorf is clearly ahead with an average of 39,706 fans in 2023/24. Top table tennis club Borussia Düsseldorf had 827 fans in the last round.
This isn’t just about playing with numbers. More spectators are a factor in ticketing, sponsorship and merchandising. And those who have more to offer have an advantage when it comes to vying for donors. With Rhein Fire – that much is clear – a relevant player in the region continues to grow.
