The last full season prior to the recent disruptions, such as coronavirus restrictions and other factors, was 2022-23. During that season, an average of 2,663 spectators attended each game. The league then comprised 12 teams, with only two, Kiryat Ata and Eilat, averaging less than 1,000 spectators. In stark contrast, this current season sees 8 out of the 14 league teams averaging fewer than 1,000 attendees.
The stadium occupancy rate has also seen a steady decline. During the 22/23 season, it stood at 61%. In the following season, it dropped to 51%, then to 46%, and this season, it has fallen to a mere 42%.
Sports journalist Oded Halperin of sport5.co.il commented on the situation, particularly regarding Hapoel Jerusalem:
“During its strong seasons in the previous decade, the Arena’s occupancy rate averaged 6,800 spectators per game. It consistently ranged between 5,000 and 6,000. This season, the average is only 3,300 spectators, a record low – and by a significant margin.” He added, “Hapoel Tel Aviv (note: a newcomer to the Euroleague), and it’s not surprising, has seen its attendance drop from 5,191 last season to 3,191 this season. While the reasons may vary, the public is clearly voting with their feet.”
Halperin further reports that the ongoing conflict alone does not account for this regression, as football stadiums, especially those of major teams, remain crowded.
“Here too, the schedules are not always convenient, access can be difficult, public transportation is lacking, and a whole host of other reasons exist – yet, the public still turns up. So why is this happening in football, but not in basketball (within the context of what we previously knew)?” he questions, admitting that he cannot fully explain the phenomenon.