One of the defining characteristics of Minor Sports Leagues is that they play to smaller crowds of fans. Minor-Leagues.com has compiled a series of posts that provides details of attendance figures.
The Central Hockey League (CHL) was an independent professional hockey league founded in 1992 until it amalgamated with the ECHL in 2014. It operated initially in the central, midwest of the United States, expanding to the West and East during its years of growth. The cities the CHL played in was not served by a NHL team or their minor league affiliates.
Below is the fan attendance for the entire league from 2006 to 2013.
League | Sport | Season | # of Teams | Team Change | Games | Games Change | Total Attendance | TA Change | Average Attendance | AA Change | Source |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2005-06 | 15 USA | untracked | 480 | untracked | 2,238,408 | untracked | 4,663 | untracked | Lennier |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2006-07 | 17 USA | 13.33% | 544 | 13.33% | 2,387,286 | 6.65% | 4,388 | -5.89% | Lennier |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2007-08 | 17 USA | 0.00% | 544 | 0.00% | 2,164,657 | -9.33% | 3,979 | -9.33% | Lennier |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2008-09 | 16 USA | -5.88% | 512 | -5.88% | 1,949,906 | -9.92% | 3,808 | -4.30% | Lennier |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2009-10 | 15 USA | -6.25% | 480 | -6.25% | 1,824,262 | -6.44% | 3,800 | -0.21% | Lennier |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2010-11 | 18 USA | 20.00% | 594 | 23.75% | 2,248,129 | 23.23% | 3,784 | -0.42% | Lennier |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2011-12 | 14 USA | -22.22% | 462 | -22.22% | 1,867,801 | -16.92% | 4,042 | 6.82% | Lennier |
CHL (Central Hockey League) (AA) | Ice Hockey | 2012-13 | 10 USA | -28.57% | 330 | -28.57% | 1,223,289 | -34.51% | 3,706 | -8.31% | Lennier |
The Central Hockey League was populated by Free Agents recruited from colleges, junior leagues, and other minor leagues. Since most of the CHL Teams was not affiliated with the NHL, the primary focus was on team success instead of player development.