FRESNO, CA – The United Soccer League (USL) is experiencing remarkable growth, and Central Valley Fuego FC is thrilled to be a part of this flourishing league. On Wednesday night, the USL Championship celebrated a significant milestone as Detroit City FC fan John Sarge was honored as the league’s symbolic “Two Millionth Fan of 2023” in a ceremony at Keyworth Stadium, highlighting the exponential growth of soccer enthusiasm in the United States.
This season, the USL Championship, its clubs, and its passionate fan base surpassed the remarkable milestone of 2 million fans, achieving this feat at the earliest point in a campaign this decade. Moreover, the league is poised to set a new record for average attendance in a single season, with just three weekends remaining in the regular season.
The USL Championship’s average attendance for this season currently stands at an impressive 5,552, representing an astounding 42 percent increase from the previous year. Additionally, total attendance has surged by 34.2 percent compared to the same point in the 2021 season, projecting the league to welcome a cumulative total of 2.2 million fans, a milestone unseen in the past decade.
The growth of attendance in the USL Championship is not isolated, as USL League One has also witnessed remarkable expansion this season. The league is projected to establish a new record by welcoming more than 400,000 fans when the regular season concludes on October 14th.
In USL League One, the average attendance for this season currently stands at 2,313, marking a notable 33 percent increase from 2021. The league’s total attendance has surged by an astonishing 70.4 percent compared to the same point in the previous year.
USL League One President Lee O’Neill expressed his delight, saying, “We are delighted to have set a new single-season attendance record in USL League One. The more than 400,000 fans that will take in a League One match by the end of the season is a testament to dedicated front offices, blossoming fan bases and a commitment to the highest level of competition on the pitch. With playoff berths, seeding and the Players’ Shield still on the line over the final three weeks of the regular season, we look forward to welcoming even more fans into our stadiums as the season winds down.”
Central Valley Fuego FC proudly joins this growing wave of soccer enthusiasm, celebrating the expanding success of the USL Championship and USL League One. As the league continues to flourish, we anticipate even more thrilling matches and passionate fans to be a part of our journey in the world of soccer.
About Central Valley Fuego FC: Central Valley Fuego FC was founded in 2002 and is the region’s only professional soccer club. The Club participates in USL League One and played its inaugural professional season in April of 2022 and is now playing all 2023 season home matches at the Fresno State Soccer Stadium. To learn more, visit www.fuegofc.com.
