The Bundesliga, introduced in 1963, had a spectator average for its first season of over 27,000. The inaugural season was seen by over 6,6 million spectators with VfB Stuttgart being the best-supported team. After a slight increase in the second season figures declined to an all-time low by 1972–73, in the wake of the 1971 Bundesliga scandal, when the league averaged just over 17,400 spectators per game. In this season Rot-Weiß Oberhausen also set the all-time low for support, becoming the first team to record an average of less than 10,000 spectators when the club drew just 6,941 per game.1. Bundesliga – Zuschauer kicker.de, Bundesliga spectators. Retrieved 17 June 20151. Bundesliga – Zuschauer kicker.de, Bundesliga spectators by season. Retrieved 17 June 2015
From 1973 onwards, until 1979, figures improved again for the Bundesliga, especially after clubs like Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart returned from the 2. Bundesliga. The latter became the first club to record an average above 50,000 when it drew 55,559 per home game in 1977–78. The league experienced another sharp decline in the 1980s, dropping to an average of just over 18,000 in 1985–86. It made a slow recovery from there and accelerated from 1991, after the German reunification in 1990. Since then the Bundesliga has experienced a steady increase, reaching its all-time high in 2011–12 when it attracted 13,805,514 spectators, twice as many as in its inaugural season, and recorded an average of 45,116.
Since 1998–99 season Borussia Dortmund has been the best-supported club each year, having surpassed the 80,000 mark per game in 2011–12. At the other end of the scale only on nine occasions have clubs attracted an average of less than 10,000, these being Rot-Weiß Oberhausen in 1972–73, Wuppertaler SV in 1974–75, Bayer Leverkusen in 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85 and 1987–88, FC Homburg in 1987–88 and 1989–90 and SpVgg Unterhaching in 1999–2000.
Stuttgart and Hannover, which are based in large cities, were relegated for the 2016–17 season, which caused a reduction in the average number of spectators. Both teams returned to the Bundesliga for the 2017–18 season, whereas Darmstadt and Ingolstadt, the two bottoms teams in attendance, were relegated.
Spectators The spectator figures for league since the inaugural 1963–64 season. The 1963–64 and 1964–65 seasons were played with 16 clubs in the league, the 1991–92 with 20 clubs and all others with 18 clubs. The last eight matchdays of the 2019–20 season, the majority of the 2020–21 season and some matches at the start of the 2021–22 season were played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spectators Season Overall Average Best supported club Average 1963–64Bundesliga 1963/1964 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1963–64. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,616,371 27,568 VfB Stuttgart 40,133 1964–65Bundesliga 1964/1965 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1964–65. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,918,000 28,825 Hannover 96 43,267 1965–66Bundesliga 1965/1966 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1965–66. Retrieved 17 June 2015 7,528,927 24,604 Hannover 96 32,088 1966–67Bundesliga 1966/1967 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1966–67. Retrieved 17 June 2015 7,511,500 24,547 VfB Stuttgart 29,176 1967–68Bundesliga 1967/1968 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1967–68. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,438,800 21,042 1. FC Nürnberg 39,765 1968–69Bundesliga 1968/1969 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1968–69. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,706,700 21,917 Hertha BSC 44,176 1969–70Bundesliga 1969/1970 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1969–70. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,321,575 20,659 Hertha BSC 42,416 1970–71Bundesliga 1970/1971 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1970–71. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,550,000 21,405 Hertha BSC 45,529 1971–72Bundesliga 1971/1972 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1971–72. Retrieved 17 June 2015 5,731,400 18,730 FC Schalke 04 28,529 1972–73Bundesliga 1972/1973 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1972–73. Retrieved 17 June 2015 5,326,500 17,407 FC Bayern Munich 33,353 1973–74Bundesliga 1973/1974 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1973–74. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,794,100 22,203 FC Schalke 04 42,441 1974–75Bundesliga 1974/1975 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1974–75. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,955,321 22,730 FC Schalke 04 39,988 1975–76Bundesliga 1975/1976 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1975–76. Retrieved 17 June 2015 7,093,100 23,180 FC Schalke 04 34,212 1976–77Bundesliga 1976/1977 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1976–77. Retrieved 17 June 2015 7,827,564 25,580 Borussia Dortmund 43,282 1977–78Bundesliga 1977/1978 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1977–78. Retrieved 17 June 2015 8,444,530 27,597 VfB Stuttgart 55,559 1978–79Bundesliga 1978/1979 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1978–79. Retrieved 17 June 2015 7,955,959 26,000 Hamburger SV 42,441 1979–80Bundesliga 1979/1980 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1979–80. Retrieved 17 June 2015 7,433,878 24,294 FC Bayern Munich 39,579 1980–81Bundesliga 1980/1981 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1980–81. Retrieved 17 June 2015 7,364,087 24,066 FC Bayern Munich 36,412 1981–82Bundesliga 1981/1982 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1981–82. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,693,852 21,875 Hamburger SV 34,700 1982–83Bundesliga 1982/1983 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1982–83. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,481,847 21,183 FC Bayern Munich 31,324 1983–84Bundesliga 1983/1984 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1983–84. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,341,307 20,723 VfB Stuttgart 31,876 1984–85Bundesliga 1984/1985 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1984–85. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,066,979 19,827 FC Bayern Munich 32,765 1985–86Bundesliga 1985/1986 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1985–86. Retrieved 17 June 2015 5,630,218 18,399 1. FC Nürnberg 28,765 1986–87Bundesliga 1986/1987 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1986–87. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,294,772 20,571 FC Bayern Munich 37,471 1987–88Bundesliga 1987/1988 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1987–88. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,019,437 19,671 Borussia Dortmund 29,424 1988–89Bundesliga 1988/1989 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1988–89. Retrieved 17 June 2015 5,755,248 18,808 Borussia Dortmund 30,572 1989–90Bundesliga 1989/1990 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1989–90. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,497,884 21,235 Borussia Dortmund 37,173 1990–91Bundesliga 1990/1991 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1990–91. Retrieved 17 June 2015 6,640,061 21,700 Borussia Dortmund 35,923 1991–92Bundesliga 1991/1992 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1991–92. Retrieved 8 June 2015 9,268,395 24,391 FC Schalke 04 47,468 1992–93Bundesliga 1992/1993 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1992–93. Retrieved 8 June 2015 8,020,735 26,212 FC Bayern Munich 46,059 1993–94Bundesliga 1993/1994 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1993–94. Retrieved 8 June 2015 8,317,953 27,183 FC Bayern Munich 48,294 1994–95Bundesliga 1994/1995 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1994–95. Retrieved 8 June 2015 9,196,246 30,053 FC Bayern Munich 54,176 1995–96Bundesliga 1995/1996 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1995–96. Retrieved 8 June 2015 9,424,485 30,799 FC Bayern Munich 59,471 1996–97Bundesliga 1996/1997 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1996–97. Retrieved 8 June 2015 9,449,798 30,882 FC Bayern Munich 58,059 1997–98Bundesliga 1997/1998 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1997–98. Retrieved 8 June 2015 10,087,247 32,965 FC Bayern Munich 54,529 1998–99Bundesliga 1998/1999 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1998–98. Retrieved 8 June 2015 10,026,166 32,765 Borussia Dortmund 65,494 1999–00Bundesliga 1999/2000 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 1999–2000. Retrieved 8 June 2015 9,549,181 31,206 Borussia Dortmund 64,641 2000–01Bundesliga 2000/2001 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2000–01. Retrieved 2 June 2015 9,462,110 30,922 Borussia Dortmund 63,729 2001–02Bundesliga 2001/2002 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2001–02. Retrieved 2 June 2015 10,113,007 33,049 Borussia Dortmund 66,171 2002–03Bundesliga 2002/2003 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2002–03. Retrieved 2 June 2015 10,447,982 34,144 Borussia Dortmund 67,800 2003–04Bundesliga 2003/2004 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2003–04. Retrieved 2 June 2015 11,442,726 37,395 Borussia Dortmund 79,618 2004–05Bundesliga 2004/2005 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2004–05. Retrieved 2 June 2015 11,570,634 37,813 Borussia Dortmund 77,235 2005–06Bundesliga 2005/2006 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2005–06. Retrieved 2 June 2015 12,478,319 40,779 Borussia Dortmund 72,808 2006–07Bundesliga 2006/2007 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2006–07. Retrieved 2 June 2015 12,226,795 39,957 Borussia Dortmund 72,652 2007–08Bundesliga 2007/2008 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2007–08. Retrieved 2 June 2015 12,069,813 39,444 Borussia Dortmund 72,510 2008–09Bundesliga 2008/2009 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2008–09. Retrieved 2 June 2015 13,011,578 42,521 Borussia Dortmund 74,851 2009–10Bundesliga 2009/2010 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2009–10. Retrieved 2 June 2015 13,001,871 42,490 Borussia Dortmund 77,246 2010–11Bundesliga 2010/2011 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2010–11. Retrieved 2 June 2015 13,054,960 42,663 Borussia Dortmund 79,151 2011–12Bundesliga 2011/2012 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2011–12. Retrieved 2 June 2015 13,805,514 45,116 Borussia Dortmund 80,521 2012–13Bundesliga 2012/2013 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2012–13. Retrieved 2 June 2015 13,042,263 42,622 Borussia Dortmund 80,520 2013–14Bundesliga 2013/2014 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2013–14. Retrieved 2 June 201513,311,14543,500 Borussia Dortmund80,297 2014–15Bundesliga 2014/2015 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2014–15. Retrieved 2 June 201513,323,03143,539 Borussia Dortmund80,463 2015–16Bundesliga 2015/2016 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2015–16. Retrieved 14 May 201613,249,77843,300 Borussia Dortmund81,178 2016–17Bundesliga 2016/2017 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2016–17. Retrieved 17 July 201712,702,42741,511 Borussia Dortmund79,653 2017–18Bundesliga 2017/2018 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2017–18. Retrieved 14 May 201813,661,79644,646 Borussia Dortmund79,396 2018–19Bundesliga 2018/2019 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2018–19. Retrieved 18 July 201913,298,14743,358 Borussia Dortmund80,820 2019–20Bundesliga 2019/20 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2019–20. Retrieved 28 June 20209,112,95029,781 FC Bayern Munich57,353 2020–21Bundesliga 2020/21 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2020–21. Retrieved 22 May 2021163,705535 Borussia Dortmund1,282 2021–22Bundesliga 2021/22 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2021–22. Retrieved 14 May 20224,416,98821,039 Borussia Dortmund41,789 2022–23Bundesliga 2022/23 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2022–23 . Retrieved 28 May 202313,147,70142,966 Borussia Dortmund81,228 2023–24Bundesliga 2023/24 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2023–24 . Retrieved 18 May 202412,090,79739,512 Borussia Dortmund81,305 2024–25Bundesliga 2024/25 » Zuschauer weltfussball.de, Spectator figures 2024–25 . Retrieved 17 May 202511,828,68438,656 Borussia Dortmund81,365 2025–26Bundesliga 2024/25 » Zuschauer kicker.de, Spectator figures 2025–26 . Retrieved 17 May 202612,947,04741,483 Borussia Dortmund81,285
References
External links Official Bundesliga website