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| ▲ Fans take in a K League 1 match between FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on May 5, 2023. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Joo Min-kyu of Ulsan Hyundai FC celebrates his goal against Gwangju FC during a K League 1 match at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, some 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on April 30, 2023, in this photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
football-attendance
Fans, goals galore in S. Korean football league
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 9 (Yonhap) -- With teams having played every opponent at least once in the top South Korean football league, attendance figures and total goals are both up significantly from recent seasons, data showed Tuesday.
According to the Korea Professional Football League, the dozen teams in the top-flight K League 1 have drawn 688,439 fans through 66 matches, for an average of 10,430.
It's the highest average since the K League adopted the promotion-relegation system in 2013, and also the biggest figure since the league started counting only paid spectators in 2018.
The league office said this is the first time in 12 years that teams are averaging over 10,000 fans per match through their 11 games.
At this point last year, K League 1 clubs had averaged 4,157 fans per match.
In front of big crowds, teams have been scoring goals at a near record pace.
They have combined for 167 goals, and not counting penalties and own goals, they have netted 153, an average of 2.32 goals per match.
It's the second-highest average since 2013.
The league has set a record for most goals within the first 10 minutes of the match at this point in the season with 17, topping the previous mark of 14 from 2016 and 2018.
There has also been plenty of late drama, with teams netting 25 goals after the 85th-minute mark, just two shy of the record set in 2016 at this point in the season.
According to the league, 15 of those 25 goals either put a team ahead or tied the score.
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