ECHL is the only minor league that raised its attendance in 07-08
Condors attendance hit 200,000 for the eighth time in 10 years

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.- The Bakersfield Condors concluded the 2007-08 season surpassing the 200,000 fan mark for the eighth time in their 10-year history, ranking fifth in the ECHL in total attendance. The Condors were one of the driving forces behind the ECHL's status as the only minor professional hockey league to raise its attendance this season, outdrawing the league average by nearly 35% .

Bolstered by 51 sellouts and with 11 teams increasing their attendance, the ECHL celebrated its 20th season by being the only minor professional hockey league to raise its attendance in 2007-08.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game. It is the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans.

The Premier 'AA' Hockey League welcomed 3,756,191 fans, marking the fifth straight season and the 11th time in the last 12 years that it has exceeded 3.75 million fans. The 51 sold out crowds are the most in the last five seasons and mark the fourth time in the last five years that the ECHL has had at least 40 sellouts.

"While we had hoped that the increase would be more significant, the fact that there was an increase is a credit to the efforts of management and the teams across the league," said ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna. "We look forward to continuing these efforts to increase in growth in attendance and revenues for the 2008-09 season."

The top two teams in pro hockey for attendance increase this season, Cincinnati and Victoria, both came from the ECHL. Meanwhile the Condors saw an average of 5,628 fans pass through the turnstiles this season, the third consecutive season they have averaged over 5,600 fans per game and the sixth time in 10 years they have hit the mark.

Seven ECHL teams set the record for their largest crowd, including Bakersfield, drawing a Condors ECHL-record crowd of 8,895 on Nov. 24, the second-largest in team history only trailing the 9,129 fans in attendance on Feb. 19, 2000, when the Condors played in the WCHL.

"The support we receive is amazing," said Condors President Matthew Riley. "We are extremely fortunate to have such dedicated fans, who stick by our team no matter what."

Stockton led the league in attendance for the third year with 239,337 fans and an average of 6,648 per game while Florida was second with 217,185 and 6,033. The Thunder, who have had 12 sellouts in three seasons including four sellouts in 2007-08, are the first team to lead the league in attendance three consecutive years since Florida, which led the ECHL for a record five straight years from 2000-05.

ECHL
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08, the ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 25 teams playing 900 games in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. The league officially changed its name to ECHL on May 19, 2003.

There have been 355 former ECHL players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including former Condors G's Yutaka Fukufuji and Danny Taylor (L.A.), and F Connor James (Pitt.). There have been 210 former ECHL players who have played their first game in the NHL in the past seven seasons.

The ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 29 teams in the American Hockey League in 2007-08 and for the past 18 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup champion.

Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

Upcoming Games:
Stay tuned to www.bakersfieldcondors.com for information regarding the 2008-09 regular season schedule, expected to be released later this month.

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Season tickets for the Bakersfield Condors 2008-09 season are on sale now! Contact the Condors office at 324-PUCK (7825) to reserve your seat for all the action. Season ticket holders, be sure to speak to your ticket representative for information regarding the Condors referral program.