GP official attendance figures 2.3% up in 2007

The F.I.M. has just published the official attendance figures for the 2007 Grand Prix Series.

Total attendances improved by 2.3% overall from 147,392 to 150,913 though because many of the attendances have weirdly symmetrical numbers you have to assume that these are ‘rounded’ figures not specific ones. I gather that these figures refer to ‘paying customers’ but there still may well be discounted admissions (and/or comps)contained within these figures.

One thing that stands out is that the quality of the racing on offer isn’t necessarily a key variable since, for example, attendances at Bydgoszcz have declined whereas Cardiff has increased.

Some people have also (sensibly) highlighted that the use of indoor stadia means that fans know that the meeting will go ahead irrespective of the weather, though this might impact advance bookings it also doesn’t appear to be the key variable.

Looking through the figures venue by venue
Prague was 9% up on 2006 but is the third lowest attendance since 1999
Wroclaw was up 2% on 2006 and either flat over a four-year trend or substantially down on the 2000 figure
Bydgoszcz was down 11% on 2006 but equal fourth highest attendance since 1999
Cardiff finally showed an upward trend (up 3% on 2006 and not a ‘rounded’ figure) but still down on the 2002 high point
Krsko was up 14% on 2006 but down on the 2002 high figure
Copenhagen was the real success and up 22% on 2006
Eskilstuna was down 18% but the base is too small to make this significant
Malilla was down 15% on 2006
Lonigo was down 4% on the 2006 figure on 4500+1