The Saudi Pro League has been struggling to attract large crowds, especially outside of the top clubs. For instance, a match at the Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Sports City Stadium had only 505 fans in attendance, despite the stadium’s capacity of 25,000.
This lack of attendance is also due to the absence of major stars in most of the teams’ squads. Hosts Abha, who are currently positioned second from the bottom in the league, lack significant star power, which makes it challenging for them to draw in more supporters.
The low attendance is a sharp contrast to the viewership of the top clubs such as PIF-owned Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, and Al-Hilal, which attract a five-figure average attendance. However, the league’s average attendance hovers around 8,275 this season, which is less than all but one side in the EFL.
Despite the overall struggle to attract fans, there are still moments of excitement in the league. For example, a recent equalizer by Aschraf El Mahdioui for Abha in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time resulted in a draw.
This shows that there are thrilling moments in the league, despite the challenges it faces in drawing in crowds. In conclusion, the Saudi Pro League has encountered difficulties in attracting large crowds to matches, particularly outside of the top clubs.
While there are moments of excitement in the league, the absence of major stars in most teams’ squads remains a significant barrier to increasing attendance.
