Abbotsford Canucks average 3,783 fans per game over first half of AHL season

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At the half-way mark of the Abbotsford Canucks 2025-26 home schedule, the defending Calder Cup champions are averaging 3,783 fans per game.

The club’s game against the Calgary Wranglers on Sunday (Jan. 11) was the 18th out of 36 scheduled for this season.

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The Canucks attendance ranks them 25th in the 32-team American Hockey League and third out of the six Canadian teams. They are also sixth for attendance in the 10-team Pacific Division.

It’s a 4.6 per cent drop from the first 18 home games in 2024-25, which counted 3,967 fans per game. Dating back to 2022-23, the team has seen a first half attendance dip of 24 per cent. The last three first half attendance numbers were 4,983 (2022-23), 4,628 (2023-24) and 3,967 (2024-25).

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The team’s inaugural season first half in 2021-22 saw games maxed out at half-capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions for large indoor gatherings.

This season’s first half attendance numbers are similar to several final regular season numbers of those from the city’s previous AHL team – the Abbotsford Heat. The Heat had years of years of 3,897, 3,807, 3,545, 3,778 and 3,007 during its time (2009 to 2014) in Abbotsford.

The high point of the first half of the season was the home opener, which saw 6,378 fans pack the Abbotsford Centre to witness the banner raising ceremony. Saturday’s (Jan. 10) game against the Wranglers also drew a healthy crowd of 5,564 and the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss against the Laval Rocket drew 4,972 on Dec. 6.

Eight of the first 18 home games were on a Tuesday or Wednesday, which typically draw a smaller crowd. The low point so far this season was against the San Jose Barracuda when 2,753 took in the game on Nov. 12. There are only four more Tuesday or Wednesday games for the remainder of the season.

Capacity for Abbotsford Canucks home games is 7,073 and the city of Abbotsford receives revenue sharing with the team if the Canucks average 5,000 fans or greater per home game.

This season also saw the re-branding of the Abbotsford Centre to Rogers Forum. That partnership was announced on Nov. 13 and the first game under the Rogers Forum name occurred on Dec. 2.

Last month saw the team announce several community and fan engagement nights for the second half of the season. Those include:

● Hockey is for Everyone: Jan. 21 vs Laval Rocket

● Rock N’ Roll Night: Jan. 24 vs. San Diego Gulls

● Top Dogs Night: Jan. 25 vs. San Diego Gulls

● First Nations Night: Feb. 6 vs. San Jose Barracuda

● Vancouver Canucks Night: Feb. 7 vs. San Jose Barracuda

● Valentine’s Night: Feb. 14 vs. Ontario Reign

● Family Day Game: Feb. 16 vs. Ontario Reign

● Y2K Night: March 6 vs. Colorado Eagles

● Women in Sports Night: March 7 vs. Colorado Eagles

● St. Paddy’s Night: March 14 vs. Henderson Silver Knights

● First Responders Night: March 29 vs. San Diego Gulls

● Student Night: April 3 vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds

● Fan Appreciation Night: April 4 vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Canucks will also begin wearing their green jerseys at home and white jerseys away since the second half of the season is officially underway.