Sunderland AFC plans Stadium of Light expansion in preparation for EPL comeback

Sunderland’s 2024/25 season has started well, and while it is still early, some fans will be dreaming of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2017. The Black Cats lead the Championship, and as one would anticipate, the Stadium of Light is a great place to be. It’s fair to say that Sunderland fans have been on an emotional rollercoaster since their relegation from the Premier League in 2017, with the club dropping to League One after just one season in the Championship in 2018, and it would take another four years to return to the second tier.

However, their first season back in the Championship was a triumph, with them making the play-offs against all odds, before a disappointing 2023/24 season in which they ended 16th. With the team presently soaring high in the Championship, we’ve looked at their attendance numbers this season and how they compare to ten years ago during the 2014/15 season. Sunderland’s 2024/25 average attendance versus ten years ago

According to Transfermarkt, Sunderland’s average attendance this season is 40,738, which is fairly impressive for a club in the second division. Unsurprisingly, their strong start to the season has resulted in increased attendance from an average of 36,207 last season, but their average attendance this season is not as high as it was a decade ago. Sunderland had its eighth consecutive Premier League season in 2014/15, with an average attendance of 43,171.

Sunderland had higher average crowds in the Premier League a decade ago, but they are on track to match or perhaps surpass that figure this season if they maintain their current form. The Stadium of Light is the division’s largest stadium, with a capacity of roughly 49,000, and you get the impression that Sunderland will come close to filling it near the end of the season if they’re in contention for promotion. Sunderland is now averaging 2,433 fewer fans than they were a decade ago, but given that they play in a lower division and that their average attendance has increased in previous seasons, this is not too bad.

Sunderland’s support is fantastic for a Championship club. Sunderland presently has the highest average attendance in the Championship, but they are closely followed by Leeds United, who average 36,274 this season. However, for a second-tier club to exceed the 40,000 mark in average attendance is extremely amazing and would be a very respectable figure in the Premier League and other top-tier leagues across the world.

Sunderland’s average attendance this season would place them in the top half of Premier League attendances, surpassing the averages of Chelsea and Everton, according to Footy Web Pages. Sunderland’s fan base is highly devoted and passionate, and Regis Le Bris and his players will want to reciprocate that support this season by gaining promotion to the Premier League.

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