FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
            NFL-190                    1/2/03

NFL SETS PAID ATTENDANCE RECORD

The National Football League set an all-time regular-season paid attendance record in 2002, totaling 16,880,144 fans, the league announced today. 

Regular-season attendance in 2001 was 16,166,258 for an average of 65,187.  The 2002 average was 65,938.

“We thank the best fans in sports for the great support they have given us this year and every year,” said NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE.  “Our clubs and players are very appreciative of the enthusiastic crowds at NFL stadiums.”           

The 16,880,144 tickets sold to the NFL’s 256 regular-season games in 2002 represented paid attendance at more than 90 percent of capacity.   

A record 89 percent of games -- 229 of 256 -- were sold out in advance of the local 72-hour TV blackout deadline, topping the previous high of 86 percent in 2000.

The top five paid attendance marks for a full season have occurred in the past five years. 

TOP FIVE NFL REGULAR-SEASON PAID ATTENDANCES
 

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