FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFL-46 9/25/97

NFL ATTENDANCE UP

NFL attendance for the first quarter of the 1997 season increased almost 2,000 fans per game compared to last year, the NFL announced today.

Paid attendance for the 56 games of the first four regular-season weeks has averaged 62,287 per game compared to 60,462 per game after four weeks last year -- an increase of 1,825 per game. Total paid attendance so far this season is 3,488,048. Paid attendance through four weeks last season was 3,385,880.

The NFL set attendance records for seven consecutive years from 1989-95. The all-time regular-season record was set in 1995 when a paid average of 62,682 attended NFL games.