The Swan Dive: why Swansea’s attendances have taken a plunge?

The Liberty stadium was once the heartbeat of the city of Swansea, a fortress, conquered only by the very best. Hymns and Arias would ring out across the Tawe each Saturday, striking fear into all who dared to visit. In recent seasons however, the passion and pride has turned to empty seats and despair. Whilst the East Stand core remain strong like they once did on the North Bank of the Vetch, it is the deafening silence of thousands of missing supporters that haunts the Swansea.com stadium now. So we ask: a fading connection with the club’s identity or just another sign of the times? 

From Europe to EFL; a decade of drifting.

Swansea City, once a side renowned for their smooth style and skilful signings, now find themselves marooned in Championship mediocrity. Since relegation from the Premier League, Swansea’s attendances have fallen almost every year. In their final season in the top flight, Paul Clement and Carlos Carvalhal sides drew crowds of nearly 18,700 weekly, filling close to 90% of the Liberty’s seats. Fast forward to 2024/25 and that figure has dwindled to just 16,500.

Crowds falling is an inevitability of relegation from the Premier League, but none so dramatically as Swansea. Contrast that with West Brom, who fell alongside the Swans in 2018-the Baggies have not only sustained their 24,500 average, but instead grown it to over 25,000, despite enduring a similar grind of mid table Championship life. So whilst the loss of ‘The Swansea Way’ and the team’s league position will always affect the numbers through the turnstiles, is it just results causing issues for the Swans or does the problem lie deeper?

Community or corporation; have Swansea lost their working class roots?

Dwindling numbers aren’t just about results. Affordable tickets, a club known for its identity and the raw passion of the Vetch were once the hallmarks of Swansea City. Today, prices increase year on year and supporters continue to question whether the club still reflects their values. The departure of Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan last November brought cautious hope to supporters, however grumbles remain. Across the leagues, clubs like Bradford, charging just £5 for entry or Stoke, who offer free coach travel, still show their loyalty to those who offer it back. In contrast, the Swans faithful regularly voice their irritations around the cost of tickets and, despite small recent improvements such as categorised games, fans remain frustrated by the lack of access to away travel, with coach options being cut this season. Even the Supporters Trust, once the lungs of the club during its turmoil in 2001, now feels reduced to a faint whisper, confined to the occasional forum rather than crafting the building blocks back to the Premier League.

The armchair firm

A YouGov report in 2023 revealed there were over 5 million adults in the UK who admitted to watching sports via illegal streaming methods. With the popularity of ‘dodgy sticks’ at an all time high, could this be contributing to the plummet of the Swans’ attendances?

Just 10 years ago, the 3pm blackout on a Saturday afternoon would leave many restricted to their radios and phones for the latest scores, so the obvious choice for their football fix was live at the Liberty. Fast forward to now and casuals can have every game on live at once from the comfort of their own home and for a fraction of the cost. Even for the more strait-laced fans, with Sky Sports streaming over 328 live Championship games per season, it’s no surprise the concourses are thinning out.

A matter of form?

Swansea attracted over 19,000 supporters for each of their final two home games last season, coinciding with Alan Sheehan’s phenomenal run of five consecutive wins for the South Welsh side. This once again begs the question: does it all come back to winning? The simple answer is yes, the more the Swans prove victorious, the more of the Jack Army turn out. That’s not to say that Richard Montague and his team can’t do anything about returning the Swansea.com stadium to the heights it once found. The challenge is clear: win back not just a Premier League spot, but the people whose collective support once saved the club from the jaws of liquidation.

Swansea City Average League Attendances (Last 10 Seasons)