J. League fans may not be cheering yet ¡ª but they are returning, with first-division clubs reporting average crowds of 12,515 at games played through the weekend¡¯s fourth round.
While that number is still well below the 2019 average of 20,751, it is a promising sign that Japanese soccer is at last transitioning to the post-pandemic phase and can, after two years of focusing on disinfection protocols, begin the challenging task of reminding fans what they¡¯ve missed so much about their weekly trips to the stadium.
That the league has reached this point is perhaps the greatest legacy of departing chairman Mitsuru Murai, whose eight-year tenure has featured some of the league¡¯s biggest achievements and struggles.
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