Following a fall in game attendance in 2009 and 2010, Start decided ahead of the 2011 season to reduce the stadium's capacity.
The league's average game attendance has risen 22 percent over the past two seasons.
After three poor seasons on the ice from 1992-93 to 1994-95, game attendance was dropping.
The team's single game attendance record was set on June 2, 2012, with 4,148 fans, making it the first sell out of the 2012 season.
This move generated large increases in game attendance, membership and revenue for the club.
The popularity of televised college football has been accompanied by a growth in game attendance.
The game attendance was 48,120 a record crowd for a title game.
Chess stores around New York have reported an increase in business, and game attendance was strong.
For the five home games of the 2012 season, average game attendance saw a slight increase to 18,927.
The 2007 season was a recent high point with average game attendance of 29,167, the best since 1983.