The J. League is savoring the World Cup carry over. Since league action was resumed (Division Two on July 10 and Division One on July 13) following the World Cup, the J. League has so far drawn high attendance figures to its games.

Division One has recorded a figure of 204,786 from eight games and a league record round attendance on the weekend of July 20-21 (average 25,958). On the same weekend, Division Two also did well, collecting an average of 13,161 people per game reaching the 10,000 mark for the first time since Division Two was introduced in 1999.

Average attendance since the World Cup has increased by 5,684 for Division One and 1,382 for Division Two.

The Urawa Reds-Jubilo Iwata game on July 13 at Saitama Stadium, a World Cup venue, was attended by 52,902 fans; Shimizu S-Pulse vs. Vegalta Sendai drew 17,874 on July 20; Gamba Osaka vs. Nagoya Grampus Eight had 21,621 fans on July 21; Kyoto Purple Sanga, which features South Korea international Park Ji Sung, had 18,406 fans for the game against the Kashima Antlers, a weekday game on July 24 -- all club attendance records this season.

This trend has continued in Division Two. Cerezo Osaka, which boasts Japan national team players Hiroaki Morishima and Akinori Nishizawa in its lineup, has attracted big crowds to each of its games.

Albirex Niigata and Oita Trinita, both of whom play at World Cup stadiums, drew 35,809 fans (against Mito Hollyhock) at Niigata Stadium and a crowd of 22,314 (against Avispa Fukuoka) at Oita Stadium, respectively.

The "World Cup effect" looks to be lasting longer than it did after the 1998 World Cup. Four years ago, it disappeared two weeks after the tournament. This time, the trend is still there after four weeks. JEF United Ichihara, whose average attendance last season was only 7,818, had 10,750 fans at Saturday's game against Jubilo Iwata.

This trend is clearly a result of the fact that the World Cup was hosted on home soil. A survey showed 66.1 percent of Japanese citizens watched the Japan-Russia game (the second-best Japanese TV rating for a sporting event) and 65.6 percent was marked for the Brazil-Germany final.

Japan's good performance -- reaching the last 16 this time compared to its winless first-round exit in 1998 -- may also have helped to shift people's interest from the World Cup to the J. League.

Another possible explanation is that some spectators may be interested in visiting World Cup stadiums.

At the Urawa-Iwata game at Saitama Stadium on July 13, many people took pictures with their families or friends around and inside the stadium.

But in order to maintain the interest of the fans and to keep the crowds coming to games, the J. League needs to reduce some of the negative aspects of the local game.

Time-wasting, poor sportsmanship, players feigning injuries and a low standard of refereeing are some of the points that come to mind. Fans easily lose interest when these aspects come into play.

Jubilo and Japan forward Masashi Nakayama is one of the most popular figures in the league for his "never-give-up" playing style. The veteran player has scored four goals in two appearances since the World Cup.

Nakayama commented after his team's game at Urawa on July 13, "I'm pleased to see 60,000 fans in the stands. But that makes me feel responsible. I want to play to keep their interest in us. If they feel like coming back again after seeing our play, that'd be great."

Whether the J. League can make the new fans settle into the league when the World Cup carry over has disappeared, depends on the performance of the players and officials over the next few weeks.