It's Reigning Men - The Official Reign FC Attendance Discussion

Come on Sounders, only need 6,000 of you to sell out Memorial this year!

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/...ttendance-record-average-44038-fans-per-game/

 

One team isn't in an MLS market, though.

 

Better than last year is good. I can't help thinking, however, that for the PNW, this is not good enough.

 

What in the hell is wrong with the Sounders' fans? Didn't these ladies hang out at their park/stadium? Reign should draw 5000+ easy, are better team than the MLS misfits they have, and play a better brand of soccer.

 

I think you should give them the whole season before writing off the Seattle fans. Last season they drew 3,855 max, and only drew over 3,000 three times (and 2 of those were against Portland). Sure this is below that, but it's well above average (2,306) for last year and losing some fans who don't want to make the trek into the city is to be expected. And I highly doubt they will regress to around 1000 fans for the next 2 matches (like they did last season) after how they played in the first game.

 

The Seattle team, which should be 2nd only to Portland in attendance, still has to win over loyal fans of the established Sounders (women's team) and some other supporters of other women's professional teams in the area. I think they are on the right track with the relocation of their games at memorial stadium. Plus they still have to overcome the results of the product they put on the field last season. What will help will hinge on being able to put a very successful and exciting team on the field. This team seems to have what it will take. The rivalry match-up with Portland at home this year should be a good indicator of what the potential can be.

The model that Portland has set forth and is now being followed by the Dash, both owners of MLS teams, is hard for the other franchises to compete against. Both have very effective marketing programs the other teams just don't have. Wouldn't be surprised to see other MLS teams grab up the next expansion teams and possibly either partner up or buy some of the currents teams, even for the purpose of relocating if need be. The remaining unaffiliated MLS teams should be able to ride along with the growth of the NWSL.

 

Red Bull failed! I would hope someone over at USSoccer finds a team for them. I thought the Mutiny might work. NWSL could definitely use Red Bull Media House in its' corner.

 

I certainly wouldn't write off the Reign in terms of attendance. I don't think Seattle is that different than Portland in terms of potential support for women's soccer. I just wouldn't want to see anyone close to satisfied with 3,000 per game. And, not to be trying to re-start a discussion that's already been had, I think they need to keep trying to figure out a way to have a cooperative relationship with the MLS Sounders. If Houston's attendance stays strong, that would seem to be imperative from a NWSL perspective.

 

What new things exactly do you suggest they do in working together?

Not sure how Houston has any bearing on this. They are owned by the MLS team, just like Portland. Seattle isn't. Also, even if the teams did have the same ownership, I think Seattle would be at one big disadvantage because the Sounders don't have a SSS and play in a huge NFL stadium. So the Reign would continue to play at a different venue, thus creating a dissonance between the two teams.

 

Don't conflate the support the Sounders in Seattle with support for soccer in general. Portland is fairly unique in that their support is across the board regardless of the level of play and gender of the players. Seattle's strong support is just for the Sounders and, even then, only when they are in the top division. The Sounders Women "big numbers" were largely the result of them being the USWNT for a single season and shouldn't be treated as an indicator for anything.

Another big difference is that the Timber's Army have done a much better job embracing the Thorns than ECS has done with the Reign. If you go to the TA's website, or follow their social media you'll see them mentioning the Thorn, but the same is definitely not true with ECS. Don't get me wrong, the Royal Guard is doing a bang up job, but there is a significant difference between the Timbers Army supporting the Thorns and a SG that is unaffiliated to ECS supporting the Reign.

 

So, are you last two posters satisfied with 3,000 to 4,000 a game? It sounds like you're willing to settle for that.

 

Not sure were you got that in my post? I'm just saying the attendance of the MLS backed clubs can't be compared to the independent clubs.

I'd still like for you to answer: What new things exactly do you suggest they do in working together?

Unless you're suggesting that the Sounders buy out Predmore...

 

I'm certainly not saying that. What I am saying is that viewing the attendance success that the Sounders have had and expecting the Reign to have similar attendance success is wrong headed. There are plenty of reasons to view the Reign's attendance as disappointing, but zero of those reasons should be "They should be doing better because they play in Seattle". Pridemore fell into that trap and he paid for it. Now he actually has to work to improve the attendance just like every other NWSL team.

 

(Emphasis added.)

Might not be a bad idea for the Sounders to buy out Predmore, but my assumption is that it won't happen at least in the near future.

Short of a merger, there could be some sort of joint operating agreement. The Sounders have a ticketing staff, a season ticket list, and an individual ticket purchaser list -- and, is there a waiting list?. The agreement should provide for the Sounders ticketing staff to also service the Reign (perhaps with some added staff, if needed) using the Sounders season ticket list, individual ticket purchaser list, and waiting list as resources. Similarly, the agreement should provide for the Sounders PR staff to also service the Reign. And, it should provide for the Reign to piggy back on the Sounders website (I know there's some dispute about this arrangement for the Thorns, but I've tried to use the Reign website and it is very poor). Since the Reign has different owners than the Sounders, the Reign probably would have to pay for this. The agreement should provide for payment on an incremental cost basis. And, perhaps the Sounders could receive a percentage of any increased net revenue the Reign generate over their base (last year and this).

So, there's your answer.

 

this sounds cool but i doubt the sounders give this much traction and penetration to an external organization. they seem willing to give them exposure at games and jumbotron advertising directly to their base. if the sounders make a move, i think it looks like red bull, complete absorption of the team but the name can stay intact, which isn't a bad thing if you use the dash and thorns models. if you look at the red bull model, the sbfu owners couldn't digest red bull putting the sky blue brand in a vault like magicdan did with the freedom. red bull completely wipes the original brand off the face of the earth and the new team wears their magicjack costume. now, i'm a red bull fan, so i dig this greatly. $1B in advertising and marketing via red bull media house and a cool $200M stadium (most expensive in the mls).

personally, i hope they come up with something. xbox painted on top of the stadium view-able from the needle would be cool and lucrative for the ladies.

predmore sold his company but he did do business with microsoft and that whole network. maybe he keeps a minority stake if he can't let the whole thing go ala sbfc if they are willing to buy in/out .

 

So you're pretty much suggesting the Sounders act like they did buy out Predmore, without actually doing it? Honestly, I think buying out Predmore is more likely.

No... it would be lucrative for Seattle Public Schools, which owns the stadium.

 

I was talking about the tie-ins to MS and that sponsorship network. Someone already posted ownership of the stadium. We don't know who ends up on the front of their jersey long-term. In the case of the women, they loose when RedBull, Xbox, etc aren't on their jerseys.

 

I haven't seen any indications that the Sounders have interest in taking over the Reign. They don't even own the Sounders-Women team and the Sounders U23 team. Those teams are owned by another person who licenses the brand from the Sounders. I don't think the Sounders will even own the Sounders USL Pro team when that gets up and running. They were talking to the owner of the Tacoma Rainiers and even had a U23 game in Cheney Stadium last year as a test case for the Rainiers to see if having the USL Pro team play there would work.

I seriously would not expect the Sounders to do more than allow the Reign to pay them to market their team to Sounders fans. That might change in the future, but if you're expecting a Timbers/Thorn or Dynamo/Dash relationship between the Sounders and Reign.. Don't hold your breath.

 

They gave them free pub here:



That's about all I see. Maybe over time they pick up 2-3k Sounders fans to their base.

It doesn't hurt the Sounders but goes a long way for the ladies.

At least they can check out the better team in Seattle

BTW, you can get that video billboard ad in Yankee stadium for $100. They allow 10 per game. Sounders could do 2-3 per game as a service to the women's pro team. What do they have to fear? Maybe we should spam their front office.

 

Is there a particular reason why you think the Reign did not pay for that?

Not sure it is anything that they fear, but rather them not having any interest in it.

 

I have a concern that they had no security for the game. No bag checkers at the gate. It seemed like a free for all.

I saw 1 guy walking around witha headset but not doing anything. No one checking tickets in the seating sections. I understand watching your cost, but there are enough risk already with security. The liability for anything happening could be overwhelming

Is this normal at other NWSL games

 

I agree. But allowing the Reign to pay them to market their team and to have their ticket selling arm sell Reign tickets could make a very big attendance difference for the Reign. And, it might work for the Reign economically if done on an incremental cost basis plus a percentage of additional revenue generated. And, it might work for the Sounders in terms of overall community soccer support plus the opportunity to generate some profit if there's a percentage of additional revenue generated payment from the Reign.

And, for all I know, maybe the Sounders and Reign have discussed this. If they haven't, they should since there could be mutual benefits.