Toronto and Vancouver both extended their sub 20,000 attendance streak - both each at four games. Though I suspect the Vancouver fans will start responding to this year's Whitecaps outfit. There is a lot to like on that team.
In 2004, Kansas City managed to draw over 20,000 fans five times, but still averaged under 15,000 for the year. SKS has drawn over 20,000 fans twice already this year. I doubt they will draw under 15,000 fans for any game this season.
The next home game we will see the faces of true fans, tho last nigh they were pretty upset with the lost ..
just a bit of added perspective on how pathetic the Revs attendance is this season ... NE Revolution: GP: 3 Total Att: 29,463 Avg Att: 9,821 SA Scorpions: GP: 3 Total Att: 32,801 Avg Att: 10,934
The Revolution started slowly last year and then improved. If their average is still at this level at the end of the year, then you can feel more comfortable declaring the sky is falling. Three games does not a season make.
Toronto is in real trouble right now. I personally have decided to only go to Voyageurs Cup and CCL matches for the rest of the year. I'd rather spend my money on the National Team, and I am a big fan of the team. Honestly, this team is clearly incapable of winning. We will keep seeing inflated numbers, but honestly noone wants to go to TFC games right now. There were probably 11K in the stadium yesterday. Let's go Whitecaps.
A good friend of mine is a defender down there, played USL-Pro last year. He says the difference between the two leagues in terms of professionalism, facilities, etc. is night and day. San Antonio is running a class organization so far down there. I believe they have roughly 6k season tickets.
to be fair i think there are a few USLPro teams that are at the same level and simply aren't in NASL/D2 solely because of political schims reasons. Orlando City SC and Rochester Rhinos are also top notch lower division clubs and would be the equal of any NASL team both on and off the pitch (and i don't say this just because i am a OCSC season ticket holder, not that i go since i live 2.5 hours away). Even the Charleston Battery is probably in the "good enough for D2" category. i am still skeptical of the "soccer for a cause" concept ... lower division soccer is not a profit making endeavour for the most part and it can hardly be used to support a "charity" disabled amusement park. but the team and the fan support are very good so far.
Yawn. We used to get the same posts 10 years ago, telling us how Rochester, NY -- a.k.a. Soccertown USA -- was outdrawing the Wizards and wondering why MLS was so foolish as to have a team in Kansas City instead of a sure thing like Rochester.
I agree. There's no reason for OCSC, Rochester and Charleston to be in the third division...but it is what it is.
uh. yeah. but it isn't 10 years ago and it is all the more embarrasing that in today's MLS a team is being outdrawn by a D2 team. i am not advocating that San Antonio be in MLS, i am just mocking how far the Revs under Kraft have fallen. now i doubt they will end the season drawing less fans than SA ... but it will be closer than it should be and it should send a loud and clear message to MLS HQ that the Krafts are killing domestic pro soccer in New England and probably poisoning the fan base for the future.
Look like Montreal will get a nice attendance boost next week with LA in town. Less than 10k tickets available are left in the olympic stadium. I'm not sure of it's total capacity but it's got to be around 60k. So that would mean at least a 50k attendance. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2012/05/just-10000-tickets-left-game-versus-la-galaxy
Teams do not always make available the full capacity (Seattle, DC, NE) so I doubt they have sold 50K tickets, but I do not really know.
"he Impact established an attendance record in Montreal for a professional soccer game in its home opener against the Chicago Fire, March 17, with 58,912 spectators. With the same concerns, management recommends that those attending Saturday’s game arrive at least an hour before start time, in order to avoid missing the beginning of the game. Please note that stadium doors open at 2pm ET." You are right, shit, Beckham effect?
Why? Seriously, why should it be any more embarrassing that well-run D2 with a grand total of three home games under its belt is having more success drawing fans than an MLS team with 17-year history of... well, I'll be kind and simply say "a dogged apathy toward the concept of customer service"? Setting aside the fact that the ditches are littered with all sort of teams in niche sports who drew well out of the gate only to end up with a certain ignominious fate -- the euphemistic "suspended operations," I'm not entirely clear why the Revs should be any more "embarrassed" now than they were before the season or more "embarrassed" than the Wizards were 10 years ago. They do what they do and they get what they get as a result. If they don't like what they get, they'll hopefully do something different. It's business. "Killing domestic pro soccer in New England"? "Poisoning the fan base for the future"? Way to amp up the gratuitous melodrama.
I agree. I assume the owner is taking a salary out of the non-profit. One report I read indicated a goal of MLShood. If so -- he may be looking to make his money from an MLS ownership stake (SUM, etc.) and not out of his Operator stake except for his salary.
A couple of months ago the Scorpions reported having 600k in sponsorships this year as well. They very well could be profitable.