25,000 people showed up two games in a row to end the season. That was much more than a 4-pack ticket dump (and there was no similar bump like it in the league, and certainly not for two games). It shows there is a soccer audiance out there. Yes, it is mostly good weather-only, once a year-only, with the kids-only crowd but it shows the market still exists. Those are huge numbers for a terrible minor league outfit playing in a football stadium in the suburbs. Kraft can still turn it around.
Of course the flip side of the positive above is a March 2013 home opener date screams 6,500 "distributed" for the fair weather weather fans with 2,500 butts in seats.
The revs have always done well in the fall. Those numbers should be judged in context of fall attendance numbers from prior years. The famous last game of '96 gets mentioned on this board sometimes for the 38k who turned out. Many years there have been vocal 20k plus crowds for the annual home September match vs NYJerseyMetroCowStarFizzyDrinks. So are they good numbers? Yeah definitely, but it's sort of a trend that's been consistent over 17 years as long as the games are pre-scheduled. It's when they are ad hoc that attendance takes a major hit. The playoffs are a much better real time revs market health indicator than late season home games because it shows you who is paying attention and willing to adjust their schedule to adapt to the revs. Playoff attendance has been historically bad for the revs, even in the best times. If the revs could draw between 15-25k for a playoff game (outside MLS Cup, which is scheduled far in advance) then you have a case, but until then it's hard to prove the 2 game attendance bump isnt due to a dedicated marketing campaign (college night, etc) and/or general end of year ticket dump.
I think you're implying that they drew that many in spite of a suburban location, but I think in many cases, it's because of it. I think the easy access to Foxboro for most of suburban Boston is underestimated by many people. The vast majority of people with cars from inside and around the 495 belt can get to Gillette with its free and easy parking in under an hour, as can northern RI and most of SE Mass. The "under an hour" factor is a major selling point and one distinct advantage the Revs have over the C's, B's, Sox and Pats (whose similar distance advantage is negated by game-day traffic/parking issues). An urban location would create a whole new set of tendencies because of significant shifts in the customer base.
If that's the case, where were all those people for home playoff games? Easy access and all.. The sox, C's and B's don't have any trouble selling out playoff games.
Or any other part of the season? The easy access is only during fall I guess. Now come the excuses about summer vacations, blah blah blah.
Yeah, the location for suburbanites is very convienient...for the types of fans that show up for 1-2 games per year. Which is the market they currently have, and have always had. I don't think anyone needs to argue that with you, because as much as you think it is a positive, it is actually an indictment of being in the suburbs. This is the market they will only ever have in that location. this "under an hour" "factor" is totally bullshit. I live in Cambridge, and it's never taken me under an hour to get from my door, to the stadium parking lot. It's not easy. It's not convenient. Even when I lived in Metrowest it wasn't more convenient to get to than going to a B's, C's or Red Sox fan. But hey, they are really capturing that North Attleboro market.
They were sitting at home because they already attended the 2 games per year that they are willing to attend. Woo hop, what a market the Revs are attracting!!!!!!
OK ... positives thread. My apologies, I also contributed to the tangent. Stay on topic, the attendance topic can be carried in many other threads (including the attendance thread!).
If the rumors of Gonsalve are correct then the Revs have identified the CB position as a weekness and are making an effort to upgrade
My only point here was that this fall *surge* wouldn't necessarily carry over to an urban stadium. The suburbanites, which you disparage, make up the vast majority of the ticket-buying fans of this team. You need to figure out a better route! I've gone to games from downtown Boston, Cambridge, etc. For a weekend game, where there isn't some atypical traffic nightmare, it's easy enough to get to Foxboro. If you can get to Dedham, you can get to Foxboro 15 minutes later. From metrowest, I've been parked at the stadium in 35 minutes, w/o speeding [too much]. From the intersection of 90/95 in Weston, you can get there in 25 minutes.
Good, they would likely wouldn't need the "fall surge" to keep a decent attendance figure and make money. Yeah, exactly, and that is the problem. I've tried them all. None are fast or convenient. That is a myth that only lives in your mind Sure, there were times that the round trip took about an hour. But there were also times, from Natick and Weston, where it took over an hour just to get there. Those times it took more than an hour outnumbered the times that it didn't. It was still much easier for me to go to a Red Sox or C's/B's game when I lived there than it was to go to Foxboro.
While I think an urban SSS probably would be preferable, I could live with a SSS in Foxboro. That means at a minimum no turf, no gridiron lines, and hopefully room for a longer if not wider pitch. Another MAJOR plus would be covered seating and a size that allows for atmosphere and growth. I think it could be made to work. Again, I'd prefer urban.
With the addition of Cisse, Dorman and Goncalves plus a full camp for Bengston, I am going to predict a 12 point increase over last year!