Predict Vancouver 2011 average attendance

[pc4th]

Some facts that will help you to give your best guesstimate.

5000 MLS 2011 season ticket deposits sold within 48 hours.

Galaxy (with Beckham) drew 48,000+ in their friendly in Vancouver on a Wednesday

Beckham has had that type of effect in other markets. A match Wednesday in Vancouver featuring the Galaxy drew more than 48,000 fans.

Seattle metro pop: 3,344,813
Seattle city pop: 602,000

Vancouver metro pop: 2,318,200
Vancouver city pop: 646,385

(Seattle sold out 32,500 seats for all their remaining games)

Sports competition for Vancouver: NHL...............For Seattle: MLB, NFL

$300+ mil renovation for BC Place. Capacity can be adjusted which means it's possible to create scarcity similar to Seattle. Demand > Supply = increase in season ticket sales.

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/gallery+place+whitecaps/1398847/1398861.bin?size=620x400

With the upper deck draped over.
http://www.crocketteers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/wc_vision_2011.jpg



[wishful thinking on my part but it's possible that MLS might vote for a more flexible salary cap structure for 2010 CBA and onward....which would give expansion teams like Philly, Portland, Vancouver, Montreal a chance to do relatively well during their first year provided that these ownership spend money. History tells us that expansion teams generally do badly (Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA, Toronto) in their first, second and sometimes even third year. Seattle do well because of 4 things: great coach, Keller, Montero, DP Freddie. Expansion draft in 2011 might be between 2 or even 3 teams compare to just 1 for Seattle.

What kind of flexible salary structure? $2.5 mil league pay 'soft' cap, $4 mil hard cap....with the owners responsible for the amount over the $2.5 mil or a NBA-style salary cap $2.5 mil salary cap (league pay) with the luxury tax threshold $1 for $1 over starting at $3 mil]

[dewhitecapfan]

Whats the max seating capacity with only lower bowl open? I believe Whitecaps can match the Sounders in first year attendance, but I am not sure how it would work with the new configurations. Is it possible to open some upper bowl sections, or is it all or nothing?

[Krammerhead]

Whats the max seating capacity with only lower bowl open? I believe Whitecaps can match the Sounders in first year attendance, but I am not sure how it would work with the new configurations. Is it possible to open some upper bowl sections, or is it all or nothing?

I believe the lower bowl seats around 28,000.

[Black13]

I think we can sell out the lower bowl consistently.

[sportie1]

the caps have a 2011 season ticket deposit of 5 000 (sold out in 48 hours), and a further over 4 000 present season ticket holders for the USL team
if people renew their season tickets and add 1 more to their account which is very possible, then the caps will be sitting at 13 000
a further 5 000 season tickets for 2011 will go on-sale whenever the caps decide and that should sell out quickly also IMO
b4 the summer of 2010, i predict the caps will be over 18 000 season ticket deposit holders-- existing ones and those for 2011-- its possible for them to reach seattle's total of 22 000 season ticket holders with a waiting list to boot should they decide to open up more of the stadium
the caps have said they will cap the season ticket holders at 16 000 of a
20 000 seating arrangment at bc place stadium, but i think they purposely did this # just to set a benchmark, but not a finishing point... the stadium can easily go to 26 000 in the lower bowl if needed
just like in seattle, the pressure will be how high to go to still keep demand for the product- strange, but a sell-out of 33 000 sounds better than a crowd of 40 000 with 25 000 unsold seats at Q west stadium-- i think the sounders are doing the right thing by adjusting the stadium in small amounts... and i think the caps will do the same
keep the interest and demand for tickets at a high level and see how that plays out over a few years

[Black13]

It sounds like a smart approach sportie1. I know the caps office is paying attention ot Seattle right now. Seattle is really getting it done right I believe.

And we, of course, will kick their ass. ;-)

[sportie1]

It sounds like a smart approach sportie1. I know the caps office is paying attention ot Seattle right now. Seattle is really getting it done right I believe.

And we, of course, will kick their ass. ;-)

can hardly wait for 2011-- portland, seattle and VANCOUVER :D -- this will be an even better rivalry than the 70's IMO where token NA players were allowed to play in the nasl-- just the fact that all 3 teams will have some of their USL players coming into mls adds a whole lot better flavor and really connects to the communities

[Krammerhead]

can hardly wait for 2011-- portland, seattle and VANCOUVER :D -- this will be an even better rivalry than the 70's IMO where token NA players were allowed to play in the nasl-- just the fact that all 3 teams will have some of their USL players coming into mls adds a whole lot better flavor and really connects to the communities

Token NA players? There were more than token NA players on these three teams back in the NASL days. On the other hand look at Toronto FC. How many Canadians are on that squad?

[ShevaDani]

For the beauty of the game, I've voted over 26k.Sports without the fans is 0....I think that the beauty of the stadium, will be a factor, in bringing people to see the games.

[dewhitecapfan]

The Lions are also taking a "If you Build it they will come" mentality... read in the Sun today that they are predicting attendences around the 45 k mark when renovations complete in 2011.

[ken0sha]

The Lions are also taking a "If you Build it they will come" mentality... read in the Sun today that they are predicting attendences around the 45 k mark when renovations complete in 2011.

The only way the Lions will avg. those numbers is if they win consistently. The Lions have a good following, but a couple of years of scraping the bottom will hurt their attendance.

[sportie1]

The only way the Lions will avg. those numbers is if they win consistently. The Lions have a good following, but a couple of years of scraping the bottom will hurt their attendance.

in the first year, the new look stadium will certainly increase the lions-- over 40 000/game with a competitive team-- and whitecap attendances-- over 24 000/game just because there is a desire to see professional soccer in a developing league and they have a solid fan base with terrific owners

after the novelty wears off-- by 2013--, the attendances will be determined by the results on the field and the quality of the leagues

IMO, when compared to the lions and the CFL, there is more potential for the whitecaps to significantly increase and hold its attendance, mainly because it is the WORLD'S GAME and they can bring in major attractions like top international soccer clubs and major tournaments/games

[Macksam]

Token NA players? There were more than token NA players on these three teams back in the NASL days. On the other hand look at Toronto FC. How many Canadians are on that squad?
We have 5 starters. Brennan, Serioux, Attakora, De Rosario and Gerba.

[TopDogg]

We have 5 starters. Brennan, Serioux, Attakora, De Rosario and Gerba.
Not only that, but in the final V-Cup game between the two sides (the one that Vancouver won) TFC had more Canadian starters than the Caps. In the first game between the two, both teams had the same number of Canadians starting.

Krammerhead needs to get over himself and his plastic hatred of Toronto. It's so transparent and boring.

[WhiteCapArmy]

Not only that, but in the final V-Cup game between the two sides (the one that Vancouver won) TFC had more Canadian starters than the Caps. In the first game between the two, both teams had the same number of Canadians starting.

Krammerhead needs to get over himself and his plastic hatred of Toronto. It's so transparent and boring.
kinda like your plastic hatred of the Columbus crew, why don't your fans get over that??

[Macksam]

kinda like your plastic hatred of the Columbus crew, why don't your fans get over that??
That was forced upon us though. Anyhow, it's proven valuable as ticket sales and T.V ratings are highest when we play them. I'm sure they will also be when we meet you guys in 2011.:cool:

[TopDogg]

kinda like your plastic hatred of the Columbus crew, why don't your fans get over that??
How is it plastic? It's grown naturally over the three seasons, unlike yours and Krammerhead's plastic insta-hate for a team and fans who couldn't give a crap about you in return.

The "we hate Toronto because we're on the West Coast" act is so tiresome.

[WhiteCapArmy]

How is it plastic? It's grown naturally over the three seasons, unlike yours and Krammerhead's plastic insta-hate for a team and fans who couldn't give a crap about you in return.

The "we hate Toronto because we're on the West Coast" act is so tiresome.
it not just the west coast it is all of canada:p plus Seattle and Portland are way better than you guys :P

[TopDogg]

it not just the west coast it is all of canada:p plus Seattle and Portland are way better than you guys :P
Keep kissing the asses of your supposed biggest rivals, kid. :rolleyes:

[Krammerhead]

Krammerhead needs to get over himself and his plastic hatred of Toronto. It's so transparent and boring.

I don't need to get over anything. You don't like what you read here then stay away from opposition teams supporters boards. I mean what's more obnoxious than fans of the opposition trolling other people's supporters boards and telling them how to think and behave?

Twit.