Seattle soccer fans: a profile

[sounderfan]

We have had this sort of discussion before, but never really brought it out at any length.

Who is the Seattle soccer fan?

http://www.castawaysfc.org/Photos/Seattle/ManchesterUnitedSeattle/images/103-0383_IMG.jpg

How many of us are actually out there?
In Seattle? King County? Puget Sound? Washington State?

How many are players AND fans?
Just players?
Just fans?

What do TV ratings tell us about this soccer market?
How about current A-League Sounders attendance?

Do NASL (North American Soccer League) attendances for the Sounders have any validity whatsoever anymore?

How do the Champions World crowds of 66,000 and 31,000 fit into the picture?

What about the US National teams?
41,000 vs, Russia, 1994 (Men)
17,000 vs. Venezuela (2003, Men)

What about the several well-attended women's games/tournaments at Safeco Field?

Does college soccer support show us anything?
The UW women have had Sounder-like crowds this season. The men also approach the 2,500 mark at times.

Let's profile the soccer fan of Washington State!

[sounderfan]

Here's a link to the 2003 Washington State Census:

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/53000.html


Of note:

Population: 6,131,445

Foreign born persons: 11.1%

Another census link:
http://www.census-online.com/links/WA/

http://www.census-online.com/images/states/WA1.gif

[sounderfan]

Washington State Soccer Association Links:

http://www.wssa.org/

http://www.wsysa.com/

http://www.wswsa.org/

[WayneColasinski]

Another question might be "Where is the Seattle soccer fan?"

[sounderfan]

Washington amateur league links:


http://www.isoccermom.com/leag48.htm

http://www.gssl.org
http://www.geocities.com/pugetsoundsoccerleague/

Pro and Semi-pro club links:

http://www.SeattleSounders.net
http://www.SpokaneShadow.com
http://www.YakimaReds.com
http://www.SeattleSaints.com
(no site: Skagit Rapids)

Washington State college soccer links:
http://soundercentral.com/seattle_area_college_soccer.htm

[sounderfan]

State Public Schools Soccer Link:

http://www.wiaa.com/Athletics/soccer/

[sounderfan]

ManU's 2003 invasion: "Are you ready for some REAL football?

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0311/news-engdahljohnson.php

Today that torch is borne by midfielder and tabloid-darling David Beckham. "In terms of visibility and the character of the game, I don't know if anyone is as big as David Beckham," says Seattle Sounders defender Scott Jenkins. "To see him here—what a treat."

United's on-field success has made the team an international phenomenon, although English soccer supporters have not always been welcome in other countries. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, hooligans stampeded across Europe, leaving a swath of vandalism, unprovoked beatings, and asphyxiated victims. Strict legislation by the British government stemmed the violence during the 1990s. With United supporters converging on Seattle from Canada and the United Kingdom, the possibility of violence is minimized by a longstanding tradition of peaceful play between United and Celtic. "Our responsibility is to have safe events, and we will have sufficient security measures in place," says Seahawks Stadium general manager Jeff Klein. "People in the soccer community are very excited, and we think it'll be very successful."

If history is any lesson, Seattle is primed for the Red Devils' arrival. "In the '70s, when the Sounders were in their heyday, some of the best teams in the world came to Seattle," says the Sounders' general manager, Adrian Hanauer. Hanauer grew up going to Sounders games and remembers the routine sellouts, first at Memorial Stadium and later in the Kingdome when Pelé's New York Cosmos came to town. "Back then soccer was on an even par with American football, basketball, baseball," says Hanauer. "It was getting an enormous amount of press and television coverage. The players were celebrities, like NBA guys are today."

[sounderfan]

Seattle Celtic Supporters:
http://kellsirish.com/gifts/csc.php

http://www.kellsirish.com/gifts/images/jewelry/j_cscpin.gif

[sounderfan]

From the "Just because they play doesn't mean they'll go to a match" file...

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/2002/0620/story3.html

Already, more adults are playing the game now than ever before, with at least 45,000 playing through the Washington State Soccer Association alone. The association consists of 25 recreation and competitive leagues throughout the state for amateur adult players. And the adult leagues account for only a fraction of the growth in soccer. The biggest boom comes from children.

"It (youth soccer) is growing somewhere like 2 to 3 percent every year," said Trent Hergenrader, office manager for the Washington State Youth Soccer Association. "We're up to 125,000 players now."

[sounderfan]

Is Seattle a "Key" soccer town? (2003 article)

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCN/is_4_26/ai_108597434

Although MLS Commissioner Don Garber says Seattle is on his expansion short list, the city has not been able to produce a viable ownership group. The ideal situation for MLS would be to form a partnership with Paul Allen, owner of the NFL's Seahawks, but talks over the past year have failed to produce a plan. Garber has ranked Seattle, where the NASL Sounders played from 1974 and 1983 and this year played its ninth season in the A-League, behind Philadelphia in MLS's quest to expand and find the right combination of fan support, a stadium, and ownership structure. Garber says the 10-team league will add two teams in 2005 and six more by 2010. "At this point we are focusing on the best possible cities with the best investor and the best facilities," he says.

The Sounders have grown in popularity over the past three years and this season moved into the $430-million Seahawks Stadium. The Sounders left behind Memorial Stadium, a 12,000-seat venue dubbed a "monstrosity" by fans because its artificial turf surface was held together with duct tape. In its only game last year at the new stadium, the Sounders set a single-game attendance record when they drew 25,515 fans against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

[sounderfan]

Soccer's Seattle Competition:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/seattle/0032010021.html

[sounderfan]

Seattle Sounders, NASL, 1974-1983: 18,000+ attendance average:
http://kenn.com/soccer/nasl.html

Seattle Sounders, A-League, 1994-2004... 3,500 attendance average:
http://kenn.com/soccer/aleague.html

[sounderfan]

Rough attendance numbers: MLS matches in Seattle...

(Please add and/or correct me as necessary!)

Seattle v. San Jose at Spokane (2001) ______?
Seattle v. San Jose (2002 Open Cup) 1,000 (sell-out)
Seattle v. San Jose (2003, Brian Ching payment exhibition) 3,200
Seattle v. San Jose (2003 Open Cup) 2,500 (sell-out)
Seattle v. Los Angeles Galaxy (2003 Open Cup) 7,500

[YTFC]

Another question might be "Where is the Seattle soccer fan?"

There's probably not an empty seat at George and Dragon at 8.00 this morning.

[sounderfan]

There's probably not an empty seat at George and Dragon at 8.00 this morning.

Exactly. That's the interesting 'dilemma.'

Are Seattle soccer fans...

A. Too "sophisticated" for A-League (minor-league) soccer?
B. Does the 48,000 average for Champions World matches bear this out?
C. Does this mean they are ALSO too "sophisticated" to get into supporting an MLS side?
D. All of the Above.
E. None of the Above.
F. Glory Hunters!

[Justin O]

What about Hispanics? I hope they count. Just how many people were at Seahawk Stadium's Mexican friendly this summer? The Hispanic soccer fan base is so utterly off the Seattle sports radar I couldn't even find out the attendance of that match.

[sounderfan]

Any and ALL soccer fans count! Unfortunately the Hispanic population in Western Washington State does not support the Sounders. I'm not sure what it would take to persuade support of an MLS side.

The most Hispanics I've ever seen at a Sounders game were in 2003 when we hosted the LA Galaxy. There was a nice turn-out of Carlos Ruiz fans.

There are 500,000 Hispanics in the State of Washington, and they are the fastest growing minority group in the state:

http://www.ofm.wa.gov/pop/race/minority_data_release.xls

Washington ranks 11th among all states for Hispanic population.

Eastern Washington, a vast farming and Apple-growing area, relies heavily on labor from this group. Average income is growing amongst hispanics here, but might be a factor in support of an MLS team.
So would their concentrated location: across the mountains and 3 hours away from Seattle.

5.5% of Seattle/King County residents are listed as "Hispanic," Statewide it goes up to 7.5%.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/53/53033.html

[SeattleSupporter]

There's probably not an empty seat at George and Dragon at 8.00 this morning.


It would be nice if some of them would make it out to support the local club.

[Geoduck]

Rough attendance numbers: MLS matches in Seattle...

(Please add and/or correct me as necessary!)

Seattle v. San Jose at Spokane (2001) ______?
Seattle v. San Jose (2002 Open Cup) 1,000 (sell-out)
Seattle v. San Jose (2003, Brian Ching payment exhibition) 3,200
Seattle v. San Jose (2003 Open Cup) 2,500 (sell-out)
Seattle v. Los Angeles Galaxy (2003 Open Cup) 7,500San Jose came in 1997 to pitch the stadium referendum.
I think the Sounders hosted Colorado in Marysville several years back.

IIRC, Liga Hispana drew 8,000 to its championship at Seahawks Stadium last year.

[Catwalk]

Soccer has no convenient quarters or short destinct timeouts to sell adverts other than half time. No adverts, no sponsors, no money. That is the way of American tele.

We have had this sort of discussion before, but never really brought it out at any length.

Who is the Seattle soccer fan?

http://www.castawaysfc.org/Photos/Seattle/ManchesterUnitedSeattle/images/103-0383_IMG.jpg

How many of us are actually out there?
In Seattle? King County? Puget Sound? Washington State?

How many are players AND fans?
Just players?
Just fans?

What do TV ratings tell us about this soccer market?
How about current A-League Sounders attendance?

Do NASL (North American Soccer League) attendances for the Sounders have any validity whatsoever anymore?

How do the Champions World crowds of 66,000 and 31,000 fit into the picture?

What about the US National teams?
41,000 vs, Russia, 1994 (Men)
17,000 vs. Venezuela (2003, Men)

What about the several well-attended women's games/tournaments at Safeco Field?

Does college soccer support show us anything?
The UW women have had Sounder-like crowds this season. The men also approach the 2,500 mark at times.

Let's profile the soccer fan of Washington State!