[mellon002]

I'm always fascinated by attendance numbers in MLS because of course it's the first thing people want to see to gage the success of the league. There are a few threads in the MLS forum regarding predictions and things like that and I think we can keep the predictions in there. This thread can be strictly from an analytical point of view. That being said:

League attendance is at 16,990 which can be attributed to Freddy-mania. I think Victoria Street was larger than the listed 27,000 because they opened the grassy knoll. If we could only get Dallas and San Jose to get their act together this league might have some great attendance numbers. I don't have the numbers for last year but here's what this year would look like without Dallas or SJ:

With: 18,990
Without: 23,468

That's a huge difference.

[mellon002]

A trend I've found is that Victoria Street has twelve consecutive games (playoffs included) with crowds of 20K+. Thirteen including MLS Cup. This is the benefit of a world class SSS.

[Auxodium]

That is the problem here in the NSL in Australia. It was Perth, Adelaide, South Melbourne, Brisbane & Newcastle propping up the other clubs.
I hope the APL uses the MLS, EPL & JLeague winning formula. I would take a 23,000 average attendance for the NSL or the New APL ANY DAY!

[mellon002]

Attendance in games without Freddy is at 14,828. Not very good through 3 weeks. Great crowd in New York of 31K but San Jose puts up a second straight game not being able to break 10K. Another game at Dallas will hurt the average next week. Hopefully they can do better than the 7K opening week. I was surprised at Chicago only drawing 12K but looking back at last year they started even slower.

[ChrisE]

Originally Posted by mellon002

Attendance in games without Freddy is at 14,828. Not very good through 3 weeks. Great crowd in New York of 31K but San Jose puts up a second straight game not being able to break 10K. Another game at Dallas will hurt the average next week. Hopefully they can do better than the 7K opening week. I was surprised at Chicago only drawing 12K but looking back at last year they started even slower.

Except last year they were playing in Cardinal Stadium, Naperville. I don't know what the deal was with 12,000 - weather, maybe - but it was certainly quite disappointing.

I'll be interested, as the season matures, to see the average attendance change Adu brings to a team - it's clear to me he's already earned the $500,000 salary that everybody keeps blathering about.

[numerista]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

I'll be interested, as the season matures, to see the average attendance change Adu brings to a team - it's clear to me he's already earned the $500,000 salary that everybody keeps blathering about.

I think that this is probably true, but we ought to be careful about our conclusions. For instance, last week San Jose had dismal attendance. One of several factors was the fact that people preferred to skip opening day in favor of Adu (da) day.

[ChrisE]

Originally Posted by numerista

I think that this is probably true, but we ought to be careful about our conclusions. For instance, last week San Jose had dismal attendance. One of several factors was the fact that people preferred to skip opening day in favor of Adu (da) day.

You're suggesting that people didn't go to the Quakes game because they knew Adu was coming in almost a month? It's an interesting point, but I don't know if I can buy into it. What might be interesting to track, just as much as Adu's effect, is his wake - do home attendances before DC visits fall, as you claim, in anticipation of his arrival, and do attendances after fall, for the same reason, or rise, as MLS attracts more fans?

[ChrisE]

Originally Posted by Glorious_Fan

That is the problem here in the NSL in Australia. It was Perth, Adelaide, South Melbourne, Brisbane & Newcastle propping up the other clubs.
I hope the APL uses the MLS, EPL & JLeague winning formula. I would take a 23,000 average attendance for the NSL or the New APL ANY DAY!

So would we, GF, so would we.

[Goodsport]

Originally Posted by mellon002

Great crowd in New York of 31K but San Jose puts up a second straight game not being able to break 10K.

Yeah, it's a damn shame that not a single person attended Spartan Stadium for the game that the Earthquakes played in New England!


-G

[numerista]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

You're suggesting that people didn't go to the Quakes game because they knew Adu was coming in almost a month? It's an interesting point, but I don't know if I can buy into it.

Yes, that's what I'm suggesting ... if you're a casual observer who'll attend one or two games all year, three weeks isn't much of a wait.