My big beef with MLS scheduling and I know this is a tough nut to crack with all the constraints imposed on the schedulers, is the number of midweek games, the number of games in a compressed period followed by weeks without a game. I absolutely think this has affected attendance, I know it affected my going to DC United games and has caused me to drop my STs. While I like the new playoff format, I don't like the compressed schedule to get so much of the season done before the International breaks. I don't know why the MLS Cup final can't be done after the November break. The final would only affect 2 teams and the 2-week break provides time for preparation for the final.
The biggest holes not addressed are what happens when teams host too many games back to back. Attendance tends to plummet. The is the inherent unfairness for teams to wait so long before having home games at the beginning and middle of the season.
I'll add one to your list: Teams in the CONCACAF Champions League have to create placeholders in the calendar in case they remain the competition.
I don't think anyone's suggesting northern teams play almost no home games early in the season. And I can't imagine a scenario that has Minnesota or Portland ever having schedules like they did this year. The idea is that northern clubs don't play home heavy schedules early on, which is what happened here in Columbus, for example. And if you think a cluster of home games summer might hurt attendance, how appealing to fans do you think a run of home matches in a March and early April is in Columbus, or Boston or Toronto, etc?
None of these teams have attendance issues tho... A team like Montreal, which doesn't sell out its games generally, is likely to be more impacted by a protracted road start year after year, than a team like Portland, Minnesota, or Toronto.
Who is proposing that, though? For example, this year, the Fire: - started on the road in LA,. March 2 - played at home March 9 (vs. Orlando), 16 (vs. Seattle) and 30 (vs. NYRB) - played away at... Toronto, on April 6 - then back home again on April 12 (a Friday vs. Vancouver) - and home again on April 20 (vs. Colorado). - away at NYC on April 24 (a Wednesday) - and away at balmy Montreal on April 28 First 9 games: 5 at home; 4 on the road, with 2 of those in NYC and Montreal. Here in Columbus: - Open home vs. NYRB on March 2 - away to NE on March 9 - home vs. Dallas March 16 - away to Philly on March 23 - home vs. Atlanta on March 30 - home vs. NE on April 6 - away at Montreal on April 13 - home vs. Portland on April 20 - home vs, DC on April 24 (a Wednesday) - and away to Houston on April 27 First 10 games: 6 at home; 4 away, with 3 of those being in Philly, Boston and Montreal. That are some shitty schedules. I'm not asking for zero home games in March and April. But 5-6??? Come on.
Rumor has it the league will start in February next year (the schedule was compressed this year in order to expand it again next year by starting earlier). How many games do you want in Colorado between Feb. 15th and Apr. 15th? And how many will need to be rescheduled by hours/days/months?
As long as the Rapids are willing to schedule afternoon games in the sunlight, February should work but no more than two home games each month until April.
True so they need to play Saturday afternoon so if da bomb happens again, they can play on Sunday afternoon in the cold.
Final numbers: https://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2019-mls-attendance/ Total attendance up with Cincy joining. 3% decrease on per match basis. Crew had the largest average increase (19.35%), but it had to go up after last 2018's debacle, and frankly, I had hoped (perhaps foolishly) for more of a bump. Portland was the most impressive, adding 4k seats and selling 100% of them. 19.27% increase. Next year sees Miami enter at New Lockhart (18k), do not know capacity at Nashville's temp home. Would expect Columbus' bump to continue and Chicago to also get bump returning to Soldier Field.
You can go 2 away, 1 home, 2 away, 1 home, 2 away. So, two. MLS scheduling is a joke, however. Gotta love cutting home PO games for lower seeds, AND making room for more useless MLS/Liga MX games.
You can't please everyone. I like the single elimination format. Want a home game...play better. I just like the do or die nature of the new format. I don't think there is a need to drag the playoffs out. That is what the season is for. I hate when playoffs are another season (NBA, MLB, NHL). Yes, there is a middle ground between single elimination and what NBA, MLB and NHL do, but I prefer single elimination after an entire season. Those other sports also will play 3-4 games a week during playoffs so it doesn't' take as long to play a series. I agree with you on the MLS/Liga MX games however.
Here's my usual reminder to help folks keep perspective and appreciate what we've got: in 2000(?) the league as a whole averaged 13.8k, with just 10 teams. The league and the teams were in financial dire straits, to say the least, and something of that scale wasn't attractive to media partners or sponsors. The past few years most MLS teams have averaged above that 14k mark, and the league average is now higher than the highest team averages during the league's doldrums. Doing that with even more teams means the league is infinitely more attractive to sponsors and broadcasters. Whatever misgivings and woes we have about the league's imperfections MLS has done wonders in one generation to solidify pro soccer in the US. We've gone from doubts about the US sustaining a top flight to now debating how quickly MLS can better compete with more established leagues around the globe. Where once players needed 2nd jobs to supplement their incomes we now have salaries allowing bench players to be full time as well as supplementing development academies. MLS has its flaws but it's a godsend compared to what US soccer fans could have realistically envisioned 25 years ago. Pro soccer is now a norm on the US sporting landscape, thanks almost exclusively to MLS.
It's also a good reminder that MLS now outdraws the CFL, NHL and NBA on average. 10 years ago that was not the case. Attendance really isn't even a concern anymore and that's a hell of a lot of progress over 10 years.
CFL average is 23,000 a game And NHL and NBA are both still in the 17,500 range while playing in arenas that on average are only a few hundred more than that.
So long as we put the asterisk by the NBA and NHL comparison, due to their volume of games, then sure. It's not without value to highlight how an average MLS event will be a larger in-game marketing opportunity. As to the actual value of that by comparison...
You're right on the CFL, I guess I saw some bad data, however this year it dropped 6.5% but still just above MLS. Here's the thing about the MLS vs. NHL and NBA AVERAGE attendance (we can never compare total attendance, different number of games, it's not worth discussing because MLS will never play 82 games in a season)... If the NBA and NHL aren't going to allow for growth in attendance, that's on them, not MLS.
Agreed but we should also look at the amount of money each of those leagues spends on players and marketing. I don't have the numbers, but I am 100% confident MLS is getting a lot higher numbers in attendance per dollars spent on those two items. Now the NBA and NHL are getting way more out of TV contracts so it more than makes up for the lower attendance. But this thread is about attendance and MLS is in a pretty good spot based on amount of money spent and average attendance when compared to the big 4 leagues.
Interesting trend in cities with both a MLS and CFL team. League Average 23,095.80 74.33% of capacity Saskatchewan 30,919.40 92.71% Edmonton 29,660.30 53.33% Calgary 26,592.60 74.59% Winnipeg 26,194.40 79.32% Hamilton 23,277.00 95.79% Ottawa 22,356.60 90.67% Montreal 17,699.90 88.39% BC 17,425.10 63.36% Toronto 12,725.00 48.75%
Not really. Vancouver, and particularly Montreal and Toronto have traditionally been the weaker CFL markets. CFL’s strength markets are in the Canadian Heartland.
OK, not arguing but the year before MLS hit Canada attendances were a lot higher. 2006 Toronto - 29,677 Montreal - 20,202 (100% sold out) BC - 31,190 2019 Toronto - 12,725 Montreal - 17,699 BC - 17,425