US Division 2 Code: % of season completed 50.6% Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 2451 2074 44.9% 0.8% 2003 2829 1719 53.0% 3.0% 2004 3584 3014 29.2% 2.7% 2005 4147 3553 21.2% 5.9% 2006 4335 3166 14.1% 8.2% 2007 4560 4100 22.4% 9.4% 2008 4997 4382 12.0% 10.8% 2009 4308 3311 20.5% 8.4% 2010 4574 3402 26.4% 11.0% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 3037 2185 40.1% 3.6% 2003 3335 2463 42.9% 4.1% 2004 3878 3107 30.9% 4.5% 2005 4527 3554 19.6% 7.7% 2006 4666 3370 18.5% 10.7% 2007 4771 4274 19.6% 10.1% 2008 5164 4510 10.9% 12.1% 2009 4709 3662 21.2% 13.3% USL2/D3 Pro League Code: % of season completed 66.7% Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1692 1433 20.0% 13.3% 2006 1755 1498 16.7% 15.0% 2007 1572 1428 28.8% 6.1% 2008 1551 1609 28.8% 7.6% 2009 1563 1372 31.7% 5.0% 2010 1696 1379 37.5% 20.0% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1680 1457 21.4% 11.9% 2006 1803 1703 14.1% 11.8% 2007 1575 1423 28.1% 6.3% 2008 1614 1629 26.0% 7.3% 2009 1602 1518 31.8% 7.1%
You are much appreciated for doin this Eric, just thought you should know. And hey, looking at the glass half full, it looks like D2 is doing better then last year and every season pre-2006, in both categories.
Yes. But that's mostly because Portland has played a lot more games than they had by this point last year (I think). And Portland has been drawing even better than they did last year. In terms of long-term viability of D2 soccer, I'm much more concerned about that <2k number, which is the highest it's been since 2004.
Los Finaticos de Islandarios, among others, are fed up with how the team is being run, the ownership group, etc. and are more or less boycotting the matches. Esta es Cierto Intru??
Pretty much on the money, the ownership who has always been crap, and have lucked out with good squads the last couple of years have not with this years squad which is spiss poor and now people just got tired of a crappy FO who rather be politicians than owners.
US Division 2 Code: % of season completed 55.6% Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 2562 2075 45.0% 1.4% 2003 2951 1876 51.4% 3.4% 2004 3610 2990 30.6% 3.2% 2005 4199 3553 20.4% 6.5% 2006 4444 3217 14.0% 9.7% 2007 4573 4100 22.6% 8.6% 2008 5133 4510 11.0% 12.1% 2009 4178 3298 23.1% 7.7% 2010 4642 3486 26.0% 12.0% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 3037 2185 40.1% 3.6% 2003 3335 2463 42.9% 4.1% 2004 3878 3107 30.9% 4.5% 2005 4527 3554 19.6% 7.7% 2006 4666 3370 18.5% 10.7% 2007 4771 4274 19.6% 10.1% 2008 5164 4510 10.9% 12.1% 2009 4709 3662 21.2% 13.3% USL2/D3 Pro League Code: % of season completed 73.3% Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1635 1400 21.2% 12.1% 2006 1757 1532 16.7% 13.6% 2007 1548 1422 30.1% 5.5% 2008 1573 1626 26.0% 6.8% 2009 1576 1487 30.3% 4.5% 2010 1667 1326 38.6% 18.2% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1680 1457 21.4% 11.9% 2006 1803 1703 14.1% 11.8% 2007 1575 1423 28.1% 6.3% 2008 1614 1629 26.0% 7.3% 2009 1602 1518 31.8% 7.1% At this point in D2, the higher drawing teams have played more home games than the lower drawing teams, so I expect the numbers to go down through the last half of this season. But you never know. Season finales tend to draw a little better than the rest of the season, so that last push might keep things from being worse than 2006.
US Division 2 Code: % of season completed 60.0% Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 2637 2123 44.4% 2.0% 2003 3056 2189 48.4% 3.8% 2004 3687 3117 29.9% 3.0% 2005 4094 3437 21.0% 6.0% 2006 4509 3312 14.0% 9.0% 2007 4545 4158 21.0% 8.0% 2008 5238 4617 10.1% 12.1% 2009 4396 3427 22.2% 10.1% 2010 4590 3486 26.9% 12.0% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 3037 2185 40.1% 3.6% 2003 3335 2463 42.9% 4.1% 2004 3878 3107 30.9% 4.5% 2005 4527 3554 19.6% 7.7% 2006 4666 3370 18.5% 10.7% 2007 4771 4274 19.6% 10.1% 2008 5164 4510 10.9% 12.1% 2009 4709 3662 21.2% 13.3% USL2/D3 Pro League Code: % of season completed 78.3% Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1622 1400 22.9% 11.4% 2006 1780 1553 15.7% 14.3% 2007 1524 1379 30.8% 5.1% 2008 1555 1562 26.9% 6.4% 2009 1549 1372 31.4% 4.3% 2010 1648 1373 38.3% 17.0% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1680 1457 21.4% 11.9% 2006 1803 1703 14.1% 11.8% 2007 1575 1423 28.1% 6.3% 2008 1614 1629 26.0% 7.3% 2009 1602 1518 31.8% 7.1% USL2 is nearly finished. Just 10 games left, evenly split between teams that can improve the numbers, and teams that can't. With only six teams, it's really bad when half of them can't draw over 1000. Charleston's health is masking a potentially fatal illness. Fingers crossed that new and returning teams will breathe some new life into this league. Otherwise, we're watching the sad decline of the bottom tier of pro soccer. It makes me wonder at what point Charleston might actually have to move back *up* to keep playing. Some good numbers in Tampa kept the median from slipping this past week in D2, but with two home games each for Carolina and St. Louis, and a game in Baltimore, there's little that Montreal, Austin and Tampa can do to keep things from sliding some. Here's hoping for good weather everywhere.
US Division 2 Code: % of season completed 64.4% Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 2642 2138 43.2% 1.9% 2003 3041 2189 48.5% 3.5% 2004 3710 3159 29.9% 2.8% 2005 4097 3390 21.3% 6.5% 2006 4488 3230 13.9% 9.3% 2007 4493 3960 21.3% 7.4% 2008 5084 4446 11.3% 11.3% 2009 4319 3366 22.6% 9.4% 2010 4528 3235 25.9% 12.1% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 3037 2185 40.1% 3.6% 2003 3335 2463 42.9% 4.1% 2004 3878 3107 30.9% 4.5% 2005 4527 3554 19.6% 7.7% 2006 4666 3370 18.5% 10.7% 2007 4771 4274 19.6% 10.1% 2008 5164 4510 10.9% 12.1% 2009 4709 3662 21.2% 13.3% USL2/D3 Pro League Code: % of season completed 83.3% Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1647 1390 22.7% 12.0% 2006 1770 1566 16.0% 13.3% 2007 1546 1422 30.1% 6.0% 2008 1572 1592 25.3% 6.0% 2009 1536 1289 32.0% 4.0% 2010 1632 1326 36.0% 16.0% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1680 1457 21.4% 11.9% 2006 1803 1703 14.1% 11.8% 2007 1575 1423 28.1% 6.3% 2008 1614 1629 26.0% 7.3% 2009 1602 1518 31.8% 7.1% USL2 had a big jump at the end of last season with some very good season closers. Charlotte already did their part with a season-best 1262. Sadly, that was only 20 better than last year's average. If everyone else can have season closers like Charlotte, this season could end up looking better than it really has been. As expected, numbers dropped for D2. And they will again this week, with Rochester the only home team guaranteed to draw above the average and median. Austin and Puerto Rico (if there's some LA/CCL spillover) might make it above the median.
Just in general terms, what does all this tell you, Eric? What it tells me is this: this is where we are. The rise in average attendance figures at the second division level over the past decade has had a lot to do with attrition of bottom-feeders and a little to do with a lot of other things. It does not appear to me as though the kerfuffle of the offseason was a huge detriment, when all was said and done (fans just like having games, the drama part was more for bloggers). It doesn't seem to matter what the league is called, who the players are...this is the level D2 is at. It's probably going to be the level D2 is at for a while (though I'll be interested to see what happens when Montreal and Portland are both gone). Here's how the D2 teams' announced averages this year stack up against their averages through the same number of home games as in 2009: Austin - up 16% Miami - up 7% Montreal - up 2% Portland - down 3% Vancouver - down 4% Rochester - down 10% Carolina - down 27% Puerto Rico - down 30% Minnesota - down 57% League - up 2%
I pretty much agree with you. This is where we are... but it's still a little hard to tell exactly where that is. Portland, back in 2004, only averaged 5281. Now look at where they are. Montreal only averaged 5178 in 2002. So while the attendance rise has certainly been due to the evaporation of the great number of bad teams, the current top two teams have also grown quite a bit over the past decade. I'm far from suggesting that Tampa Bay and Austin will, in 8 years, be drawing 10K per game. But I am saying that D2 is still too much in flux to be able to really say where we're at. I'd like to think that we're where MLS was at the year of contraction. Retrenching and organizing for a strong league. But we're not really there yet, as we don't even have a league. With MLS skimming off three of the top four draws, by 2012 (unless some other teams step in and/or the current teams keep improving), we will be seeing numbers that look like 2003. It will make it very easy for critics to say that D2 soccer has gone nowhere.
Meanwhile, how's Rochester drawing now as opposed to 10 years ago? And what do you think the average of the top four highest-drawing teams is now as opposed to 10 years ago? Here's how the second division has done over time: League.....Year....G......Total....Avg APSL.......1994...70.....243,969..3,485 A-LEAGUE...1995...72.....241,008..3,347 A-LEAGUE...1996...94.....464,904..4,946 A-LEAGUE...1997..336.....903,842..2,690 A-LEAGUE...1998..392.....992,245..2,531 A-LEAGUE...1999..419.....994,559..2,374 A-LEAGUE...2000..341.....915,246..2,684 A-LEAGUE...2001..306.....904,038..2,954 A-LEAGUE...2002..252.....764,554..3,034 A-LEAGUE...2003..266.....887,191..3,335 A-LEAGUE...2004..223.....864,966..3,879 USL-1......2005..168.....757,892..4,511 USL-1......2006..168.....783,862..4,666 USL-1......2007..168.....802,100..4,774 USL-1......2008..165.....852,001..5,164 USL-1......2009..164.....776,079..4,732 ALL-TIME.......3,604..12,148,456..3,371 And here's how the top four (average-wise) teams have done since 2000: 2010...43..348,553...8,106 2009...60..502,605...8,377 2008...60..503,640...8,394 2007...56..452,571...8,082 2006...56..455,993...8,143 2005...56..439,371...7,846 2004...56..435,780...7,782 2003...56..422,255...7,540 2002...56..357,466...6,383 2001...59..386,817...6,556 2000...59..341,928...5,795 The league average has gone up 69% in 10 years, but the top four have only gone up 40% in that time. Since 2000, 28 teams have gone away from the 2nd division (17 have folded, 1 went up to MLS, 1 went "on hiatus" and hasn't returned and 9 either self-relegated or self-relegated and then folded). Those teams - on average in the 2000-2009 time period - drew about 2,400 people a game. --------FOLDED--------------- Syracuse Salty Dogs.....6,636 Minnesota Thunder.......3,404 Milwaukee Rampage.......2,815 Hershey Wildcats........2,562 Milwaukee Wave United...1,888 HR/VaBeach Mariners.....1,717 San Diego Flash.........1,683 Connecticut Wolves......1,667 Cleveland City Stars....1,491 Edmonton Aviators/FC....1,478 Calgary Storm/Mustangs..1,262 California Victory......1,116 Orange County Waves.....1,060 Bay Area Seals............979 Raleigh Capital Express...848 Boston Bulldogs...........662 Cincinnati Riverhawks.....625 --------'HIATUS'------------- Atlanta Silverbacks.....1,982 --------PROMOTED------------- Seattle Sounders........3,071 -------SELF-RELEGATED-------- Charleston Battery......3,632 Pittsburgh Riverhounds..2,780 El Paso Patriots........2,405 Richmond Kickers........2,385 Toronto Lynx............2,317 Indiana Blast...........2,088 LI Rough Riders.........1,535 Charlotte Eagles........1,173 Tennessee Rhythm........1,113 17 of the 28 couldn't draw 2,000 a game. Someone better can me could do the definitive math, but there's no question in my mind that in addition to a general rising of the tide that has impacted most of American soccer over the last decade+ as the game itself has gotten more popular, Darwinism has taken hold and the teams that have survived have been those best able to adapt and survive.
US Division 2 Code: % of season completed 67.8% Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 2734 2149 42.4% 1.8% 2003 3087 2206 47.2% 3.3% 2004 3699 3190 29.8% 2.6% 2005 4060 3392 21.2% 6.2% 2006 4451 3171 15.0% 9.7% 2007 4476 4100 21.2% 7.1% 2008 5034 4382 11.7% 10.8% 2009 4365 3427 22.5% 9.9% 2010 4460 3227 25.4% 11.5% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 3037 2185 40.1% 3.6% 2003 3335 2463 42.9% 4.1% 2004 3878 3107 30.9% 4.5% 2005 4527 3554 19.6% 7.7% 2006 4666 3370 18.5% 10.7% 2007 4771 4274 19.6% 10.1% 2008 5164 4510 10.9% 12.1% 2009 4709 3662 21.2% 13.3% USL2/D3 Pro League Code: % of season completed 90.0% Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1659 1443 21.0% 11.1% 2006 1790 1628 14.8% 12.3% 2007 1537 1402 30.0% 5.6% 2008 1584 1609 25.6% 5.6% 2009 1543 1289 33.3% 4.9% 2010 1595 1326 37.0% 14.8% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1680 1457 21.4% 11.9% 2006 1803 1703 14.1% 11.8% 2007 1575 1423 28.1% 6.3% 2008 1614 1629 26.0% 7.3% 2009 1602 1518 31.8% 7.1%
US Division 2 Code: % of season completed 73.3% Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 2932 2149 42.4% 2.7% 2003 3120 2217 47.2% 3.6% 2004 3676 3061 32.3% 3.0% 2005 4178 3412 20.3% 7.3% 2006 4380 3171 17.9% 8.9% 2007 4492 4100 21.1% 7.3% 2008 5082 4382 11.6% 11.6% 2009 4484 3662 22.3% 10.7% 2010 4484 3104 26.5% 12.1% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 3037 2185 40.1% 3.6% 2003 3335 2463 42.9% 4.1% 2004 3878 3107 30.9% 4.5% 2005 4527 3554 19.6% 7.7% 2006 4666 3370 18.5% 10.7% 2007 4771 4274 19.6% 10.1% 2008 5164 4510 10.9% 12.1% 2009 4709 3662 21.2% 13.3% USL2/D3 Pro League Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1680 1457 21.4% 11.9% 2006 1803 1703 14.1% 11.8% 2007 1575 1423 28.1% 6.3% 2008 1614 1629 26.0% 7.3% 2009 1602 1518 31.8% 7.1% 2010 1689 1385 35.1% 17.5% On the USL2 side, three big season closers for the three better drawing teams push the final average up to 2nd overall. Despite that, it's still the worst median and <1%. It will be fun to see what the league looks like next season. My comments on D2 a little later.
OK. So my D2 comments are a lot later. US Division 2 Code: % of season completed 77.8% Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 2904 2155 41.8% 2.6% 2003 3116 2217 47.3% 3.9% 2004 3776 3117 32.2% 4.0% 2005 4219 3402 19.2% 6.9% 2006 4444 3169 18.5% 10.0% 2007 4643 4148 20.0% 9.2% 2008 5141 4446 10.9% 11.7% 2009 4415 3559 22.7% 10.2% 2010 4391 2871 27.9% 11.4% Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<2K %>10k 2002 3037 2185 40.1% 3.6% 2003 3335 2463 42.9% 4.1% 2004 3878 3107 30.9% 4.5% 2005 4527 3554 19.6% 7.7% 2006 4666 3370 18.5% 10.7% 2007 4771 4274 19.6% 10.1% 2008 5164 4510 10.9% 12.1% 2009 4709 3662 21.2% 13.3% USL2/D3 Pro League Code: Final Numbers Year Average Median %<1K %>3k 2005 1680 1457 21.4% 11.9% 2006 1803 1703 14.1% 11.8% 2007 1575 1423 28.1% 6.3% 2008 1614 1629 26.0% 7.3% 2009 1602 1518 31.8% 7.1% 2010 1689 1385 35.1% 17.5% Code: USL2 Total Team Avg Playoffs Charleston Battery 36412 3641 Richmond Kickers 20440 2044 2276 Harrisburg City Islanders 16659 1666 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 9409 941 Charlotte Eagles 9107 911 Real Maryland Monarchs 4259 608 A terrible week. Average dropped nearly 100, median around 250. Austin had the second highest attendance with 4188. Two home games in Baltimore. They're strugggling to keep above 1000. If they fail, they'll be the first team since Miami in 2007 to average below 1000. However, this week could see all those losses reversed, with two games in Portland (both reported to be near sellouts), two games in Tampa Bay, and one each in Montreal, Vancouver and Carolina.
14,985 in Portland last night and a projected sell out or something akin to last night happening on Sunday and again on Thursday should help the overall. When the average is 4,000... 15,000 can make a pretty sizeable impact, especially 3 of them. That's like 11 games worth of 4,000 attendance done in 3 games.
It will certainly help the average. It'd be nice to see it back up where it was before last week. Not going to help the median much, especially since Tampa Bay came in with 1825 Wednesday. It will be interesting to see how the season finishes off. USL2 saw some really good final home games. Hopefully we'll see the same sort of final push out of D2. I haven't looked at things like this that closely before. Maybe if I have some time (ha!) I'll come up with something.
Not when your denominator is 140+. Portland's big crowd Thursday bumped the USSFD2 average from 4,372 to 4,447 (75 per game overall, or 1.7%). Montreal's big crowd Friday night then bumped it some more, to 4,507 (an additional 60 per game, league-wide). And on Saturday, Carolina's (still decent for them) crowd dropped it to 4,494. It is. But late in the season, it's not going to make a huge percentage gain by virtue of there being so many more games in the denominator now. Let's say Portland gets 14,000 today. The league average would then be 4,559, or 4% higher than it was Thursday morning. And even that would be offset by Vancouver (which will do well, but probably around the league average) and Tampa Bay (which is in free fall).
Are they really? Or are they just doing a usual 'novelty wore off' drop... plus the last game being on a week night?
Tampa started well but so have many teams. Im sure there is a novelty that has worn off, some that dont like watching the game in a baseball stadium, some that wont go if it looks like rain (a near everyday occurance in Florida) Im afraid Tampa's attendence will see a similar trend as Carolina, Good crowds at the begining but no so much after a year or two. Hopefully they can turn it around. tonight's match will be a good test.
Carolina is troubling. Like you said Mikey, they started off well and seemed to have all the ingredients for success: nice soccer stadium in a nice affluent area; educated demographic in Research Triangle (the type of folks who typically support soccer). Not sure what is happening there -- mismanagement, economic woes??? I'm sure teams like Carolina have taken a hit in regards to sponsor $$$ -- with the attendance drop on top of that -- they must be bleeding a ton of red ink. They need to be smart and do what the Battery did -- drop down a level and play Richmond, Charlotte, Charleston...