It has to get better. Hopefully they can put together some momentum going later into the season and start getting back to at least 6k.
They seem to be settling into attendance numbers that the LIRRs were getting at the time they were a 2nd Division team during the late 90s.
Team will be fine - there are no excuses for the low attendance. When you think about it the attendance for a D2 club is around 5-6k. That's where the Cosmos are. The issue with the Cosmos is that they need to shake the D2 status. The stadium in my opinion, is only being held up by the dumb elections in Nassau County - its very possible we may not see an announcement before November.
The problem though is that they are not drawing those types of crowds. Outside of the season opener and the Red Bull match, they are announcing in the 3k range but most would agree that far fewer are actually showing up. The team needs to be able to get to the point where a typical match actually draws 5k, and the few special matches a year do better.
You're right we should be drawing 5k or better on a consistent fashion , that would give us a better outlook towards anything moving forward. The Cosmos made a couple of moves not too long ago to help turn the trend. They hired a different advertisement firm, and also hired a high ranking member of the LI junior soccer league to help set up training and academy for kids. In my opinion we will see the fruits of the work eventually specially once they set up an academy system. Advertisements will probably pay dividends sooner, but the real support will come from the youth teams and their families.
We also have to remember, these guys have barely been around a year. Not even a year to be exact. Their marketing needs to improve because there are ALOT of soccer fans that don't even know they are back. They have made some marketing moves and they are starting to increase visibility in Nassau. Hopefully they will step up advertising in Queens since there are so many soccer fans there. I would be willing to bet that Manhattan and the Bronx will end up as NYCFC territory. No quesiton a stadium deal will help. If the Cosmos do not draw well in the fall then I would panic. The spring season is tough for any sport especially with the weather that was had and the horrible schedule they had. Come August 2nd I would expect the attendance to be back up above 5,000 and possibly over 6,000.
They have played well in each of their seasons back in NASL, although they've been Fall 2014's biggest disappointment so far. Fans are behind them, and don't forget "NJ" red bulls aren't a real big draw from fans in Brooklyn and Long island, and I used to live in Brooklyn for 10 years. NY fans don't like to support true NJ teams and red bulls have always been based in NJ, their stadium is in NJ and former Giants stadium was their home before red bull arena as we all know, and all of their facilities are in NJ. I'm fine with the state of New Jersey but it makes me laugh when Garber says we have 2 NY teams already, no we don't. NYCFC will be the only one next season, as the NJ devils are not a NY team either. I could see in 3-4 years the Cosmos drawing 20k-25k each home game with a stadium if they keep winning and cosmos fans know the roster will be upgraded each year. But they have to be at or near the top each season and not lose any momentum, they can single handedly take the NASL and make that into a bigger more competitive league as it is each season going forward. Thankfully the NASL is non single entity and our big pro sports leagues do well in that setup. I will eventually fly back to NY even if they don't get a new stadium to watch a game any chance I get the time or money. I truly believe New Yorkers would rather support the cosmos over the red bulls, and NYC does have a population of 8.4 million, that's alot of fans to grow with
Hopefully the Cosmos can thrive in the NASL but they are what they are, a minor league soccer club, and that ain't gonna change. New York is as big league of a city you will ever see and minor league sports do not sell beyond a small niche. Hopefully they can build a stadium (and most importantly, SELL BEER), but it would take a miracle for them to get 20k+ with any regularity.
Wait, wait, wait. I thought it was the same club. 1971. Exact same club. Since August 2nd: 4,649 4,524 (A Wednesday night, to be fair) So, no. Not yet. Nothing but Saturdays left on the home schedule, though, so there's that. That should help. But in addition to a significant drop from last fall's average to this spring's average (27%), they've experienced a further 14% drop from the spring to the (small sample in the) fall.
I was pleasantly surprised with the attendance on a Wednesday being basically the same. I wonder if they should try some different times. The norm seems to be a 7pm start on Saturdays. Maybe they should try a later start, 8pm or so. Alternatively, maybe a Sunday instead of a Saturday. Saturday at 7pm in Hofstra ain't working that's for sure.
FoxBoro 143: New York is as big league of a city you will ever see and minor league sports do not sell beyond a small niche. Hopefully they can build a stadium (and most importantly, SELL BEER), but it would take a miracle for them to get 20k+ with any regularity. Adding from your earlier post As a New Yorker, I wasn't going to support a New Jersey team. Although we had no true NYC team at that time since the NASL folded and the MLS was the only soccer league. The cosmos can and will gain more fans in NYC, Long Island, upstate and as they've shown the surrounding states as long as they stay in NYC and don't move in the future to say Jersey or Connecticut for a stadium and alienate the home fans or any long time fans. And yes I would expect other New Yorkers to support the cosmos over the red bulls for this reason exactly, and I would expect "most" fans to root for their home city team. They do need a bigger stadium that is state of the art preferably in one of the 5 boroughs that serves alcohol. This is a huge step in the right direction, the rest of your comments I really don't agree with. I don't think the cosmos need a miracle to sell 20 k if they had a stadium regularly
Yeah but their attendance isn't around 5-6k now apparently. It's dropping down into the 3.5-4k range. And this was for the league's supposed super club. And their Yankee Stadium inhabiting MLS competition hasn't even played a game yet.
I've really started to step back and scratch my head at the attendance enigma. To me, Hofstra might just be the issue. The Long Island crowd is tough and fans for the boroughs have a tough time getting to Hofstra. All I can say is that they really need this stadium approved now more than ever. On the flip side, for those that do come, every fan is left impressed with the fact that a quality soccer team is in NY that is not RBNY. Thats a plus. Again, the new stadium would keep those people coming back as well because the feel of hofstra just doesn't cut it with most.
while waiting for stadium news, I just thought the team should play aleast a game in Coney Island at MCU park. Now a minor league football team is coming. And thou only a 6 game season, the people are loving it. MCU hold about 7000. If you haven't visit Coney Is the weekend are jammed pack w/ folks from all boroughs, LI, NJ, & Conn. I just don't see why this is not an option. Last Cosmos game I went to, I was reminded of what a pain it is just to walk to stadium from parking lot at Hofstra. THAT'S DRIVING. I have LIRR station 5 minute from my house, but it's not the subway & too many entertainment options are really close by. Come to BK, your miniscule marketing $$ will be multiply w/ no increase of in that budget. I am quite sure MCU Park would welcome the Cosmos in Brooklyn, COME ON!!!!! U can have games on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, wkdays gme in summer will be packed Coney Is, is packed 7days/wk in the summer. The cold weather game would be a cocern, but will proper roots set down in community, Come on I'm done...
''We can now host soccer, football, lacrosse, concerts, corporate outings and more in addition to the youth, high school and college baseball games that we typically schedule'' http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/new-field-dreams-coney-island-2013-05-08-164500
I'm not sure how MCU Park would be an upgrade over Hofstra. At MCU, you'll have to compete for dates with Cyclones, and you'd be playing in a baseball stadium. Location would probably be better, but is it worth it?
Greats point but if I am going to tackle those issues, would rather do it in LI at Hofstra or in Brooklyn. In Coney Is, local media coverage will be way better & a greater possiblity of a sizerable walk up crowd. In there history, the Cosmos have hopped around. Split the season in Coney Island & Hofstra if u must, but status quo is not good enuff. Have u heard of the Rockland County Boulders? Probably not, they are an Indy Baseball team. They get more press in the NYDN, than the Cosmos. The schedule are right there in a box w/ RBNY, & all other area teams, except the NY Cosmos. It's a long way to send their reporter to cover soccer I'd imagine is there thinking. In Brooklyn, the NY Cosmos would be pretty hard to ignore, even w/ NYCFC coming in. Someone on this board must have access to some at the Cosmos to ask if MCU Park was, is or ever will be consider for anything. Even a freaking friendly.