Sounders to Open up full capacity three times this year; all-time record attainable?

If there is going to be a loser, it is more likely to be the Mariners. They were quite vocal with their opposition to having the new arena in S. Seattle and that has garnered quite a bit of ill will among the sporting community. Add in the decade+ of futility they've had since 2001 and you've got a camel just waiting for that final straw.. Even worse for them is that right now they are an incredibly boring team to watch. Not sure if it is still the same, but a week or two ago the Mariners had the highest scoring offense on the road and one of the worst scoring offense at home. They do have a pretty good pitching rotation, but it is no fun going to a game and watching your team lose 0-1 or 1-3 when you know they are killing it on the road.

 

Word out of the Sounders FO is that they are only expecting 50k+ for this weekend's game against the Whitecaps.

 

haha... "only 50k+ "......haha....save that for the time capsule, will ya

 

I should have waited a couple of hours:

Ticket sales for Sounders FC's home game against rival Vancouver on Saturday are approximately 54,000, according to a team spokesman.

— Joshua Mayers (@joshuamayers) August 15, 2012

Still on target.

 

I hope that gets some momentum and blows the roof off of things....

 

Sounders- you simply kick ass....unreal

 

60k vs LA, 55k vs Vancouver and 65k vs Portland = average 60k for 3 game pack. Very good!

 

1.5 fans?

 

Words can not describe how freakin' amazing this is. Super congrats to the Sounders, but especially their fans. Simply remarkable! If you could only sprinkle a little of that pixie dust on Red Bull

 

I'm just now getting around to watching my TiVo'd recording of the SEA v VAN match, and they announced at the start, a new 3 match "flex pack" made of the last three matches of the year (San Jose, Real Salt Lake and Dallas), so there is probably a pretty good chance of a 5K bump or so for those matches for the run in. I am already figuring 65-67K for Portland, so the chances of that all time record *not* falling is somewhere between slim and none.

The FO is pulling out all the stops.

 

The next milestone would be 813,552.

Cosmos average 47,856 in 1978. If MLS keeps its current 34 game schedule, the Sounders would have to get to 813,552 to average 47,856.

Is it ridiculous that we're rationally discussing this?

Bully for Seattle.

 

If Seattle could average 60,311.2 for the last five games, they'd match the 78 Cosmos' average.

 

They haven't opened up any additional seating for those matches, though, so they will still be 38,500 or so.

Maybe they are thinking that if they sell out the normal capacity for those games a couple of weeks in advance with the flex packs, they might open one more of those games for full capacity, but that's pure (and probably overly optimistic) speculation.

 

If Houston weren't at home that weekend, I would be at that SEA/PDX game in a heartbeat.

 

I think a better way to look at this is to say if they have (random choice) four true, full capacity sell outs in 2013, what would their average have to be for the rest of the games to break the Cosmos' number?

 

The answer to your rhetorical question is about 42,000. This highlights the difficulty of breaking that record.

 

Barring an Arsenal 03-04 type season from Seattle, I think the Cosmos record will remain intact for some time. Winning is all important in terms of attracting large numbers of casual fans. Seattle is not different from any other city in that respect. Given enough time with winning and attractive soccer, any city will see a conversion from part time interest to full time passion. That said, I do think that providence has been kind to Seattle for reasons that I don't entirely understand.

A couple guys at Seattle University did a study that tries to explain some of what has made soccer such a huge success here.
http://sportconsumerresearchconsult...s FC Season Ticket Holders - A Case Study.pdf
Its an interesting read for those inclined to extrapolate tendencies in human behavior based on limited data. The study concludes that those of us who bought season tickets prior to the start of the 09 season were motivated by a strong community attachment. In other words, we love our city and will support our team regardless. Those who bought season tickets in 2010 were motivated by a strong attachment to the sport. In other words, those who follow the sport but who can't be bothered to support their local MLS team unless it resembles somewhat what they have watched from afar in the EPL.

 

Maybe MLS should just expand again in Seattle. Just imagine how crazy a derby would be between Seattle1 and Seattle2? And then you would be doubling the Cascadia Cup effect on attendance as well...Put the 2nd team in Tacoma.

 

Whether or not you were serious, unfortunately Tacoma would have a very difficult time getting supporters. For example I live much closer to Tacoma (30 miles) than Seattle (60 miles) but I have been a sounders fan since the 70s, have had season tickets for each MLS season and would not change my allegiance. I am guessing there are many others like me, at least in terms of allegiance.

Having said that I am all for more Cascadia teams, although there really isn't any viable additional city.

 

That's certainly a realistically attainable goal though. If not next year, within maybe five.

 

So long as the Sounders continue to be successful. Long-suffering Seattle sports fans can be quick to abandon their teams (although there will always be a faithful core). Having said that, current. Management has done a very good job making the team an important part of the entertainment landscape.

 

Also being an Olympian, yeah, Tacoma holds little value for me, sad as it may be.

Attending games in Columbus for 5 seasons and being super excited to have a big game with 18k in the stands, I hope I never take for granted what we have up here (and I hope that it keeps up).

 

I hope Garber has some folks looking into the Sounders phenomenon. Yes Seattle is a soccer hotbed, but surely there are other factors. Another city with an established soccer culture is Minneapolis, and they're building a new stadium downtown for the Vikings.