What's the deal with this reported crowd of 19,377? I had 4 tickets to the game, but couldn't make it with due to family reasons. But I doubt there're 5,000 other people in my predicament too. Is this the effect of too many freebies, perhaps? You know. Buy tickets to USA vs Guatemala and get free tickets to the opener. Do this, that, or the other and get free tickets to the opener, etc, etc.
If they're really selling the tickets, and some people chose not to come I suppose that's no skin off my nose, but once Hitch has improved our ticket sales situation, it will be time to work on getting more of those people to come to the game.
Here's the bottom line... The Guatemalans don't give a damn about MLS, even with Ruiz. That says something. Hitch said there were less than 2,000 tickets left on Thursday, and I believe him. I guess the problem is that they couldn't very well sell extra tickets that technically someone else had paid for. What I also couldn't figure out was why did no one show up until about 10 minutes before kickoff? I bet ABC wasn't too pleased about that. The USMNT-Guatemala game was fabulous (if you are a US fan), and I would have thought they wouldn't waste a free ticket, but they did. Shame. Today was a hell of a game for an opener, and the weather was great!
To avoid this problem in the future, maybe they should give deep discounts rather than freebies. That is, the next time we host a USMNT game at Pizza Hut Park, give everyone a buy 1, get 2 free, coupon to an upcoming FCD game. People are much more likely to make use of something they had to pay a bit of money for, than they are for a pure freebie.
I remeber watching the Orioles play at Kansas City a decade or so ago. As the Orioles knocked the ball around, you could not help but notice the 25,000 or more empty seats. Jon Miller, who was the voice of the Yard Birds at the time, commented around the middle of the third "Plenty of good seats still availible." That is pretty much what I was thinking as I saw the stadium. I suspect that there were a thousand or so people on the promenade (SG Prom coming up, and I do not have a date, nor do I know where or when it is), but still, many empty seats. It is nioce to know that should I get a furlough, I can buy a ticket at the gate. Scipio Diabolus, vox fatum. Contra. Grounded.
No chance of 15k...If it were 10 I would be surprised...granted the rain I imagine scared of the casual fan so numbers are hard to dictate...but wow, when its was 30 mins in, my buddy, who is not a soccer fan, said, so this is on tv? that cant bode well for the league...and I think thats a fair point. when your opening game doesnt sell out, its trouble
But that's just it - they did almost sell out - just a little over a 1,000 tickets were left. The problem is not the 'selling tickets' so much as getting butts in seats that bought the tickets - LOTS of no-shows.
Winning 3-2 is definitely a good start. I'm concerned FCD may have played a few too many boring games at PHP last year. But if we can keep up scoring at a decent rate and win most of our games at PHP, I have a feeling that will help out attendance considerably.
19,377 must have included the vendors and stadium staff. I was expecting a near full house for the big ABC first kick....very disappointed to have a half empty stadium at kickoff....
It looked like the stadium filled up to 15,000 or so by half-time. Hopefully the club can do a better job in upcoming games making sure there aren't too many traffic delays or parking snags. BTW, what is it with Main St in Frisco? I drove on new-and-improved Main St earlier today, and was surprised to see that they allowed parking on it (thus keeping it effectively a 2 lane road). I certainly hope there's a plan to make it 4 lanes someday, with parking moved from Main St itself to lots behind the Main St shops.
Hey, I get paid to stand around and watch the game. I have no need to buy a ticket even if I do work for the Hunts.
On TV it looked like a well attendeed Burn game. That is, they should have announced 14K with butts in seats of 8K. But I guess the US Guat game gave them some room to adjust the numbers a bit. This was a classic game to bring back the soccer fan to PHP. The casual sports fan? We'll see. ABC did not help their cause to appeal to the soccer purist by having a B&P Chastain ask plot questions about Desperate housewives to a Hispanic actor who can't tell the difference between a corner and a free kick.
He also said he accepted an invitation to watch the match. Is there some sort of standing statewide invitation to celebrities to come watch the matches for free if you want? I remember Barry Foster and the chick from Northern Exposure came to a game in Southlake (on separate occasions). Just wondering how these celebs get there invitation and do they just realize its for soccer (not the football they were told it was) when they get there? Anyone have any insight?
If you have a show to promote on the network carrying the game, BINGO, you get an "invitation". Which is more like YOU WILL BE AT THAT GAME as a condition of your contract. See all the celebrities that have magically sprung up at NASCAR races. You think they've instantly become fans, or that the movie studios and networks have realized the marketing potential of stock car racing?
You know how Dallas is....if there is a threat of rain (if conditions aren't perfect), folks will stay home. But it was a great day, and a fun game, and the new local guy scored the winning goal. Verizon club is great, btw.
the crowd at kickoff yesterday reminded me of what it looked like at the opener last august for PHP. lots of open stands (yes i know there was a parking problem too but it was most the same amount of folks)...but also lots of people ON the field before kick...once those people got to the stands it looked pretty good...i know there was a weather issue but you could tell on tv that the sun did come out a few times! the goals will come this season and so will the attendence...
To my vocal concern I was told, "not likely". Yea Main Street looks great, but why would you have a one lane road each way Eastward from a 21K+ cap. soccer stadium? I was told by a friend of the city planning commission that Frisco wants to maintain some of the old city feel it once had. (way back some 3 years ago. ) The George Strait concert should blow the Pampers off the traffic situation, I would imagine...not that I will be anywhere nearby.