11,717????

Deng, Gordon help Bulls hold off Heat in Game 1

The Chicago Bulls had their first game of the NBA playoffs tonight against the defending champions. I'm sure many Chicagoans were at that game.

Just unfortunate that both games fell on the same date.

 

There were millions who were not at the game. The Cubs played Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS at Wrigley and NSF was sold out at the same time on the same night. Yes, the fans who will fill the seats for Blanco are waiting for him. Why should they pay $15 for parking, another $15 (at least) per person per ticket , $9 for a Corona after standing in line for half an hour?? To see lesser quality (on average) than they can see for free on TV? The fact of the matter is that the target demographics of the past 9 years simply isn't interested in the sport in general, and even those who are *marginally* interested or lightly or even some who love it would rather watch another... and the target demographics of the past month won't show up until the bait does.
11K--pathetic

 

Here's a thought. Maybe guppy and company aren't doing a very good job selling tickets.

 

Not a bad crowd as usually the second home game of the season doesn't draw well. I thought they would announce at least 13,000 looking around at the crowd.Pretty honest count at 11,717.

 

Just continuing a history set by someone else....

 

Also the Cubs and Cards played today. So with the Bulls and Cubs you have a good amount there. Plus its the Wizards, who gives a f*** about them? That could also of been a factor in my opinon.


PS: I did not attend, burn me at the stake!

 

The only problem to this statement is the Bulls game was at 2:00pm.

 

I dont know why people are complaing. You broke 10K I would worry if annouced attendance was 1,491. It seems that everyone is more concerned about attendence (in every MLS city) then the team.

 

C'mon, folks, let's admit it already and move on... after 9 years of marketing to the WASP middle class yuppies and yuppies-in-training of the various colleges in the area, the Fire simply cannot consistently draw 15K to the games. NSF sold out during game 7 of the 2003 NLCS for Mexico-Uruguay. 'Nuff said. Wednesday B-squad game draws 16K last year... CA v Fire. The sooner Blanco comes, the better.

PS.. the first and last games of the seaon are usually some of the most attended for all teams. What does that say about the 15K two weeks ago?

 

Saying "we did better or just as good as Cbus and Salt Lake" is actually an insult cuz they are far smaller cities than Chicago.
LA isn't worried about attendance.

 

Wait there has been marketing? Whoa I must of been asleep for that one. The only major marketing I have ever seen/heard was one summer on Q101 when they played their last season in Solider Field, and the commercials DURING the Fire games on Comcast, why not run those on days when the game ISNT on tv? Also you got those nice 2"x6" newspaper ads on the second to last page on the Sun Times. I think the FO needs to pound the marketing down Chicago's throat.

 

Factor in that no other sports teams are currently playing in any of those towns as well. So I assume that kinda shoots down your statement that we should be drawing better.

 

What about LA? Actually, it doesn't... read post about Game 7 of the NLCS in 2003 the same night of Mexico Uruguay.. a mid week game. NSF sold out their tickets for soccer.
Actually, it bolsters my argument that the Fire have been marketring to the wrong crowd in the first place. See previous post about NSF selling out same night as Game 7 of the 2003 NLCS.
Mexican fans (had they come) would have caused TP to sell out today.
Again, in a city of millions....
Bulls game: over... Cubs game: over... white sox: over. We have approximately 1 million soccer fans already... just never really marketed to them before.

 

I think the WASPy yupsters should start caring as much about soccer as they do the other sports you mention that the Fire have to compete with... or soccer will be no higher then 3rd in their minds in April (behind apparently baseball and basketball). Face it.. unless it is the WC, they don't care about the *sport*. It's not like they watch another soccer league rather than MLS... heck, they will go to baseball games and listen to basketball games.. and vice-versa.

 

Dont take my posts as trying to start an argument with you thats not my intention. I can completly understand your point of view that the Fire has been marketing to the wrong crowd. When the Fire first started in 98 they marketed to the polish community by bringing in Nowak. Now I think they have finally seen the light and by bringing in Blanco (who seems to have a huge following) I believe that the attendence will increase. If any of those fans of Blanco werent originally Fire fans and he was playing tonight with Chicago, That place would have had 18,000 assuming none of those Blanco fans already attended Fire games. I personally feel Chicago picked a player (who is very good on top of it) to use their DP on I'm all for it if its going to bring those Blanco fans to the park and on top of it if the casual soccer fan take notice that this one person is bringing all these people to games they might take notice and have their intrest peaked into why this one guy is bringing all these people to see him play. I think the current attendence thing is no big deal and people need to stop complaining and stop bringing it up, its only a matter of time until it changes.

 

Wow, we are in complete agreement then. Cool!

 

Honestly, the fire never really marketed the team the right way. Theres no gigantic posters downtown saying "come watch the fire" or on the back of buses.

Unlike the bulls who have a WHOLE BUS painted with bulls and BG on it. MLS needs to reach out and bring people in, we can`t just expect people to catch on that theres a such thing as soccer.

 

there was a big sign off the Ike featuring Armas. Last year there was a big sign off of 55 i think featuring TP. That is what I know of. The networking and outreach failed. The best marketing the Fire ever did was sign Blanco.

 

Actually, that game didn't sell out. It drew well, but did not sell out.

 

Everything I read, including the official releases, was that the available tickets sold out. And as my recollection of the actual match goes (i was there), there were far more than the attendance at Wrigley. Just shows what is possible when the majority of this city is focused on a baseball game.
Fire marketed to the wrong crowd.

 

I don't disagree that it could be possible to draw more fans to a ~60K capacity stadium than to a then ~38K capacity decrepit armpit. But the game didn't sell out.

For that matter, I don't believe that any soccer match [since the '94 world cup] has sold more than 50K, but you'd have to ask Kenn on that one.


Look, we know you're a Mexi-phile, and that's cool. But you don't have to exaggerate(sp.) to prove this to us. OTOH, I'd be happy to rep you if you've got a link.

 

wasn't exaggerating. probably screwed the games up since i have been to almost all of them witht he exception of last year's b squad ca-fire
match. i did check the numbers. RM-Chivas drew 54,432
Man U-BM drew 58,121 (source was kenn.com--lol). The source for mexi-uruguay selling out was my memory and the reference in the tribune the next day. the actual attendance was 41K ( i still can't believe it was that low... maybe the sections above me weren't sold) it did, however, outdraw the nlcs, and that was on a week*night* as was last year's 16,172 b-squad match against CA (I kinda wished i had actually gone to), the 6th most attended fire match of the year (btw, c-usa was 5th).