News: 2024 MLS Attendance Thread

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by jaykoz3, Jan 8, 2024.

  1. eagercolin

    eagercolin Member

    Metro
    United States
    Aug 25, 2017
    Buffalo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Lol, no.

    As it turns out, the least expensive team in MLS (St. Louis) is about even with the 85th team in the European big 5 (Las Palmas). Valencia is the middle of the pack of the 96 clubs in the big 5, and their payroll is less than Miami but more than Toronto. The upper half of MLS would slot in the 50-80 range. And this list doesn't include smaller and broker leagues like Scotland, Portugal, and the Netherlands, to say nothing of your bizarre examples like Armenia. MLS has already surpassed the vast majority of Europe in team budgets, and by valuation the situation is even worse for old, broke, and dying Europe -- 9 of the 30 most valuable teams on the planet are in MLS.

    But yes, absolutely, Kazakhstan -- great point!
     
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  2. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    Lol.

    Qarabag would win MLS cup 8 years out of 10.
     
  3. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's a damn site better than it was ten years ago. And the top leagues in Europe are a moving target. Top 20 teams have had a 50% increase in revenue in the last ten years, which nearly all goes on salaries. MLS revenue is roughly at where La Liga was in 2010 and most of that was shared between 2 or 3 teams.

    :sleep:
     
  4. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nonsense.
     
  5. ToMhIlL

    ToMhIlL Member+

    Feb 18, 1999
    Boxborough, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, Dinamo Jalal-Abad would wipe the floor with any MLS team!

    Seriously, there is far less of a gap between the best and the worst teams in MLS when compared to other leagues. MLS teams can't compete with the teams who are regulars in UEFA CL/Europa Cup, but they'd more than hold their own against the mid and lower teams in all but the Big 5 leagues. They aren't better than Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord, but would the really have a problem with Go Ahead Eagles?
     
  6. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Friends would be easily be the best 1990s sitcom cast at 5 a side lunar head tennis (RIP Chandler).

    I'm just saying random crap authoritatively like @crookeddy
     
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  7. eagercolin

    eagercolin Member

    Metro
    United States
    Aug 25, 2017
    Buffalo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's hard to win MLS cup when you're not allowed into MLS because you're a tiny club that plays in a 6000 seat stadium. So no, they would never win anything, because they're irrelevant by definition, like 90% of non-MLS clubs on the planet.
     
  8. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    Everyone is allowed into MLS when enough cash is paid. FC Dallas literally played in a 6000 seat stadium lol
     
  9. AZUL GALAXY

    AZUL GALAXY Member

    Aug 28, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CDSC Cruz Azul
    Also Éibar of La Liga played at 6,000 seats stadium few years ago.
     
  10. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nurse!
     
  11. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    Welp, I was wrong. Dragon stadium is actually 11k capacity it's just that Dallas could rarely fill it.
    EDIT: nope, not wrong. They expanded the stadium since the Burn left.
     
  12. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Their average at Dragon Stadium that season was just under 8,000. It was meant to be a temporary move during the construction of Pizza Hut park but following fan complaints they moved back to the Cotton Bowl.

    Also in 2003, the US and allies invaded Iraq, Yugoslavia still existed, Concorde was still flying commercially, MySpace and Tesla were founded and Paxten Aaronson was born. I don't see what any of those have to do with how MLS teams would perform in European Leagues in 2024.
     
  13. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    I am responding to an MLS nut (and we're all MLS nuts to a degree here, but there are levels to this game) who said a club wouldn't be let in with a 6,000 people stadium. If Bill Gates wanted into MLS but the only condition was a small stadium, he'd be in. But that's silly. If there are minimum requirements you just expand.
     
  14. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dallas weren't let in with a 6,000 people stadium. They were "let in" with a 68,252 people stadium. They played at appears to have held just under 8,000, for one season while their brand new stadium was being developed.
     
  15. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    4,109 in Seattle for the open cup semi. Wikipedia lists capacity as 4,500 so its unclear if this even sold out.
     
  16. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

    Kid, step away from the keyboard before you hurt yourself.
     
  17. harrylee773

    harrylee773 Member+

    Jul 28, 2004
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    55,385 In Chicago tonight for the Jason Derulo concert vs. Miami.
     
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  18. SetPeace

    SetPeace Member+

    Jun 22, 2004
    SC Illinois
    Club:
    Torquay United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Very good weekend numbers for MLS so far. Only one missing from Saturday is RSL vs. New England. St. Louis hosts the Galaxy Sunday afternoon.

    New York Red Bulls (vs. Philadelphia) 19,951
    Charlotte (vs. Atlanta) 30,011
    Orlando (vs. Nashville) 22,853
    Toronto (vs. DC United) 28,489
    Columbus (vs. New York City) 20,618
    Cincinnati (vs. Montreal) 25,513
    Chicago (vs. Miami) 55,385
    Austin (vs. Vancouver) 20,738
    Dallas (vs. Colorado) 19,096
    Real Salt Lake (vs. New England) Unknown
    Los Angeles FC (vs. Houston) 22,176
    Portland (vs. Seattle) 25,218
    San Jose (vs. Minnesota) 15,122
    St. Louis (vs. Los Angeles Galaxy) Sunday afternoon

    WEEKEND TOTAL (SO FAR): 305,170
    AVERAGE: 25,430

    Toss in the Philadelphia (vs. Columbus) figure from Midweek: 18,513

    TOTAL: 323,683
    AVERAGE: 24,899
     
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  19. SetPeace

    SetPeace Member+

    Jun 22, 2004
    SC Illinois
    Club:
    Torquay United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Final numbers from the weekend:

    Real Salt Lake (vs. New England) 20,475
    St. Louis (vs. Los Angeles Galaxy) 22,423

    AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 1 TOTAL: 348,068
    AVERAGE: 24,862

    ADDING MIDWEEK GAME AT CHESTER: 366,581
    AVERAGE (15 MATCHES): 24,439
     
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  20. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    Is MLS on track for yet another attendance record?
     
  21. midfielder467

    midfielder467 Member

    Jul 20, 2014
    Club:
    Central Coast Mariners
    Gotta say your crowds are impressive and your stadiums look amazing, especially the newer ones...

    With the infrastructure already in place, twill be interesting to see the influence the WC has on Football in the USA in general and on the MLS in particular..
     
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  22. sportie1

    sportie1 Member

    Sep 4, 2008
    MLS has already surpassed the vast majority of Europe in team budgets, and by valuation the situation is even worse for old, broke, and dying Europe -- 9 of the 30 most valuable teams on the planet are in MLS.

    thats an amazing stat... and its TRUE !!

    forbes.com/lists/soccer-valuations/
     
  23. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The big difference of course is revenue. Although MLS revenue overall is close to Ligue Un at $2 billion year the revenue per club is a lot lower than the big European teams. But it shows how stable financially MLS is.

    One of the things I've noticed is how pro-rel advocates conveniently ignore just how much pro-rel depends on philanthropy and generous bankruptcy protection schemes.

    For instance, the former owner of Derby County said he sunk $250 million of his own money into the club before handing it on with no expectation of a return. Derby were subsequently promoted from League One.

    Ipswich's former owner wrote off the club's debts before handing it over to the current owners. The new owners pumped money in without expectation of a return and hit the jackpot with a double promotion.

    I think the majority of professional clubs in England have benefited from a combination of bankruptcy protection, debt forgiveness and generous donations just to stay alive, including Crystal Palace in 1999 and 2010. Most are the original club in name only.

    We have that level of philanthropy in US sport but it's all at college or high school level. I really don't see many examples of wealthy locals pumping money into local minor league teams just to keep the name alive.
     
  24. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    @Paul Berry (and anyone interested) US pro sports used to have a lot of that. Local Rich Guy Saves Team happened frequently in the 20s, 30s, and 40s. Some combination of a change of mentality, plus the dollars needed getting a bit too big for philanthropy, ended that.
     
  25. eagercolin

    eagercolin Member

    Metro
    United States
    Aug 25, 2017
    Buffalo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes, even the big 5 leagues have plenty of tiny, broke teams.
     
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