Definitely need to spread the wealth around - so to speak. These mid-week games are hard to get to from out of town. Put the games in new venues. And keep them cheap. Supply and demand, baby.
It looks like it the closest I can find is: Aug 16 00 W 7-0 Barbados 18,334 Foxboro, MA, USA To find a lower attendance number you have to go back to: Nov 05 89 D 0-0 El Salvador 8,500 St. Louis, MO, USA I got the stats from: http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/ a great US soccer history/stats site.
i, too, received a postcard advertising the match. it arrived at my door on the 19th. obviously, i was already congnizant of the match, so it didn't affect me. but i've gotta think this isn't the most effective use of their limited marketing dollars.
the problem here is that it's impossible to accurately price by 'supply and demand' when 'demand' is subject to the drastic change that occurs once qualification has been pre-determined. i actually tend to think (for me, personally, that is) that the federation does a pretty good job in this regard. i'm constantly saying things like, "$45?! one more dime and i wouldn't even go!" - as i'm purchasing my ticket. the bottom line is that they have to set ticket prices before they know - definitively - the demand. it's no surprise that they operate under the assumption that the game will matter. if they don't, they'll get less in revenue than a meaningful game will merit (or 'demand', if you will). but if they do, and the game doesn't matter... well, they get last wednesday.