I was at my son's soccer league coaches meeting and a rep from the Wizards was there. They were making a big push for attendance for the final three games. He said their attendance goal was a 25% increase over last year. I don't think they've revisited their goals lately because that would take an average attendance of around 22,600 for the final three games. Three all time attendance records I doubt will happen. Even a 15% increase would require an average attendance of around 17,500. Again, I doubt that is attainable. I do, however think a 10% increase is attainable. The Wizards have to average 15,000 for the next three games to do it. Hear me out before you call me crazy. There are three games left and I'm going to take them in reverse order. The final game of the season is on a Saturday night. The game was really pushed at the meeting because it will be youth soccer night. The Wizards are selling tons of discounted tickets. This should be a boost to attendance. The Wizards traditionally do very well with their last game so this will add to the attendance. I'm hoping all things fall in to place and around 17,500 will attend. The next to last game is on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. The Wizards are having a fireworks display after the game. When promoted, the fireworks games have always drawn more than 19,000. I'll hope for 17,500 again. This leaves this Sunday's Night game. This is the make or break game of the three. Sunday nights are not traditionally a well attended game. The Wizards need 10,000 to attend on Sunday to make my scenario work. It's youth T-shirt night so this might help. I know I'm preaching to the choir but let's make it our best effort to get everyone we know to attend Sunday's game. It may be a pipe dream, but a double digit increase in attendance would be great. We could at least tell every attendance troll that says it's time to move KC to look at the trend. How many other teams had double digit increases?
Have the Wizards visited before this year or last? Discounted tickets do not make for more revenue, only better attendence stats, but if the kids buy discounted tickets and bring along Mom, Dad or an older brother or sister, then all the better for everyone involved. When kids play soccer on Saturday afternoons, they need to think they are the next Donovan, the next Beasley, the next Preki. To do so, they need to be exposed to MLS!
In KC, instead of "buck a brat" night they should have "buck a steak sandwich" night to attract more fans. Make enough for 2500 that should cover the crowd.
Kansas City historically has its biggest crowd of the season on the last game. I think the final game last season was on pace to break 20k until it got canceled. It's not inconceivable for the Wizards to pull in 25k for the final game against Colorado. I'm not saying that it's likely, but I would be shocked if it were less than 20k. I remember growing up in KC that the Royals always did big crowds on the final day of the regular season, too. Maybe something to do with th e mindset that, "I better go now, since the next game isn't until next year". Who knows? Let's just hope a bunch of folks show up!
I don't know about 25K, thats pushing it for a non-promotion game. If we got close to 20K it would be a success. Regardless, our attendance has now gone up three years running. People around the league can say what they want, but we're getting better. falcon6: The title of this thread clearly stated no trolling. Joe, notorious for his attendance trolling, even made a decent comment with no smart assed remarks.
I've never trolled. You just disagreed with my opinions or justifications or the fact that I will post til your blue in the face. And I found no need for smart-assed remarks . Why did you find the need to make that comment?
[QUOTEfalcon6: The title of this thread clearly stated no trolling. Joe, notorious for his attendance trolling, even made a decent comment with no smart assed remarks. [/B][/QUOTE] I never troll. I'm just trying to give ideas how to increase the attendance.
Could have been, but he did state that I trolled. I don't. It's his opinion--and I'm sure a few others --but I have clearly stated that I have had nor have I any intention to troll here. I didn't think it necessary to give me back-handed props. It's not part of the discussion. As falcon and lurkinginthedark said, no trolling, just discussion about increasing attendence. I've leave it at that and end the discussion of "props" for another thread. Back to topic, does anyone think that KC would or could draw 20K for the final game of the season. It would make it one of the highest attended games in KC history. And without a special event to promote it (other than perhaps discount tickets for soccer youth leagues which is a good idea), it would be hard to see how KC would bring out that big a crowd. It would be a nice surprise, but a surprise nevertheless. KC's attendence after the first quarter of the year has dipped measurably--other than the 7/4 game. Anything above 12K should be considered successful.
The Wizards are also hosting a free Soccer Clinic before this Sundays game for all kids 15 and under who purchase tickets through their leagues and the clinic is being put on by Mo Johnston. The clinic is from 5pm to 6pm with an autograph session from 6:00 to 6:30. Youth tickets are $7. Hopefully that will bump attendance a little.
I was there...I did my part in helping attendance and so did most people here... oh yah and i believe the title said NO trolls please...i.e. we dont want to hear how pathetic it was
It's not trolling to post the attendence and say in one-word what everyone was feeling. And not everyone on the KC board was there. One regular poster said he "boycotted" the game. Nuff said. It is preaching to the choir about attendence on a team's board when most of the people there attend regularly. But when they post they are boycotting because the team has played poorly, they aren't sending the right message to the team.
Re: Re: Attendance (No Trolls Please) Why so defensive Merlin? Falcon did post a few ideas. Take them for what they were worth. 8600 for a late season contest is pathetic. The Quakes for all of their early season attendence problems drew 11K for the Saturday 1pm game. Their attendence has shown an increase over the last half of the season and KC's has shown a decrease. Any ideas?
Re: Re: Re: Attendance (No Trolls Please) Im sure people here do have ideas as to why it has shown a decrease, but those ideas are always seen as "excuses".
Re: Re: Re: Re: Attendance (No Trolls Please) Pathetic weather (hot & muggy) + pathetic performances over the last few games = pathetic attendence. Now Merlin may not like the use of the word "pathetic" but it is accurate. My problem with Wizzer fans is two-fold. 1. A notion that attendence is a problem is KC is shot down with snotty little tantrums. 2. When the team is down, so is attendence. It doesn't say much for the casual KC fan. For the serious fan, such as BS posters, there is no reason short of a tornado not to attend. BUT...when a regular BS poster says he boycotted the game because of the team's poor performance over the past few games...well, that takes the cake.
Re: Re: Re: Attendance (No Trolls Please) San Jose best in the league. Kansas City not giving any effort. Granted, that doesnt have much to do with the begining of the season when both teams attendance were pretty low, but as the season goes on and SJ keeps winning all their games its easier to sell tickets than for a team that is 0-3-1 with a 15-2 goal diff. in its last 4 games. Your second statement is true for many fans. When the Royals went downhill, so did attendance. Cheifs, same deal. But most towns are like that, save a few. (Cubs fans come to mind...) But remember, that most of us on here, the people that hear your negative comments about attendance do attend these matches just to pay to watch a 4-0 butt kicking.
At this point they should be pulling every gimmick out of their hat to try and draw more fans. There is no need to be defensive, I just think that other approaches should be taken to try and increase attendance. I know there are thousands of soccer people in the KC area, the question has to be asked why they can't get more of these people to the games. 8300 for a weekend game in MLS at this stage is totally unacceptable. There are many worse teams in mls than KC, so quality of the team really isn't a viable excuse here. Anyway, I think it would be beneficial to KC to be more creative and come up with new ideas for marketing because the old ones surely aren't working.
If no one wants to hear about attendence, please skip this post. That said, KC attendence has had two spikes. The Michael Smith concert and the 7/4 game. Other than that, it has been static and around SJ's average. But when KC was doing well this season, attendence still went down. Why is KC not drawing. Is it the playing style of the team? SJ plays very attractive soccer but cannot draw. 12K is still their highest game of the year. Is it the muggy weather and Arrowhead's ability to retain heat? Will a soccer-only facility help that?