MLS Attendance Analysis: Week 13

Well, Philly-Seattle is sold out, so that's 18,500+ there

Can't wait to see PPL Park packed

 

How far is BMO Field from the possible "anarchist party" this weekend?

 

Aren't you being a little harsh on the TFC defense?

 

Not too far.

I wouldn't be surprised if TFC's attendance is way down tomorrow. Traveling through the city is going to be a nightmare.

 

Depends. I mean considering what this summit is about, would protestors be so hard-core to block transit ways because you know, that's spending money?

Where there's a will, there's a way, and die-hards will plan ahead to make it to the stadium.

 

San Jose at RSL: 16,216

Good, solid number to kick off the return from break.

 

Definitely for a Friday night, its great. RSL is turning in to a solid attendance team. Also a very good team on the field these days.

 

Hate to sound like a cliche, but the weather in TO is going to be crap tonight, might be the tipping point for most people on the rubber about facing the G20 restrictions. Still be at least 15,000 whatever happens though, I reckon.

 

I now foresee a record low attendance being set tonight.

The main commuter trains that come in from the suburbs, after having told everyone who would listen that they'd be running "normal service" all day, have been forced to terminate service outside of Toronto. The subway is not running south of Bloor Street (which includes pretty much the entire downtown core, including Union Station). Major highways are being locked down, and protesters have become violent and stupid.

PLUS, it's raining right now.

A lot of people are going to skip the one tonight. I'd be shocked if the stadium is half-full, TBH. TFC and LA should have swapped home dates prior to the season (it's not as if the G20 was unannounced).

 

There is now 40,000 protesters downtown tearing shit up so, even though Paul Beirne says the game will not be canceled, I can't see more than 10,000 going to the game tonight. Especially since the police have locked down the entire G20 area.

 

Police seem to have shut down a lot of TTC lines, both bus and metro. Might not be much public transit options to get to the game.

 

I imagine arrangements for this eventuality have long been decided upon.

 

MLB was so concerned that they moved this weekends series between the Bluejays and Phillies from Toronto to Philly.Guess they knew what they were doing.They're treating it as if Toronto is the hometeam.They even play the Toronto players prefered music when they come up to bat.Really weird experience.

 

Actually the Blue Jays themselves decided to move the series. It actually works out better for them though. They get compensated by the Federal Government (I think they can even claim for full attendance rather than the half-empty stadium they usually get) plus they worked out an agreement with the Phillies were they get half of the game-day income from the three games (ticket sales, concessions, etc.,).

 

The Jays are also requesting a series against the Phillies next year in Toronto so Roy Halladay can be honoured so that's even more money heading the Jays way.The Phillies usually sellout but todays game didn't judging by a few empty blue seats and tickets(some of them pretty good seats) remain for tomorrow so that concession...etc money won't be as great as it could be but definately a winning situation as you stated.

 

Clearly the Toronto game should have been played in Seattle.

 

This Seattle?

 

I agree that the game should not have been played tonight and as i sit at home watching the match and my empty seats get shown on tv regulalry it is driving me mad.

To suggest, however, that the Jays/MLB decision was the same as TFC/MLS faced is all wrong. Rogers Centre/SkyDome is insided the security fence.....even if no riots had erupted (which was always unlikely) it would have been a logistical nightmare to move, what, 30 - 40k people each day in and out of the security perimeter/fence.

The other big event tonight was a concert at ACC which was cancelled at around 6:30 tonight.....which is when the doors were supposed to open.

Generally, I believe MLSE have acted quite naively today.

 

On TV it looks like BMO is rather full.

 

fuller than I expected but there are lot of empty seats on the east side (more than usual).

 

I've seen the East Side emptier this year than it is tonight. I'd be quite interested to know how it is in the West Stand. That is the stand that would have the soccer moms and the corporate seats, thusly the ones most likely to belong to those that would be less likely to some downtown during a security lockdown.