MLS Season Ticket Sales

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by AndyMead, May 6, 2003.

  1. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    MLS counts Season Tickets up until the final home opener, so the totals will continue to increase until June 7th.

    As of yesterday afternoon:

    Kansas City Wizards were at 6,464.
    DC United was at 7,055.

    DC also announced that the total breaks their record of 7,046 from 2001, and currently leads Major League Soccer.
     
  2. Revolt

    Revolt Member+

    Jun 16, 1999
    Davis, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Great news there about Kansas City. Colorado, too. Its Amazing that both these cities have swamped New England - and it was New England that had the doubleheader.

    The point isn't to carp on New England, but to say that Kansas City and Colorado are building a soccer tradition - even in their big football stadiums.
     
  3. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    You mention New England and Colorado. Do you have their Season Ticket totals? This isn't the "weekly attendance thread"
     
  4. Rocket

    Rocket Member

    Aug 29, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was just about to mention that, but vw beat me to it. I think Columbus still has the all-time record, but I'm not 100% sure. I have it somewhere. They had something like 11,000 deposits back in 1994-95 which helped them land the team in the first place, and I think their high-water mark was something like 9,000. I could be off on that, though.

    But that's hella good, 8,000, if it's true.
     
  6. HalaMadrid

    HalaMadrid Member

    Apr 9, 1999
    "hella", Kenn?
     
  7. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sorry, it's Monday and I had VH1 on this morning for some reason because I couldn't handle watching Stuart Scott and Kevin Frazier on Sportscenter. Mostly Stu. Frazier I can handle.
     
  8. MtMike

    MtMike Member+

    Nov 18, 1999
    the 417
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hey, Stu Scott was great in Drumline.
     
  9. harttbeat

    harttbeat Member+

    Dec 29, 1998
    New York
    8000 is very little... c'mon LA.... If Colombus could pull off 9000, ya should do more.
     
  10. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Columbus hasn't pulled off 9,000 for a while, and a good portion of LA's fanbase is not predisposed to the concept of the season ticket.
     
  11. harttbeat

    harttbeat Member+

    Dec 29, 1998
    New York
    yeah, but why would AEG increase the capcity from 22,000 to 27,000 if the demand was so high... 8000 doesn't seem high to me... if C-bus could pull off 9000 in the first year (i know the price are cheaper), LA should do better.
     
  12. FlashMan

    FlashMan Member

    Jan 6, 2000
    'diego
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    well, 8,000 is an increase of over 300% if i recall correctly so, in that context, it's quite an increase.

    i'm also a bit skeptical of this number as it was cited by Plaschke, not a beat writer for the Galaxy or anything. i wonder if it's FSE's or whatever they're called.
     
  13. caputobd

    caputobd New Member

    Aug 10, 2001
    Chicago, IL
    That number would have to be number of seats sold for the full season, or FSE's (Full season equivalent.) If it were the number of accounts, the number would be much lower because the average ticket per account is typically 2-3.

    Also, partial seasons add up to count as a full season. For example, if you have 20 home games, and you buy a 10 game plan, that would be a .5 FSE. Likewise, 2 seats as such would be 1 FSE.

    That would be my guess as to that number.
     
  14. Rocket

    Rocket Member

    Aug 29, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    One likely reason Galaxy season ticket sales are lower you might expect is that their tickets are rather pricey compared to other MLS teams:

    Full Season Ticket Prices

    .............Adult
    ............Midfield
    .............Seats
    ..........(lower level)......# games

    LA..........650.................20......club: 1750
    CHI........440/340...........20.......club: 640/540
    COL........414/324..........18.......club: 594
    CLB.........367................18.......club: 537
    DC..........396/324..........18.......club: 1000
    DAL........360/288..........18.......club: 540
    KC..........270................18.......club: 324
    NY/NJ......496/400.........~18.....club: 900
    NE...........440................20
    SJ...........374/230..........17

    Note the interesting correlation:

    relatively low ticket prices <-> improving or better-than-expected ticket sales (e.g. KC & SJ)
    relatively high ticket prices <-> somewhat disappointing ticket sales (e.g. NE & LA)
     
  15. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not sure price is the dominant gene here, but, those are kinda expensive seats in LA.
     
  16. Rocket

    Rocket Member

    Aug 29, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree. Price certainly isn't the only factor. But I'd say it's usually an important one.
     
  17. MLS3

    MLS3 Member

    Feb 7, 2000
    Pac NW
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    $650 for season tickets can easily be paid...i'm 19 with bills and i am already taking two trips to LA to see two games and if i lived close i would get season tickets...that seems pretty cheap to me, but i don't know, what do i know about the "REAL WORLD"...

    anyways i wonder what San Jose's season ticket #'s are...hopefully really low so we can move that team to Seattle so i can get my season tickets...
     
  18. Rocket

    Rocket Member

    Aug 29, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    $650/seat gets a bit expensive for families. A family of 4 would have to shell out $2600 for Galaxy season tickets along the sidelines ($1530 if they sat in the upper deck).
     
  19. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The importance of the full-season ticket in sports that have a whole lot of home games (more than 10) has been in decline in recent years, as people find they don't want to make the time investment.

    Hardcores are an exception to that, obviously. But, as we all know, their numbers are relatively small.
     
  20. harttbeat

    harttbeat Member+

    Dec 29, 1998
    New York
    But i asked again... why would you expand your seating if the ticket sales weren't that great? I rather have grass field in Alexis Hill than empty seats...
     
  21. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Might be cheaper to put the seats in now than later. Don't know. Or because they foresaw the WWC Final.
     
  22. keeppah

    keeppah Member

    Feb 10, 2000
    Taunton, MA
    Exactly what I was thinking. Plus, other events like the Dave Matthews Band concert should be able to sell out 27K no problem.
     
  23. PZ

    PZ Member

    Apr 11, 1999
    Michiana
    Club:
    Ipswich Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I had talked with someone I know at the G's FO who gave me a season tix sales number about what was reported this morning. I've no reason to doubt it.

    LA traditionally sells a ton of walk up tix on the day of the game. That's where the majority in attendance (or at least a sizable chunk) have come from in the past. Ponying up 2X what it cost last year is a major hurdle they were confident wouldn't be a factor..guess they were wrong. The other thing is a large part of the fan base is now 45 - 60 (or more for midweek matches) mins away from the stadium. I'm willing to bet quite a few season ticket holders in past years have bought the 10 or 5 game packs. (I know I thought long and hard about doing that)
     

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