After week 15 the numbers look like this…

5 year comparison
WK 15 112 GP YTD
Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP
 2005  19,065  8  14,710  14,274  101
 2006  15,853  -16.85%  12  14,821  0.75%  14,721  3.13%  100
 2007  14,650  -7.59%  6  14,907  0.58%  15,143  2.87%  103
 2008  18,529  26.48%  6  16,357  9.73%  16,991  12.20%  106
 2009  19,285  4.08%  6  15,189  -7.14%  15,189  -10.60%  112

Here are the attendance comparisons to 2008’s equal number of home games(112):

MLS Attendance Averages – Equal # of Home Games
2008 2009
Att Cap Att Att +/- GP % of Cap Cap
 Seattle  0  0.00%  29,715  NA  9  92.86%  32,000
 Toronto  20,144  91.66%  20,288  0.71%  10  92.31%  21,978
 LA Galaxy  25,142  93.12%  19,128  -23.92%   8  70.84%  27,000
 Real Salt Lake  15,549  73.28%  15,840  1.87%  7  68.84%  19,340
 Houston  16,566  73.63%  15,689  -5.29%   8  69.73%  22,500
 ChivasUSA  14,376  53.25%  15,312  6.51%  8  56.71%  27,000
 D.C. United  20,817  92.52%  14,811  -28.85%   8  65.83%  22,500
 Columbus Crew  12,268  54.39%  12,868  4.89%  7  57.05%  22,555
 Colorado Rapids  14,150  78.24%  11,940  -15.62%   6  66.02%  18,086
 San Jose  15,420  73.77%  11,774  -23.64%   7  44.93%  10,300
 Chicago  16,440  82.20%  11,726  -28.67%   6  58.63%  20,000
 NE Revolution  10,289  45.73%  11,511  11.88%  5  51.16%  22,500
 N.Y./N.J. Red Bulls  17,679  70.18%  11,385  -35.60%   8  45.20%  25,189
 KC Wizards  9,483  91.32%  9,703  2.32%  7  93.44%  10,385
 FC Dallas  13,862  67.62%  8,679  -37.39%   8  42.33%  20,500


My disclaimer about the capacity calculations

For my calculations, I’ve taken the 4 teams playing in football stadiums, DCU in RFK, Houston in Robertson, New England in Foxboro, and RBNY in the Meadowlands and assigned maximum capacities as follows, DCU-22,500, Houston-22,500, New England-22,500 and RBNY-25189(the posted capacity of Red Bull Arena). I took the 22,500 from an approximate average of the soccer specific stadiums in use. Capacities have also been adjusted for the few games that were moved to larger venues, such as San Jose playing twice in Oakland Alameda Colliseum for 2 of it’s 7 matches in ‘08 and three times in ’09.
I’m now using 32,000 for Seattle’s capacity. Thier previous announced cap was 27,000. Since they haven’t drawn less than 28,000, I’ve recalculated all of the Sounders’ games to the new number.

Observations

Good crowds attended this week’s six matches. A big week for average attendance. The league averaged just under 19,300. A great week that could have been better(Colorado).

The week began with RBNY visiting BMO Field and its 20,000+ fans. The Rapids hosted FC Dallas before a modest 10,500+. Columbus continues to draw well, with over 15,500 watching a rematch of MLS Cup ’08. A terrific crowd of over 18,000 came to Rio Tinto to witness the Laker’s victory. Seattle exceeded thier new ‘official capacity’ of 32,000 as 32,526 saw the Rapids try to overtake Seattle in the west. Just under 18,000 showed up in LA to see the Gals end Houston’s 11 game undefeated streak.

Six of last year’s 14 clubs are now ahead of ’08 attendance, but only one by double digits. However 6 other clubs are each down over 22% from last year. Maybe MLS can catch some spillover joy from the USMNT. Jason Davis put it quite well.

YTD – 112 Games
Average Median %<10K %>20k
 2005    14,710   12,106  30.36%  16.96%
 2006    14,821   13,064  22.32%  16.96%
 2007    14,907   14,130  11.61%  20.54%
 2008    16,357   15,274  11.61%  25.00%
 2009    15,189   14,377  15.18%  16.96%
Week 15 Games
 
Toronto 2 TFC Connected
RBNY 0 Red Bulls Reader
 
Colorado 1 Undercurrent
FC Dallas 1 3rd Degree – Buzz Carrick
 
Columbus 1 Columbus Dispatch – Crew XTra
RBNY 0 Red Bulls Reader
 
Real Salt Lake 3 Behind the Shield
Toronto 0 TFC Connected
 
Seattle 3 Seattle Times
Colorado 0 Undercurrent
 
Los Angeles 1 LA – Official Blog
Houston 0 Soccer y Fútbol – Barnard Fallas

These young US players were away this week as the USMNT U-20’s prepare for the U-20 World Cup held later this year in Egypt.

 

  • Chivas USA – Gerson
  • FC Dallas – Marosevic
  • Houston – CruzConfederations Cup and MLS

    As we all know by now, the USMNT played in the Confederations Cup final, extending the US participation in the tourney. The MLS contingent; Bornstein, Kljestan, Wynne, Casey, Donovan and Clark missed matches(MLS or SuperLiga). After a terrible run of games, 3 straight strong performances against world class opponents on foreign soil: Congrats to the USMNT!

    Gold Cup and MLS

    Gold Cup Rosters at CONCACAF
    Players, League Games Missed Due to Gold Cup Group Play
    Players Opponent
     3-Jul  4-Jul  11-Jul
     Chicago Fire   Busch, Pause, Segares(CRC)  Colorado  Columbus
     Chivas USA   Thomas(JAM), Harmse(CAN)  LA
     Colorado Rapids   Clark, Perkins, Ceus(HAI)
    Cummings(JAM)
     Chicago  FCD
     Columbus Crew   Rogers, Marshall  DCU  Chicago
     DC United   Quaranta, Jakovic(CAN)  Columbus
     FC Dallas   Cooper  RBNY  Colorado
     Houston Dynamo   Ching, Holden, Hainault(CAN)  KC  Seattle
     Kansas City Wizards   Arnaud, Conrad  Houston  NE
     Los Angeles Galaxy   Ricketts(JAM)  NE  Chivas USA
     New England Revolution   Heaps, Joseph(GRE)  LA  KC
     RBNY   Pacheco(SLV), Richards(JAM)  FCD
     Real Salt Lake   Beckerman, Johnson(CAN)
    Alexandre(HAI)
     SJ
     San Jose Earthquakes   NONE  RSL  TFC
     Seattle Sounders FC   Evans, Marshall(JAM)  HOU
     Toronto FC   Cronin, Gerba(CAN)  SJ

    If I’ve missed anyone, hopefully our readers will let me know in the comment section.

    This list encompasses the MLS matches that coincide with Gold Cup group play which ends on July 12. I will update the list as we go through the knock-out rounds.

    Andy Williams declines Jamaican invite. Williams’ wife has been battling a rare form of leukemia, sparking a soccer nation ‘call to arms’ that resulted in heightened awareness of the need for bone marrow donors.

    Note that according to the AP, Busch will remain with the Fire unless Robles or Perkins are hurt or injured. This list does not conform exactly to the rosters listed at the CONCACAF site as drops and adds have occurred since they were posted.

    ======

    End of Week Thoughts

  • RBNY looks all but out of 2009 MLS playoffs. They are winless in 22 road games.
  • The Rapids will play without in form striker Omar Cummings(Gold Cup) for its July 4 match. For a while it looked like they might also be without Conor Casey, but he is not on the final list of 23 for the USMNT.
  • SuperLiga continued for Chivas USA, Chicago, Kansas City and New England. The next league game for each of them is on July 4.
  • Chicago advance to SuperLiga semifinals(July 15).
  • TFC’s roster is not pillaged like it was last year. De Rosario has opted out of the Gold Cup to stay with the club.
  • Was it too much to expect SUM to schedule the SuperLiga Saturday Matchday 3 games in the afternoon so as not to conflict with the 2 MLS tilts? A case of Mexican broadcasters dictating kick-off times?
  • Columbus have tied the league record: undefeated at home in 18 matches.
  • The Rapids 8 game unbeaten string was emphatically snapped by the Sounders.
  • Down almost 24% in attendance, ya think LA is looking forward to Beckham’s return?======

    Gettin’ Busy

    The Fire play their first U.S. Open Cup game Tuesday in Wilmington, NC. Then a July 4 league game in Colorado. If they win in 3rd round Open match, an Open quarterfinal match would be next on July 7. Back to league play with a home game July 11 against Columbus and then a SuperLiga semifinal on July 15th and another league match on July 18th.

    The four MLS SuperLiga clubs were not scheduled this week. The semifinals are on July 15 and the final is on August 15. Looking ahead, Chivas USA is scheduled to play on August 15, while Chicago and Kansas City play on August 16. There are no conflicts on July 15.

    ======

    Just Some Stuff

    Atlanta fans sent a shout-out to the soccer gods as over 51,000 came out for a friendly between Mexico and Venezuela. Perhaps some Mexican club owner will take the Silverbacks off of Arthur Blank’s hands and bring the team out of hiatus.

    Suddenly respectable FCD may lose Davies, Lambo, Marosevic, Shea and Anthony Wallace to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, Sep 24 – Oct 16, potentially missing 4 league matches.

    Don’t be surprised at the number of players being released. July 1st is the deadline for terminating any contracts with guaranteed money. In other words, dump the player now or pay for the rest of the contract.

    Opposite ends of youth soccer in the US …while the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs are underway, sad news comes out of Brad Friedl’s Ohio based academy.