Take Me Out to the Ballgame – Week 25

After week 25 the numbers look like this…

Here are the attendance comparisons to 2008’s equal number of home games(175):

My disclaimer about the capacity calculations

Observations

Week 25’s 3 games drew under 10,200. New England was off -30% from its season average. FC Dallas pulled in barely over 10,200, but that’s good enough to be nearly 1,000 over its average. I’d say that’s scary, but FCD home support has been a disaster since game 2. The club hasn’t come close to matching opening day(15,905). Colorado was off 15.3% but that’s no different than their last home game There are lots of ways to explain the low numbers. A good one is that it was opening day for many college football teams. Then, there was this little match that the US Men played. As I mentioned last week, well, here read it yourself…

Well, what can you say? First the good: MLS scheduled only 3 games this coming weekend, which is a FIFA International calendar period. That surely minimized any potential conflict for many possible USMNT’ers who might be called into service for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. In fact, for US players, only Conor Casey, on September 5th, stands to miss a match if he’s selected. Not the solution many fans want, which would be no MLS matches during FIFA International periods, but a lot better than having a full slate of games on the schedule. Now the WTF!: The USMNT game v El Salvador is at 8pm ET, the three MLS matches start at 7:30, 8:00 and 10:00 ET. Are you kidding me? Wait, it gets better. On Wednesday, Sep 9, the US travels to Trinidad and Tobago and will play at 7pm ET. MLS has ONE midweek match scheduled, on you guessed it, Wed the 9th. Not only that, it begins at 8:00pm ET. There are no words.

USSF President Sunil Gulati is also the President of Kraft Soccer, owner of the Revs, and even his team played on Saturday. What is wrong with this picture?

The 2005 match was v Mexico, played at Crew Stadium.

MLS Scoreboard

So How Are They Doing?

Four teams at 33 points. RSL holds the edge in goal differential, while DCU, unbeaten at home, will play 5 of its last 6 at RFK. But Chivas USA and the Revs each have two games in hand, which makes them favorites to overtake them. With 34 points in 24 games, Seattle is only slightly less vulnerable to being overtaken for a playoff position. Columbus is poised to overtake Houston for the Supporters’ Shield with its 2 games in hand.

Streaking