The playoff numbers look like this…

5 year comparison
Conference Semifinals – 1st Leg
  Avg +/- Home Teams
 2005   12,147  NA  Chicago  NY  Colorado  Los Angeles
 2006   9,533   -21.52%   Chicago  NY  Colorado  Chivas USA
 2007   14,245   49.42%   Chicago  NY  Dallas  Kansas City
 2008   10,476   -26.46%   New England  NY  Salt Lake  Kansas City
 2009   19,985   90.77%   New England  Seattle  Salt Lake  Chivas USA
 
5 year comparison
Conference Semifinals – 2nd Leg
  Avg +/- Home Teams
 2005   14,400  NA  New England  Dallas  San Jose  DC United
 2006   15,938   10.69%   New England  Dallas  Houston  DC United
 2007   19,838   24.47%   New England  Chivas USA  Houston  DC United
 2008   19,444   -1.99%   Chicago  Columbus  Houston  Chivas USA
 2009   21,526   10.71%   Chicago  Columbus  Houston  Los Angeles
 
Quarterfinals Totals(both legs)
  Avg +/- Teams
 2005   13,273  NA  CHI, COL, DAL, DCU, LA, NE, RBNY, SJ
 2006   12,736   -4.05%   CHI, COL, CHV, DAL, DCU, HOU, NE, RBNY
 2007   17,041   33.81%   CHI, CHV, DAL, DCU, HOU, KC, NE, RBNY
 2008   14,960   -12.22%   CHI, CHV, CLB, HOU, KC, NE, RBNY, RSL
 2009   20,755   38.74%   CHI, CHV, CLB, HOU, LA, NE, RSL, SEA
Semifinals Totals
  Avg +/- Teams
 2005   15,454   NA NE v CHI – COL v LA
 2006   21,330   38.02%  DCU v NE – HOU v COL
 2007   20,645   -3.21%  NE v CHI – HOU v KC
 2008   17,348   -15.97%  CLB v CHI – RSL v RBNY
 2009   23,548   35.74%  LA v HOU – CHI v RSL
Playoff Totals
  Avg +/- Teams
 2005   13,709   NA MLS Cup 2009
 Los Angeles v Real Salt Lake
 Sun, Nov 22, 8:30pm
 2006   14,455   5.44% 
 2007   17,762   22.88% 
 2008   15,437   -13.09% 
 2009   21,314   38.07% 

Observations


The semifinals began with a near sellout at the HDC. Maybe a bit disappointing, but still a strong 25,000+. Toyota Park however was sold out by midweek. Another great showing for the league’s championship series.

While the league must be disappointed from a marketing standpoint that Chicago failed to join Los Angeles in MLS Cup ’09, they must also be very pleased about the live attendance to the 2009 playoffs. Leading up the the final match, the 2009 playoffs are the highest attended in league history, more than 3,500 per game higher than the previous top mark of 17,762 in 2007.

MLS Quarterfinals – 2nd Leg
RSL Advances 4-2
Columbus 2 Columbus Dispatch – Crew XTra
Real Salt Lake 3 RSL – Behind the Shield
Chicago Advances 3-2
Chicago 2 Chicago Fire Confidential
New England 0 Revolution Soccer
Houston Advances 1-0
Houston 1 Soccer y Fútbol – Barnard Fallas
Seattle 0 Seattle Times
Los Angeles Advances 3-2
Los Angeles 1 LA – Official Blog
Chivas USA 0 Chivas USA – MLSNet
 
MLS Semifinals
Los Angeles 2 LA – Official Blog
Houston 0 Soccer y Fútbol – Barnard Fallas
 
Chicago 0(4) Chicago Fire Confidential
Real Salt Lake 0(5) RSL – Behind the Shield


MLS Cup

Los Angeles v Salt Lake Sun, Nov 22, 8:30 pm ET on ESPN



Unless they change the rules again …

MLS in 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League

  • Columbus – Supporters’ Shield Winner
  • Seattle – Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Winner
  • Los Angeles – MLS Cup Finalist
  • Real Salt Lake – MLS Cup Finalist


    MLS in 2010 SuperLiga

  • Houston
  • Chicago
  • Chivas USA
  • New England


    MLS Throw Ins

  • Preki out of Chivas USA, in at TFC? (He played with Mo Johnston in KC)
  • Cousin Brucie(for all of you old timer easterners) Arena won MLS Coach of the Year honors for the 2nd time.
  • Is MLS lurking in the background of the USL/TOA situation?
  • Defender Omar Gonzalez wins MLS Rookie of the Year, the 2nd year running for a Galaxy defender(Franklin).
  • Of the 10 players Seattle selected in the expansion draft, 7 remain were on the roster as season’s end.

    And …

    The US team lost a friendly to Slovakia in Bratislava. They’ll play Denmark on Nov 18.