The Week 17 numbers look like this…

  5 year comparison
  Week 17 129 GP YTD
  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP
 2006   16,028     7   15,592     14,698     113 
 2007   13,974   -12.82%   4   15,830   1.53%   15,005   2.08%   111 
 2008   23,000   64.59%   5   16,596   4.84%   17,493   16.58%   116 
 2009   19,313   -16.03%   6   15,525   -6.45%   15,743   -10.00%   124 
 2010   21,368   10.64%   5   16,671   7.38%   16,671   5.89%   129 
YTD – 129 Games
  Average Median %<10K %>20k
 2006    15,592     13,016    22.48%   17.83% 
 2007    15,830     14,203    10.85%   23.26% 
 2008    16,596     15,371    10.85%   26.36% 
 2009    15,525     14,516    14.73%   19.38% 
 2010    16,671     14,389    8.53%   21.71% 

Here are the attendance comparisons to 2009:

MLS Attendance – Equal # of Home Games
  2009 2010  
  Att Cap % Att Att +/- GP Cap % Cap
 Seattle  29,984   92.54%   36,159   20.59%   10   101.86%   35,500 
 Philadelphia NA NA  22,614  NA  5   85.99%   18,500 
 Toronto  20,198   91.90%   20,494   1.47%   9   93.25%   21,978 
 LA Galaxy  19,128   70.84%   20,315   6.21%   8   75.24%   27,000 
 Real Salt Lake  16,353   78.61%   16,632   1.70%   9   86.00%   19,340 
 N.Y./N.J. Red Bulls  11,385   45.20%   16,277   42.97%   8   64.62%   25,189 
 Houston  15,632   69.48%   16,003   2.37%   9   71.12%   22,500 
 D.C. United  15,193   67.53%   14,949   -1.61%   9   66.44%   22,500 
 Chicago  12,640   63.20%   14,778   16.91%   7   73.89%   20,000 
 ChivasUSA  15,625   57.87%   14,451   -7.52%   7   53.52%   27,000 
 Columbus Crew  13,114   65.57%   13,984   6.63%   10   69.92%   20,000 
 Colorado Rapids  13,045   72.13%   13,589   4.17%   7   75.14%   18,086 
 NE Revolution  13,088   58.17%   11,797   -9.87%   8   52.43%   22,500 
 FC Dallas  8,679   40.95%   11,231   29.41%   8   52.99%   21,193 
 KC Wizards  9,789   94.26%   10,006   2.22%   8   96.35%   10,385 
 San Jose  11,774   56.32%   9,515   -19.19%   7   92.38%   10,300 

My disclaimer about the capacity calculations

For my calculations, I’ve taken the 3 teams playing in Amercan football stadiums, DCU in RFK, Houston in Robertson and New England in Foxboro and assigned maximum capacities at 22,500. I took the 22,500 number from an approximate average of the soccer specific stadiums in use.

  • Philly’s first two home games were played at Lincoln Financial Field. The announced capacity for the Union was published as 38,000 and will be calculated as such.
  • San Jose’s 4th match in 2009 was at Oakland Alameda Coliseum and drew over 15,800.

    Observations

    A short schedule began with a bit over 17,700 at the HDC on Thursday for the California Clash, or whatever the hell they’re calling it. Toronto just about filled the house. Yeah, no surprise there. And another ‘no surprise’ was the sub 14,000 turning out for the Crew. Salt Lake had a terrific crowd of nearly 19,500 and on Sunday Seattle filled the house with over 36,300.

    Rookie Watch: Sorry, but I didn’t get to watch any MLS as I was in Kansas for the USASA U23 National Cup, which was won by an excellent Chicago Fire club.

    Week 17 Games
     
    Los Angeles 2 LA – Official Blog
    San Jose 2 San Jose Center Line Soccer
     
    Toronto 1 TFC Connected
    FC Dallas 1 3rd Degree – Buzz Carrick
     
    Columbus 3 Columbus Dispatch – Crew XTra
    Houston 0 Soccer y Fútbol – Jose de Jesus Ortiz
     
    Real Salt Lake 1 RSL – Behind the Shield
    Chivas USA 1 Chicago Fire Confidential
     
    Seattle 2 Seattle Times
    Colorado 1 Undercurrent
       GP  W  D  L  GF  GA  GFA  GAA  PPG  PTS  GD
     Los Angeles  18   12   4   2   29   10   1.61   0.56   2.22   40   19 
     Columbus  17   10   4   3   25   13   1.47   0.76   2.00   34   12 
     Real Salt Lake  17   9   4   4   29   14   1.71   0.82   1.82   31   15 
     Dallas  16   6   8   2   20   14   1.25   0.88   1.63   26   6 
     NY Red Bull  16   8   2   6   18   19   1.13   1.19   1.63   26   -1 
     Colorado  16   6   5   5   18   16   1.13   1.00   1.44   23   2 
     San Jose  15   6   5   4   20   18   1.33   1.20   1.53   23   2 
     Toronto FC  16   6   5   5   19   18   1.19   1.13   1.44   23   1 
     Seattle  18   6   4   8   20   25   1.11   1.39   1.22   22   -5 
     Houston  17   5   4   8   21   25   1.24   1.47   1.12   19   -4 
     Chicago  14   4   5   5   18   19   1.29   1.36   1.21   17   -1 
     Kansas City  16   4   4   8   13   20   0.81   1.25   1.00   16   -7 
     Chivas USA  16   4   3   9   18   22   1.13   1.38   0.94   15   -4 
     Philadelphia  14   4   2   8   18   26   1.29   1.86   1.00   14   -8 
     New England  15   4   2   9   15   26   1.00   1.73   0.93   14   -11 
     DC United  17   3   3   11   12   28   0.71   1.65   0.71   12   -16 

    Streaking

    • RSL are unbeaten in their last 19 regular season home games.
    • Houston are winless in their last 7 games.
    • Dallas are unbeaten in their last 7 games.
    • Dallas are also unbeaten in their last 7 road games.
    • Toronto are unbeaten in their last 16 regular season home games(7 in ’09).
    • Los Angeles are unbeaten in their last 11 regular season home games(3 in ’09).

    MLS Throw Ins

    • There have been 32 draws compared to 44 in ’09 thru the first 129 matches.
    • There have been 80 clean sheets in the first 129 matches, counting scoreless draws as 2.
    • Through 129 games: goal scoring is down around 5.4% from 2009, 2.43 vs 2.57.
    • RSL has lost only twice in its last 38 home matches. They lost only once in ’08 and ’09, a feat matched by Houston.

    N.A. SuperLiga

    The participants in the 2010 N.A. SuperLiga and their respective finishes in the last completed season are …

    MLS FMF
     Houston  3   UNAM Pumas  4 
     Chicago  5   Monarchas Morelia  7 
     Chivas USA  6   Pachuca  8 
     New England  7   Puebla  13 
    N.A. SuperLiga
     Chicago(1) v Monarchas Morelia(5)  Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL  Wed, Jul 14
     New England(1) v Pumas UNAM(0)  Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA  Wed, Jul 14
     Houston(2) v Pachuca(1)  Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX  Thu, Jul 15
     ChivasUSA(1) v Puebla(2)  Home Depot Center, LA, CA  Thu, Jul 15
     Chicago(0) v New England(1)
     Morelia(2) v Pumas(2)    		  Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL  Sat, Jul 17
     Houston(1) v Chivas USA(1)
     Pachuca(1) v Puebla(3)    		  Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX  Sun, Jul 18
     Chicago(1) v Pumas(0)  Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL  Tue, Jul 20
     New England(1) v Morelia(0)  Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA  Tue, Jul 20
     Houston(1) v Puebla(0)  Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX  Wed, July 21
     ChivasUSA(1) v Pachuca(0)  Home Depot Center, LA, CA  Wed, July 21
    N.A. SuperLiga
    Group A
      W D L Pts GD
     Houston  2   1   0   7   2 
     Puebla  2   0   1   6   2 
     Chivas USA  1   1   1   4   0 
     Pachuca  0   0   3   0   -5 
    Group B
      W D L Pts GD
     New England  3   0   0   9   3 
     Monarchas Morelia  1   1   1   4   3 
     Chicago  1   0   2   3   -4 
     UNAM Pumas  0   1   2   1   -2 
    SuperLiga after Group Phase
      Total Game Dates Average
    2007  195,816   12   16,318 
    2008  161,167   12   13,431 
    2009  86,948   10   8,695 
    2010  104,803   10   10,480 
           
    2 Doubleheaders in 2009 and 2010 meant
      2 fewer separate game dates

    The semifinals are set with New England playing Puebla on Aug 4 and Houston playing Morelia on Aug 5.

    Congestion Time

    The time stretches below start and end with a full week(minimum) between games at the front and back end.

    • In a 29 day stretch, Houston and ChivasUSA will play 9 games, between MLS, US Open Cup and SuperLiga.
    • In a 24 day stretch, Chicago will play 7 games, between MLS, US Open Cup and SuperLiga.
    • In a 24 day stretch, New England will play 6 games, between MLS, US Open Cup and SuperLiga.

    Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

    In 4th round action, Columbus(MLS) defeated Charleston(USL-2), ChivasUSA(MLS) defeated Houston(MLS) and Seattle(MLS) defeated Los Angeles(MLS).

    The winner will compete in the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League.

    DC United(MLS) defeated Harrisburg(USL-2) in the last 4th round match. Harrisburg earned $10,000 for being the USL-2 club that advanced the furthest. Their outright win over RBNY was the tiebreaker over Charleston that required PK’s to down Chicago.

    In the semifinals, Columbus will play DC United on Sept 1, 7:30 p.m. ET @ RFK Stadium, Wash, DC and Seattle will play ChivasUSA on Sept 1, 10 p.m. ET @ Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, WA.

    The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup structure

    Summer of Soccer Attendances
    Opponents Venue Date Event Att
             
     Manchester City v RBNY
     Tottenham v Sporting Lisbon    		  Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ  Sun, July 25  Barclays NY
     Challenge    		  23,228 
     Manchester Utd v KC  Arrowhead Stadium, KC, MO Sun, July 25  Friendly  52,424 
     Portsmouth v DCU  RFK Stadium, Washington, DC Sat, July 24  Friendly  8,987 
     Sporting Lisbon v Manchester City  Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ  Sat, July 24  Barclays NY
     Challenge    		  13,586 
     RBNY v Tottenham  Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ  Thu, July 22  Barclays NY
     Challenge    		  20,312 
     Rangers v Sporting Lisbon  Fenway Park, Boston, MA Wed, July 21  Friendly  32,162 
     Man U v PHL  Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA Wed, July 21  Friendly  44,213 
     Bolton v TFC  BMO Field, Toronto Wed, July 21  Friendly  19,507 
     Portsmouth v Edmonton  Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, ALB Wed, July 21  Friendly  8,792 
     Houston v Puebla  Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX Wed, July 21  SuperLiga  10,033 
     ChivasUSA v Pachuca  Home Depot Center, LA, CA Wed, July 21  SuperLiga  14,817 
     Chicago v Pumas  Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL Tue, July 20  SuperLiga  9,429 
     NE v Morelia  Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA Tue, July 20  SuperLiga  8,173 
             
           total  265,663 
           average  20,436