The Week 24 numbers look like this…

  5 year comparison
  Week 24 186 GP YTD
  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP
 2006   14,880     6   15,348     15,129     159 
 2007   17,987   20.88%   8   16,659   8.54%   16,118   6.54%   159 
 2008   16,016   -10.95%   7   16,450   -1.26%   17,073   5.92%   161 
 2009   16,148   0.82%   8   15,748   -4.26%   16,709   -2.13%   172 
 2010   18,444   14.22%   8   16,625   5.57%   16,625   -0.50%   186 
YTD – 186 Games
  Average Median %<10K %>20k
 2006    15,348     13,866    19.35%   18.82% 
 2007    16,659     15,174    8.60%   28.49% 
 2008    16,450     15,078    11.29%   25.27% 
 2009    15,748     14,479    15.59%   19.35% 
 2010    16,625     14,569    6.99%   22.58% 

Here are the attendance comparisons to 2009:

MLS Attendance – Equal # of Home Games
  2009 2010  
  Att Cap % Att Att +/- GP Cap % Cap
 Seattle  30,587   94.40%   36,167   18.24%   13   101.88%   35,500 
 Toronto  20,278   92.26%   20,665   1.91%   13   94.03%   21,978 
 LA Galaxy  20,072   74.34%   20,224   0.76%   11   74.90%   27,000 
 Philadelphia NA NA  19,894  NA  11   90.24%   18,500 
 N.Y./N.J. Red Bulls  12,070   47.92%   17,927   48.52%   12   71.17%   25,189 
 Real Salt Lake  16,091   78.74%   16,952   5.35%   12   87.65%   19,340 
 Houston  15,938   70.84%   16,895   6.01%   12   75.09%   22,500 
 Chicago  13,912   69.56%   15,757   13.26%   11   78.79%   20,000 
 Columbus Crew  13,714   68.57%   14,384   4.89%   12   71.92%   20,000 
 D.C. United  15,542   69.07%   14,271   -8.17%   12   63.43%   22,500 
 ChivasUSA  15,673   58.05%   13,792   -12.00%   11   51.08%   27,000 
 Colorado Rapids  12,771   70.61%   12,749   -0.17%   11   70.49%   18,086 
 NE Revolution  13,221   58.76%   12,070   -8.71%   12   53.64%   22,500 
 FC Dallas  9,229   43.55%   10,811   17.15%   11   51.01%   21,193 
 KC Wizards  10,010   96.39%   10,109   0.99%   11   97.34%   10,385 
 San Jose  15,692   92.04%   9,702   -38.17%   11   94.19%   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. Their 7th match was also at OAC and they drew over 17,100. Their 11th was part of a doubleheader with Barcelona and drew over 61,500.

    Observations

    Chicago drew 12,800+ on Wednesday. Big surprise, Seattle filled the house on Thursday. Another big surprise, only 10,700+ for Chivas USA on Friday. Toronto was just under 20,400. 19,000+ were in Harrison for the Red Bulls. A full house at PPL Park for the Union. The Quakes were also at capacity. Nearly 19,500 were at the HDC for the Galaxy.

    Rookie Watch: Tim Ream got his first for RBNY. Can’t speak to performances as I have company visiting and couldn’t watch any of the matches.

    Joel Lindpere, on my preseason ‘watch list'(bottom of post) assisted on Henry’s goal for RBNY v TFC.

    Week 24 Games
     
    Chicago 0 Chicago Fire Confidential
    Toronto 0 TFC Connected
     
    Seattle 0 Seattle Times
    Real Salt Lake 0 RSL – Behind the Shield
     
    Chivas USA 2 Chicago Fire Confidential
    New England 0 Revolution Soccer
     
    Toronto 0 TFC Connected
    DC United 1 DCU – Steve Goff – Soccer Insider
     
    RBNY 3 Red Bulls Reader
    Colorado 1 Undercurrent
     
    Philadelphia 1 Philadelphia Union Talk
    Chicago 0 Chicago Fire Confidential
     
    San Jose 0 San Jose Center Line Soccer
    FC Dallas 0 3rd Degree – Buzz Carrick
     
    Los Angeles 3 LA – Official Blog
    Columbus 1 Columbus Dispatch – Crew XTra
       GP  W  D  L  GF  GA  GFA  GAA  PPG  PTS  GD
     Los Angeles  24   14   5   5   36   18   1.50   0.75   1.96   47   18 
     Real Salt Lake  24   12   8   4   37   16   1.54   0.67   1.83   44   21 
     Columbus  24   13   5   6   33   23   1.38   0.96   1.83   44   10 
     Dallas  23   10   11   2   29   17   1.26   0.74   1.78   41   12 
     NY Red Bull  24   12   4   8   30   25   1.25   1.04   1.67   40   5 
     Colorado  23   9   7   7   29   24   1.26   1.04   1.48   34   5 
     San Jose  22   9   6   7   24   23   1.09   1.05   1.50   33   1 
     Seattle  24   9   6   9   26   29   1.08   1.21   1.38   33   -3 
     Toronto FC  24   7   7   10   22   27   0.92   1.13   1.17   28   -5 
     Kansas City  22   7   6   9   22   24   1.00   1.09   1.23   27   -2 
     Chicago  22   6   8   8   28   30   1.27   1.36   1.18   26   -2 
     Chivas USA  23   7   4   12   25   29   1.09   1.26   1.09   25   -4 
     Philadelphia  23   6   6   11   27   38   1.17   1.65   1.04   24   -11 
     New England  23   7   3   13   24   38   1.04   1.65   1.04   24   -14 
     Houston  23   6   5   12   28   38   1.22   1.65   1.00   23   -10 
     DC United  24   5   3   16   16   37   0.67   1.54   0.75   18   -21 

    Columbus, RSL and Dallas lost points to LA in the 4 team race for the Supporters’ Shield. Some tasty matches next week. Seattle visits Columbus and the Red Bulls visit Dallas. Chicago missed out taking advantage of its game-in-hand situation by taking only 1 point from 6, but got lucky as Seattle drew. Toronto also did themselves no good by taking only 1 point from 6, including a home loss to league bottom feeders DC United and failing to score in both matches. Three scoreless draws this week. Think playoff pressure is taking hold?

    Streaking

    • RSL are unbeaten in their last 22 regular season home games.
    • Dallas are unbeaten in their last 14 games.
    • Dallas are also unbeaten in their last 11 road games, an MLS record.
    • Colorado are unbeaten in their last 8 home games.
    • Houston are winless in their last 8 road games. And they’ve been scoreless in their last 4 road games.
    • New England are winless in their last 9 road games.

    MLS Throw Ins

    • LA is the only club to have earned more than 50% of its points on the road.
    • There have been 47 draws compared to 57 in ’09 thru the first 186 matches.
    • There have been 119 clean sheets in the first 186 matches, counting scoreless draws as 2.
    • Through 186 games: goal scoring is down around 8.4% from 2009, 2.34 vs 2.56.
    • RSL has lost only twice in its last 41 home matches. They lost only once in ’08 and ’09, a feat matched by Houston.
    • DC United have yielded 14 goals in the last 15 minutes.
    • Dallas have not given up more than 1 goal since April 22.
    • San Jose has gone from one the worst allowing late goals in ’09 to the 3rd stingiest in ’10(as a percentage of total goals allowed).

    CONCACAF Champions League

    After a good showing for MLS in the first group phase matches, they pulled an oh-for four in the 2nd round.

    • Aug 17 — Toronto 2 Cruz Azul 1
    • Aug 18 — Columbus 1 Municipal 0
    • Aug 18 — Real Salt Lake 2 Arabe Unido 1
    • Aug 19 — Marathón 2 Seattle 1
    • Aug 24 – Arabe Unido 1 Toronto 0
    • Aug 24 – Santos Laguna 1 Columbus 0
    • Aug 25 – Cruz Azul 5 Real Salt Lake 4
    • Aug 25 – Seattle 0 Monterrey 2
    • Aug 19 – Marathón v Seattle–>

    Group play continues this week. The matches with MLS teams are(home team listed first) …

    • Sep 14 — Columbus v Joe Public
    • Sep 14 — Saprissa v Seattle
    • Sep 15 — Real Salt Lake v Toronto
    • Sep 21 — Columbus v Santos Laguna
    • Sep 21 — Cruz Azul v Toronto
    • Sep 22 — Arabe Unido v Real Salt Lake
    • Sep 22 — Monterrey v Seattle
    CONCACAF Champions League Group Phase
     Group A Arabe Unido RSL Cruz Azul Toronto Home
     Arabe Unido(PAN) X 0 0 501 501
     RSL(USA) 10,626 X 0 0 10,626
     Cruz Azul(MEX) 0 6,156 X 0 6,156
     Toronto(CAN) 0 0 16,862 X 16,862
     Away 10,626 6,156 16,862 501  
     Group B Columbus Municipal Santos Laguna Joe Public Home
     Columbus(USA) X 5,745 0 0 5,745
     Municipal(GUA) 0 X 0 2,498 2,498
     Santos Laguna(MEX) 4,700 0 X 0 4,700
     Joe Public(T&T) 900 0 0 X 900
     Away 2,800 5,745 0 2,498  
     Group C Monterrey Saprissa Seattle Marathón Home
     Monterrey(MEX) X 12,042 0 0 12,042
     Saprissa(CRC) 0 X 0 2,899 2,899
     Seattle(USA) 22,513 0 X 0 22,513
     Marathón(HON) 0 0 1,990 X 1,990
     Away 22,513 12,042 1,990 2,899  
     Group D Toluca Olimpia Puerto Rico FAS Home
     Toluca(MEX) X 0 0 0 0
     Olimpia(HON) 0 X 0 0 0
     Puerto Rico(CFU) 0 2,632 X 2,050 2,341
     FAS(SLV) 3,500 0 0 X 3,500
     Away 3,500 2,632 0 2,050  
      No Report on the Toluca/Olimpia match

    Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

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

    In the semifinals, Columbus defeated DC United and Seattle beat ChivasUSA. Seattle, the defending champion, will host the final at Qwest Field on Tuesday, October 5.

    The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup structure

    Fixture Congestion

    A rough go for Seattle as their next four matches, 2 MLS and 2 CCL are on the road.

    Fixture Congestion for MLS Teams
      TFC SEA CLB RSL
     8/24/10 CCL   CCL  
     8/25/10   CCL   CCL
     8/28/10 MLS MLS MLS MLS
     8/29/10        
     9/1/10   USOC USOC  
     9/4/10 MLS MLS MLS MLS
     9/8/10 MLS      
     9/9/10   MLS   MLS
     9/11/10     MLS  
     9/14/10   CCL CCL  
     9/15/10 CCL     CCL
     9/18/10 MLS MLS MLS MLS
     9/21/10 CCL   CCL  
     9/22/10   CCL   CCL
     9/25/10 MLS MLS MLS MLS
     Days  33   32   33   32 
     Games 8 9 9 8
     Games/Day  4.1   3.6   3.7   4.0 
    CCL=CONCACAF Champions League – USOC=US Open Cup