The Week 25 numbers look like this…

  5 year comparison
  Week 25 194 GP YTD
  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP
 2006   12,373     8   16,126     14,997     167 
 2007   18,809   52.02%   8   16,743   3.83%   16,251   8.36%   167 
 2008   15,671   -16.68%   7   16,336   -2.43%   17,015   4.70%   168 
 2009   10,176   -35.06%   3   15,737   -3.67%   16,597   -2.45%   175 
 2010   15,378   51.11%   8   16,573   5.32%   16,573   -0.14%   194 
YTD – 194 Games
  Average Median %<10K %>20k
 2006    16,126     14,648    13.47%   24.09% 
 2007    16,743     15,321    8.25%   29.38% 
 2008    16,336     15,030    11.34%   24.74% 
 2009    15,737     14,573    15.46%   19.07% 
 2010    16,573     14,935    7.22%   22.16% 

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  19,912   73.75%   20,213   1.51%   12   74.86%   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 
 Houston  16,107   71.59%   16,860   4.67%   13   74.93%   22,500 
 Real Salt Lake  16,208   79.64%   16,759   3.40%   13   86.65%   19,340 
 Chicago  13,912   69.56%   15,757   13.26%   11   78.79%   20,000 
 Columbus Crew  14,272   71.36%   14,597   2.28%   13   72.98%   20,000 
 D.C. United  15,542   69.07%   14,271   -8.17%   12   63.43%   22,500 
 ChivasUSA  15,551   57.60%   13,925   -10.46%   12   51.57%   27,000 
 Colorado Rapids  12,614   69.75%   13,046   3.42%   12   72.14%   18,086 
 NE Revolution  13,221   58.76%   12,070   -8.71%   12   53.64%   22,500 
 FC Dallas  9,311   43.94%   11,169   19.95%   12   52.70%   21,193 
 KC Wizards  10,010   96.39%   10,109   0.99%   11   97.34%   10,385 
 San Jose  15,137   91.82%   9,569   -36.78%   12   92.90%   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

    San Jose drew a disappointing 8100+ for its midweek match vs Philly. Dallas had its 2nd largest crowd for its Thursday game vs the Red Bulls. A relatively small turnout in Salt Lake for a Saturday afternoon match. And before anyone comments, I think it’s time to stop saying it’s because of college football. This is the MLS Cup Champion on an astonishing run of success at home. OK, mini-rant over. Columbus drew over 17,100, its 2nd largest turnout this season. 16,400+ were in Houston. Colorado also had over 16,300 show up. Anyone know why they had a decent gate? Chivas USA also had its 2nd largest crowd, just over 15,300 for a late Sunday afternoon start.

    Seattle DP Blaise Nfuko not only scored his first MLS goal, he bagged a hat trick vs Columbus.

    Rookie Watch: Eric Alexander scored for Dallas. Teal Bunbury netted his 3rd for KC. Can’t speak to performances as I still have company visiting and couldn’t watch any of the matches.

    Kei Kamara, on my preseason ‘watch list'(bottom of post) scored and had an assist in the Wizards victory.

    Week 25 Games
     
    San Jose 1 San Jose Center Line Soccer
    Philadelphia 0 Philadelphia Union Talk
     
    FC Dallas 2 3rd Degree – Buzz Carrick
    RBNY 2 Red Bulls Reader
     
    Real Salt Lake 1 RSL – Behind the Shield
    Chicago 0 Chicago Fire Confidential
     
    Columbus 0 Columbus Dispatch – Crew XTra
    Seattle 4 Seattle Times
     
    Houston 1 Soccer y Fútbol – Jose de Jesus Ortiz
    Toronto 2 TFC Connected
     
    Colorado 3 Undercurrent
    New England 0 Revolution Soccer
     
    Los Angeles 2 LA – Official Blog
    DC United 1 DCU – Steve Goff – Soccer Insider
     
    Chivas USA 0 Chicago Fire Confidential
    Kansas City 2 Kansas City – Hillcrest Road
       GP  W  D  L  GF  GA  GFA  GAA  PPG  PTS  GD
     Los Angeles  25   15   5   5   38   19   1.52   0.76   2.00   50   19 
     Real Salt Lake  25   13   8   4   38   16   1.52   0.64   1.88   47   22 
     Columbus  25   13   5   7   33   27   1.32   1.08   1.76   44   6 
     Dallas  24   10   12   2   31   19   1.29   0.79   1.75   42   12 
     NY Red Bull  25   12   5   8   32   27   1.28   1.08   1.64   41   5 
     Colorado  24   10   7   7   32   24   1.33   1.00   1.54   37   8 
     San Jose  23   10   6   7   25   23   1.09   1.00   1.57   36   2 
     Seattle  25   10   6   9   30   29   1.20   1.16   1.44   36   1 
     Toronto FC  25   8   7   10   24   28   0.96   1.12   1.24   31   -4 
     Kansas City  23   8   6   9   24   24   1.04   1.04   1.30   30   0 
     Chicago  23   6   8   9   28   31   1.22   1.35   1.13   26   -3 
     Chivas USA  24   7   4   13   25   31   1.04   1.29   1.04   25   -6 
     Philadelphia  24   6   6   12   27   39   1.13   1.63   1.00   24   -12 
     New England  24   7   3   14   24   41   1.00   1.71   1.00   24   -17 
     Houston  24   6   5   13   29   40   1.21   1.67   0.96   23   -11 
     DC United  25   5   3   17   17   39   0.68   1.56   0.72   18   -22 

    Columbus and Dallas lost points to LA in the 4 team race for the Supporters’ Shield. The marquee matches next week is LA vs Red Bulls although both teams are playoff bound. Toronto v San Jose and Seattle vs Chicago will have more impact, although the Fire will need a lot of help even if they defeat the Sounders.

    Streaking

    • RSL are unbeaten in their last 23 regular season home games, an MLS record.
    • Dallas are unbeaten in their last 15 games.
    • Dallas are also unbeaten in their last 11 road games, an MLS record.
    • Colorado are unbeaten in their last 9 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 10 road games.

    MLS Throw Ins

    • There have been 48 draws compared to 60 in ’09 thru the first 194 matches.
    • There have been 124 clean sheets in the first 194 matches, counting scoreless draws as 2.
    • Through 194 games: goal scoring is down around 9.2% from 2009, 2.36 vs 2.59.
    • RSL has lost only twice in its last 42 home matches. They lost only once in ’08 and ’09, a feat matched by Houston.
    • DC United have yielded 16 goals in the last 15 minutes of games.
    • 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. Seattle had lost its 3 matches and looks done for in the tourney.

    • 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–>
    • Sep 14 — Columbus 3 Joe Public 0
    • Sep 14 — Saprissa 2 Seattle 0
    • Sep 15 — Real Salt Lake 4 Toronto 1
    • 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 2,975 501 1,738
     RSL(USA) 10,626 X 0 11,579 11,103
     Cruz Azul(MEX) 0 6,156 X 0 6,156
     Toronto(CAN) 0 0 16,862 X 16,862
     Away 10,626 6,156 9,919 501  
     Group B Columbus Municipal Santos Laguna Joe Public Home
     Columbus(USA) X 5,745 0 5,445 5,595
     Municipal(GUA) 0 X 10,414 2,498 6,456
     Santos Laguna(MEX) 4,700 0 X 0 4,700
     Joe Public(T&T) 900 0 0 X 900
     Away 2,800 5,745 3,471 3,972  
     Group C Monterrey Saprissa Seattle Marathon Home
     Monterrey(MEX) X 12,042 0 9,628 10,835
     Saprissa(CRC) 0 X 3,000 2,899 2,950
     Seattle(USA) 22,513 0 X 0 22,513
     Marathon(HON) 0 0 1,990 X 1,990
     Away 22,513 12,042 2,495 6,264  
     Group D Toluca Olimpia Puerto Rico FAS Home
     Toluca(MEX) X NA 5,165 0 5,165
     Olimpia(HON) 0 X 0 9,200 3,067
     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 5,165 5,625  
      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 they are in the middle of a four match road run, 2 MLS and 2 CCL. So far they’ve split, losing in CCL and winning at Columbus in MLS.

    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