MLS attendance report: May 2, 2010

Observations

Another Saturday with all teams playing. Starting on a warm day in DC, a disappointing crowd of under 12,100 after two very strong home attendances. A typically tiny crowd at New England. OK, tiny might be a tad strong, just over 10,000. A decent crowd in Houston, over 16,000. BTW, congrats to Houston getting a stadium. A slightly less than average turnout in Chicago, 13,200+. Don’t know if it was the weather, but Salt Lake only saw 12,600+. This for a team that are now unbeaten at home in its last 12 matches. San Jose had good weather, but didn’t fill Buck Shaw. LA drew under 15,500, the lowest attendance for the Galaxy since June 18, 2003. Up the coast in Seattle, meanwhile, the Sounders fell 22 short of their all-time high with well over 36,000 in the house. This was the first week that attendance was down on a week-to-week basis.

Rookies are still making their marks. Zack Schilawski scored his 4th goal of the season. Jack McInerney scored his first pro goal as did Sammy Appiah of Houston.

How do you spell top of the table? First in offense(1.67), first in defense(0.33). Meet the Galaxy.

Week 7 seems to be one of those where the league is preparing for the 2 week layoff during the World Cup. There are 11 matches, 4 on Wednesday and 7 on Saturday. Playing twice this week are ChivasUSA, DCU, FCD, Houston, LA and the Revs.

Streaking

• FC Dallas have not lost at home in its last 11(7 wins).
• Colorado has not lost at home in 7 straight.
• TFC has not lost at home in 8 straight.
• TFC is winless in 12 straight road games(3 draws). Note: This is a correction from last week.
• RSL are unbeaten in their last 12 regular season home games.

MLS Throw Ins

• The Phildelphia Union have drawn first half red cards in 3 of their 5 matches.
• There have been 9 draws compared to 15 in ’09 thru the first 45 matches.
• There have been 24 clean sheets in the first 45 matches
• Through 45 games: goal scoring is slightly down from 2009, 2.53 vs 2.62.
• RSL has lost only twice in its last 32 home matches. They lost only once in ’08 and ’09, a feat matched by Houston.

Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

The MLS play-in matches for the Open have begun for the teams that did not finish in the top 6 in 2009. The next match will be played on May12. All times are ET. Seattle are the defending cup holders, and as such will compete in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League. Two teams will emerge from the group of Colorado, RSL, DCU, the Revs and RBNY to join the 6 that automatically qualified.

• Colorado Rapids defeated the Kansas City Wizards 2-1.
• Real Salt Lake beat the San Jose Earthquakes on PK’s 5-3 after playing to a 3-3 score.
• New York Red Bulls downed Philadelphia 2-1.
• DC United beat FC Dallas 4-2, the 2nd year in a row that DCU eliminates FCD.
• New England Revolution at New York on Wednesday, May 12