The Week 3 numbers look like this…

  5 year comparison
  Week 3 21 GP YTD
  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP
 2006   15,927     6   18,493     19,073     18 
 2007   13,848   -13.05%   5   15,493   -16.22%   16,253   -14.79%   18 
 2008   13,091   -5.46%   8   15,037   -2.95%   16,581   2.02%   21 
 2009   13,058   -0.26%   8   14,785   -1.68%   14,696   -11.37%   22 
 2010   17,219   31.87%   8   18,452   24.81%   18,452   43.85%   21 
YTD – 21 Games
  Average Median %<10K %>20k
 2006    18,493     19,107    14.29%   38.10% 
 2007    15,493     15,353    9.52%   19.05% 
 2008    15,037     15,553    23.81%   28.57% 
 2009    14,785     12,594    14.29%   14.29% 
 2010    18,452     18,197    4.76%   33.33% 

Here are the attendance comparisons to 2009:

MLS Attendance – Equal # of Home Games
  2009 2010  
  Att Cap % Att Att +/- GP Cap % Cap
 Seattle  30,536   94.25%   36,154   18.40%   2   101.84%   35,500 
 Philadelphia  NA  NA  34,870   NA  1   91.76%   18,500 
 N.Y./N.J. Red Bulls  12,462   49.47%   24,572   97.18%   1   97.55%   25,189 
 D.C. United  15,895   70.64%   20,664   30.00%   1   91.84%   22,500 
 LA Galaxy  17,361   64.30%   20,591   18.60%   2   76.26%   27,000 
 Chicago  11,633   58.17%   20,276   74.30%   1   101.38%   20,000 
 Real Salt Lake  11,806   36.33%   19,970   69.15%   1   103.26%   19,340 
 Houston  17,774   78.99%   17,328   -2.51%   2   77.01%   22,500 
 ChivasUSA  14,640   54.22%   15,625   6.73%   2   57.87%   27,000 
 Columbus Crew  14,686   73.43%   13,536   -7.83%   1   67.68%   20,000 
 NE Revolution  11,314   50.28%   12,798   13.12%   1   56.88%   22,500 
 Colorado Rapids  11,885   65.71%   11,641   -2.05%   1   64.36%   18,086 
 San Jose  10,335   12.23%   10,589   2.46%   1   102.81%   10,300 
 KC Wizards  8,654   83.33%   10,307   19.10%   2   99.24%   10,385 
 FC Dallas  11,215   52.92%   9,286   -17.20%   2   43.82%   21,193 
 Toronto  NA   NA  NA  NA  0   NA  21,978 

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 will be at Lincoln Financial Field. The announced capacity for the Union was published as 38,000 and will be calculated as such.

    Observations

    The Red Bulls came calling on ChivasUSA. Too bad not many folks got the word as a mediocre crowd of just under 12,600 came to the Home Depot Center. The Union’s home opener didn’t disappoint. Over 34,800 went to the Linc and witnessed the expansion club’s first ever victory. New England shared ChivasUSA’s attendance mediocrity with a showing of just under 12,800. The Wizards fell around 100 short of capacity at CAB. LA’s visit to Houston brought in a respectable, but unspectacular crowd of around 16,500. The clash of the Hunt teams, Columbus at Dallas drew only slightly above 10,500. I suspect the whispers that appeared in the soccersphere lately calling for the Hunts to sell their Dallas franchise will increase. Dallas has an improving team, and the turnout for arguably the league’s best team is simply inexplicable. On a better note, the Fire and RSL sold out their home openers.

    2010 is looking like a very strong year for the league overall. There is an expectation that several clubs will be signing Designated Players, especially since the rule change governing DP’s will save $80,000 in salary cap for the first DP. If that comes to pass, it will be interesting to see what impact it has on attendance.

    A couple of rookies made their marks in Week 3. Ike Opara headed in a game winner for San Jose while Zack Schilawski’s hat trick powered the Revs past TFC.

    I’m still feeling pretty smart about the players on my preseason ‘watch list'(bottom of post). Ryan Smith assisted on Kei Kamara’s game winner for the Wizards.

    Did you notice that Frank Yallop went to 3 at the back, pushing Brandon McDonald forward as a 5th midfielder? Seemed to work as the Quakes rebounded from their disastrous opener to defeat the Fire.

    Streaking

    • FC Dallas have not lost at home in its last 10(7 wins).
    • TFC has not lost at home in 7 straight.
    • TFC has lost 10 straight road games.
    • RSL are unbeaten in their last 11 regular season home games.

    MLS Throw Ins

    • There have been 13 clean sheets in the first 21 matches
    • Through 21 games: goal scoring is down: 2.57 per game vs 2.81 in 2009.
    • 36 of the 64 players selected in the 2010 SuperDraft were on MLS rosters on opening day.
    • The introduction of Dario Delgado to ChivasUSA’s back line led to Jonathan Bornstein playing a left mid position, apparently with great success.
    • RSL has lost only twice in its last 31 home matches. They lost only once in ’08 and ’09, a feat matched by Houston.

    Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

    The MLS qualifying bracket for the Open has been set for the teams that did not finish in the top 6 in 2009. The first match will be played on April 13. All times are ET. Seattle are the defending cup holders, and as such will compete in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League.

    • Colorado Rapids at Kansas City Wizards, Tuesday, April 13, 8:30 p.m. at Stanley H. Durwood Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)
    • Real Salt Lake at San Jose Earthquakes, Wednesday, April 14, 10 p.m. at Buck Shaw Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
    • Philadelphia Union at New York Red Bulls, Tuesday, April 27, 8 p.m. at Red Bull Arena (Harrison, N.J.)
    • FC Dallas at DC United, Wednesday, April 28, 7:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium (Washington D.C.)
    • New England Revolution at Philadelphia or New York on Wednesday, May 12