MLS outdrew Hideo Nomo in L.A. on Saturday night, "and now
its corporate sponsors can get a good night's rest," writes Tom
Friend in the today's N.Y. TIMES. With almost 70,000 fans at the
Rose Bowl, and 10,000 fans "pounding unsuccessfully on the Rose
Bowl's front door," the "fledgling league might have a shelf life
after all." MLS execs expected, at best, around 30,000,
especially with Nomo pitching at Dodger Stadium (N.Y. TIMES,
4/15). The crowd was the largest ever for a non-World Cup or
non-Olympic game in Los Angeles. MLS Commissioner Doug Logan:
"Just think about it, we've outdrawn the Dodgers opener" (Grahame
Jones, L.A. TIMES, 4/14). Walk-up sales of 35,000 was believed
to be a record for an L.A. sporting event (Allen Malamud, L.A.
TIMES, 4/15). MIAMI HERALD columnist Greg Cote, at the
Mutiny/Revolution games: "I have seen the future of American
professional soccer and determined that it might actually have
one" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/14). Patriots/ Revolution Owner Robert
Kraft: "I have a feeling this is going to be bigger than anyone
thinks." Revolution exec Jonathan Kraft: "To put the L.A. crowd
in perspective, from 1986 to 1995 no regular-season NFL game
attracted an audience of that size. The only NFL game in Los
Angeles during that time with attendance higher than 69,000 was
the Super Bowl. Hopefully, that bodes well for us and for the
our future" (Frank Dell'Apa, BOSTON GLOBE, 4/15).
ATTENDANCE FOR THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES (L.A. TIMES, 4/14):
Rose Bowl: 69,226 Tampa Stadium: 26,473
Ohio Stadium: 25,266 Arrowhead Stadium: 21,141
