The following lists MLS season opening weekend
attendance, compared to the home team's final attendance
figures from last year. For the weekend, MLS's five games
averaged 16,043, which is down from '98's five-game average
on March 21 of 19,253; '97's five-game average on March 29
of 20,826 and '96's four-game average on April 13 of 35,533.
GAME GAME ATT. %CAP MLS '98 AVE. % +/-
DC-Tampa Bay 16,872 97% 10,312 64%
NY/NJ-Miami 13,648 67% 10,284 33%
K.C.-Dallas 17,112 65% 10,947 56%
Colorado-L.A. 17,343 66% 21,784 -20%
Chicago-San Jose 15,238 51% 13,653 12%
AVERAGE: 16,043 67% 14,312 11%
REAX: In L.A., Mike Penner wrote that "only" 17,343
showed up for the Galaxy's season-opener, "by far the
smallest crowd for a home opener in the team's four-year
existence" (L.A. TIMES, 3/21). In San Antonio, Raul Flores
wrote that the MLS season "got off to a booming start"
Saturday with "some respectable crowds" (EXPRESS-NEWS,
3/21). In Tampa, Bill Ward wrote that the Mutiny opened
their season "in front of a good, but not great," crowd of
16,872 (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 3/21). In Ft. Lauderdale, Jeff
Rusnak wrote that the Fusion's season debut in front of a
"disappointing" 13,648 proves that the "romance is still in
need of counseling." Rusnak added that the Fusion "will
remain stuck on the fringe of the local sports scene" unless
it "starts making the most of occasions" like its season
opener (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 3/21). In San Jose,
Dave Payne wrote on the "second smallest" Clash opener in
the club's four-year history (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 3/21).
MLS SETTLING IN: In Boston, Frank Dell'Apa wrote that
"the era of spectacular gains and breakthrough attendances
seems over," as the "novelty aspect of MLS is ending." But
MLS "has proved many doubters wrong," as the league has
"established a fan base, satisfied most of its sponsors,
brought the US into the global sports realm" and "provided a
basis for the national team" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/20).
