MLS Playoffs Struggling At Gate Through First-Round Matches

Dynamo-Chivas USA Draws Largest Crowd So Far In This Season’s Playoffs

A total of “only 38,133 fans turned out to see the four first-round matches” of the MLS playoffs this past weekend in Southern California, Chicago, New Jersey and Denver, according to Grahame Jones of the L.A. TIMES. The largest crowd was 15,110 for Dynamo-Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center. But “only 10,217 showed up” for Revolution-Fire at the new Toyota Park near Chicago. DC United-Red Bulls drew 8,630, and FC Dallas-Rapids attracted 4,176 (L.A. TIMES, 10/24). In Houston, Bernardo Fallas notes the conference semifinals “averaged just 9,533 in attendance.” MLS President Mark Abbott: “Playoff games are not part of the season-ticket package. They have far less lead time for advance sales, and they occur during the busiest part of the sports calendar year. These factors can create challenges for us.” Fallas reports crowds are “expected to grow for the second legs of conference semifinals this weekend and the remainder of the playoffs; there will be more time to advertise the games.” Also, DC United and the Dynamo, “two leading teams in attendance in 2006,” host matches this weekend. Meanwhile, the league’s technical committee is “considering changes in the MLS schedule or postseason format to aid teams.” Among the considerations is “doing away with the playoff system in favor of crowning a champion based on points at season’s end” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/24).

GRACIAS: MLS Commissioner Don Garber, speaking last Thursday at the Hispanic Television Summit, said, “If not for what’s going on in this country with Hispanics, professional soccer would not exist in the [U.S.] today.” Garber said that 40% of MLS’ staff speaks Spanish, and teams “increasingly are employing Hispanic marketing squads” (MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 10/23 issue).