- Overnight Nielsen Ratings
- Poll: NFL Best For Reaching Males 18-34
- Top Sports Events On StubHub In '10
- Sports Execs Say Under Armour Had Big '10
- Poll: ND Offers Best Sponsor Opportunity
- Overnight Nielsen Ratings
- Heat Attendance Up 14.4% To Date
- NBA Attendance Remains Flat
- Bowl Game Gifts For Players
- ESPN, ESPN2 In Just Under 100M Homes
Upcoming Conferences and Events
-
Mar 21-22
-
Mar 22
-
May 23
-
May 30-31
-
Jun 5-7
SBD/Issue 158/The Back of the Book
MLS Attendance Off 5.8%; Expansion Sounders FC Lead League At Gate
Published May 5, 2009
MLS teams are averaging 14,796 fans per game through May 3, down 5.8% from the same period a year ago. Expansion franchise Sounders FC are leading the league with 29,664 fans per game at Qwest Field. The team capped capacity for MLS games at 32,523, but did increase capacity for the home opener. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said the stadium capacity would remain downsized for the MLS Cup. Toronto FC also continue to remain above 100% capacity at BMO Field, with average attendance even with the same point last year. Despite success at the gate among its two newest franchises, nine MLS clubs are seeing double-digit declines at the gate. Without MF David Beckham, the Galaxy are down 19.2%, while Real Salt Lake, in their first full season at Rio Tinto Stadium, are off 36.2%. The Crew, fresh off their first MLS championship last year, are up 11.7%. The chart below lists MLS team-by-team attendance through May 3, with comparisons to the same period a year ago (THE DAILY).
|
MLS ATTENDANCE THROUGH MAY 3
|
|||||||
|
HOME TEAM
|
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
GMS ('08)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sounders FC
|
4
|
118,655
|
29,664
|
121.1%
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
Toronto FC
|
5
|
100,899
|
20,180
|
100.9%
|
20,027
|
0.8%
|
3
|
| Galaxy |
4
|
79,045
|
19,761
|
73.2%
|
24,457
|
-19.2%
|
4
|
| Dynamo |
3
|
48,255
|
16,085
|
50.3%
|
20,080
|
-19.9%
|
2
|
| Chivas USA |
4
|
59,354
|
14,839
|
55.0%
|
13,744
|
8.0%
|
2
|
| D.C. United |
4
|
57,155
|
14,289
|
30.6%
|
18,920
|
-24.5%
|
3
|
| Crew |
3
|
38,779
|
12,926
|
64.2%
|
11,574
|
11.7%
|
4
|
| Real Salt Lake (a) |
3
|
37,650
|
12,550
|
62.7%
|
19,679
|
-36.2%
|
3
|
| Rapids |
3
|
33,110
|
11,037
|
61.0%
|
16,816
|
-34.4%
|
2
|
| Earthquakes (b) |
5
|
55,140
|
11,028
|
61.7%
|
15,277
|
-27.8%
|
2
|
| Fire |
3
|
32,703
|
10,901
|
54.5%
|
15,642
|
-30.3%
|
3
|
| Red Bulls |
3
|
31,273
|
10,424
|
39.3%
|
12,740
|
-18.2%
|
3
|
| FC Dallas |
3
|
29,242
|
9,747
|
47.5%
|
13,186
|
-26.1%
|
3
|
| Wizards |
3
|
27,692
|
9,231
|
88.9%
|
9,210
|
0.2%
|
4
|
| Revolution |
2
|
20,426
|
10,213
|
51.1%
|
10,094
|
1.2%
|
3
|
| TOTALS |
52
|
769,378
|
14,796
|
62.4%
|
15,699
|
-5.8%
|
41
|
NOTES: Teams can exceed 100% capacity because of standing-room only ticket sales. All attendance data is based on totals posted immediately following games and may not reflect any subsequent adjustments. (a) = Home games played at both Rice-Eccles Stadium and Rio Tinto Stadium in '08. (b) = Includes an April 18 home game played at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
