MLS teams averaged 18,807 fans per game during the '12 regular season, marking the league's best figure in its 17-year history. This season's average is also up 5% from last year, which previously held the best attendance mark. Attendance this season was boosted by a host of factors, including the Sounders continuing to post record-setting numbers in Seattle, the addition of the Impact in Montreal and the Dynamo's move to soccer-specific BBVA Compass Stadium. The Sounders set an MLS attendance record for the fourth straight season, with the club's average up 12.1% from '11. The Dynamo's venue change led to a league-best 18.8% jump at the gate. During its inaugural season, the Impact ranked third in attendance, despite some noted ticket-pricing issues. Following several years of solid attendance after the club's founding, Toronto FC saw a 10.4% drop at the gate, fueled in large part by poor on-field performance. Chivas USA suffered a double whammy at the gate this season -- lowest average attendance in MLS and sharpest percentage drop among all clubs. Listed below is an average attendance trend for MLS dating back to the league's first year, as well as team-by-team figures for the '12 season (THE DAILY).
|
MLS REGULAR SEASON ATTENDANCE TREND
|
|
SEASON
|
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
|
'12
|
323
|
6,074,729
|
18,807
|
|
'11
|
306
|
5,468,849
|
17,872
|
|
'10
|
240
|
4,002,053
|
16,675
|
|
'09
|
225
|
3,609,048
|
16,040
|
|
'08
|
210
|
3,456,641
|
16,460
|
|
'07
|
195
|
3,270,210
|
16,770
|
|
'06
|
192
|
2,976,787
|
15,504
|
|
'05
|
192
|
2,900,716
|
15,108
|
|
'04
|
150
|
2,333,797
|
15,559
|
|
'03
|
150
|
2,234,747
|
14,898
|
|
'02
|
140
|
2,214,978
|
15,821
|
|
'01
|
158
|
2,363,889
|
14,961
|
|
'00
|
192
|
2,641,086
|
13,756
|
|
'99
|
192
|
2,742,102
|
14,282
|
|
'98
|
192
|
2,747,897
|
14,312
|
|
'97
|
160
|
2,336,529
|
14,603
|
|
'96
|
160
|
2,785,001
|
17,406
|
| |
|
|
|
|
'12 MLS REGULAR SEASON ATTENDANCE
|
| TEAM |
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
GMS ('11)
|
| Sounders FC |
17
|
733,441
|
43,144
|
137.7%
|
38,496
|
12.1%
|
17
|
| Galaxy |
17
|
393,319
|
23,136
|
91.0%
|
23,335
|
-0.9%
|
17
|
| Impact* |
17
|
387,124
|
22,772
|
75.4%
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Dynamo** |
17
|
357,251
|
21,015
|
101.3%
|
17,694
|
18.8%
|
17
|
| Timbers |
17
|
347,446
|
20,438
|
106.3%
|
18,827
|
8.6%
|
17
|
| Whitecaps |
17
|
331,081
|
19,475
|
98.5%
|
20,406
|
-4.6%
|
17
|
| Sporting KC |
17
|
329,874
|
19,404
|
111.6%
|
17,810
|
8.9%
|
17
|
| Real Salt Lake |
17
|
324,482
|
19,087
|
100.5%
|
17,591
|
8.5%
|
17
|
| Red Bulls |
17
|
310,782
|
18,281
|
77.7%
|
19,749
|
-7.4%
|
17
|
| Toronto FC |
17
|
308,630
|
18,155
|
88.9%
|
20,267
|
-10.4%
|
17
|
| Union |
17
|
306,904
|
18,053
|
103.7%
|
18,259
|
-1.1%
|
17
|
| Fire |
17
|
278,947
|
16,409
|
82.0%
|
14,273
|
15.0%
|
17
|
| Rapids |
17
|
257,972
|
15,175
|
83.9%
|
14,838
|
2.3%
|
17
|
| Crew |
17
|
244,752
|
14,397
|
71.5%
|
12,185
|
18.2%
|
17
|
| FC Dallas |
17
|
241,390
|
14,199
|
73.6%
|
12,861
|
10.4%
|
17
|
| Revolution |
17
|
238,025
|
14,001
|
74.4%
|
13,222
|
5.9%
|
17
|
| DC United |
17
|
235,382
|
13,846
|
74.9%
|
15,196
|
-8.9%
|
17
|
| Earthquakes*** |
17
|
225,977
|
13,293
|
103.3%
|
11,858
|
12.1%
|
17
|
| Chivas USA |
17
|
221,950
|
13,056
|
69.4%
|
14,830
|
-12.0%
|
17
|
| TOTALS |
323
|
6,074,729
|
18,807
|
91.4%
|
17,872
|
5.2%
|
306
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES: * = The Impact played its first five home games at Olympic Stadium before moving to a renovated Saputo Stadium. ** = The Dynamo moved to new BBVA Compass Stadium this season. *** = The Earthquakes played a home game at AT&T Park in March and a game at Stanford Stadium in June.
