MLS set new total and average attendance records during the ’14 regular season, despite now-defunct Chivas USA having the lowest figure on record for any MLS club. The league’s 19 clubs averaged 19,148 fans per game, up 3% from last season and ahead of the previous record set in ’12 (18,807). Gains this season were fueled by big increases for DC United, Toronto FC, the Earthquakes and Revolution -- three of which do not yet play in soccer-specific venues. The FIFA World Cup also may have led to a second-half gain for the league, with attendance up 6% after the event. DC United, which went from the worst record in the league last year to an Eastern Conference title this season, saw attendance rise a league-best 25% at RFK Stadium. Toronto FC also saw strong gains with the additions of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Defoe, with attendance up 22% at BMO Field, despite the team missing the playoffs once again. Sounders FC led all teams again by a wide margin, with an average of 43,734 at CenturyLink Field. Chivas USA set an all-time low for an MLS club with an average of 8,366 fans per game (-16%). The Impact also saw a 15% drop at Saputo Stadium. Listed below is a year-by-year attendance trend for MLS, along with team-by-team attendance for the ’14 season (THE DAILY).
|
MLS REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE TREND
|
|
YEAR
|
GAMES
|
AVERAGE
|
|
'14
|
323
|
19,148
|
|
'13
|
323
|
18,611
|
|
'12
|
323
|
18,807
|
|
'11
|
306
|
17,872
|
|
'10
|
240
|
16,675
|
|
'09
|
225
|
16,040
|
|
'08
|
210
|
16,460
|
|
'07
|
195
|
16,770
|
|
'06
|
192
|
15,504
|
|
'05
|
192
|
15,108
|
|
'04
|
150
|
15,559
|
|
'03
|
150
|
14,898
|
|
'02
|
140
|
15,821
|
|
'01
|
158
|
14,961
|
|
'00
|
192
|
13,756
|
|
'99
|
192
|
14,282
|
|
'98
|
192
|
14,312
|
|
'97
|
160
|
14,603
|
|
'96
|
160
|
17,406
|
|
|
|
|
|
'14 MLS REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE
|
| TEAM |
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
GMS ('13)
|
| Sounders FC |
17
|
743,485
|
43,734
|
114.2%
|
44,038
|
-0.7%
|
17
|
| Toronto FC |
17
|
375,463
|
22,086
|
102.3%
|
18,131
|
21.8%
|
17
|
| Galaxy |
17
|
361,392
|
21,258
|
78.7%
|
22,152
|
-4.0%
|
17
|
| Timbers |
17
|
353,838
|
20,814
|
100.7%
|
20,674
|
0.7%
|
17
|
| Whitecaps |
17
|
346,943
|
20,408
|
97.2%
|
20,097
|
1.5%
|
17
|
| Real Salt Lake |
17
|
345,971
|
20,351
|
101.7%
|
19,218
|
5.9%
|
17
|
| Dynamo |
17
|
341,994
|
20,117
|
91.4%
|
19,923
|
1.0%
|
17
|
| Sporting K.C. |
17
|
340,058
|
20,003
|
108.3%
|
19,709
|
1.5%
|
17
|
| Red Bulls |
17
|
330,162
|
19,421
|
77.0%
|
19,461
|
-0.2%
|
17
|
| Union |
17
|
299,730
|
17,631
|
95.3%
|
17,867
|
-1.3%
|
17
|
| Impact* |
17
|
296,159
|
17,421
|
63.7%
|
20,603
|
-15.4%
|
17
|
| DC United** |
17
|
289,506
|
17,030
|
78.8%
|
13,646
|
24.8%
|
17
|
| Crew |
17
|
286,976
|
16,881
|
84.5%
|
16,080
|
5.0%
|
17
|
| FC Dallas |
17
|
285,880
|
16,816
|
82.9%
|
15,373
|
9.4%
|
17
|
| Revolution |
17
|
283,583
|
16,681
|
83.4%
|
14,844
|
12.4%
|
17
|
| Fire |
17
|
273,293
|
16,076
|
80.4%
|
15,228
|
5.6%
|
17
|
| Rapids |
17
|
256,206
|
15,071
|
86.5%
|
15,440
|
-2.4%
|
17
|
| Earthquakes*** |
17
|
254,098
|
14,947
|
99.0%
|
12,765
|
17.1%
|
17
|
| Chivas USA |
17
|
120,063
|
7,063
|
26.2%
|
8,366
|
-15.6%
|
17
|
| MLS TOTALS |
323
|
6,184,800
|
19,148
|
86.3%
|
18,611
|
2.9%
|
323
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTES: No MLS games were scheduled between June 12-24 this season due to the FIFA World Cup. * = Played its first three games this season and first two games last season at Olympic Stadium. ** = Includes a designated DC United home game played at FedExField this season. *** = Includes designated Earthquakes home games played at Stanford Stadium in both seasons and a home game played at Levi's Stadium this season.
