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Portland Thorns' Season-Ticket Base, Average Home Attendance Unrivaled In NWSL

The NWSL Portland Thorns now have "more than 10,500 season-ticket holders" and are "averaging more fans per game this year than any past season," according to Jamie Goldberg of the Portland OREGONIAN. This type of "massive and consistent fan support is unheard of in women's club soccer." The city is a "rich environment for women's soccer." Thorns Owner & CEO Merritt Paulson said, "It has really been one of the most satisfying things I've ever been a part of. The Thorns have had a massive impact on the women's professional game, in terms of really showing not just the United States, but the entire world what's possible with women's professional club soccer." Goldberg noted the success of the Thorns has "prompted two other MLS organizations to start women's teams in the NWSL." The Houston Dash joined in '14 and the Orlando Pride joined this season. But neither of those teams has come close to "consistently drawing numbers that rival Portland." It is "hard to pinpoint exactly what has made the Thorns so uniquely successful." Portland's history with soccer certainly "plays a factor, as does having a market that's not oversaturated with professional sports." If any team has the "chance to match Portland's attendance numbers in the long-term, it might be Orlando." Like Portland, Orlando is known for its "vibrant and dedicated soccer culture, and the city doesn't have a surplus of pro sports." Paulson said, "It doesn't feel like this is just a bounce that came with success of the World Cup. I think there's something bigger happening" (Portland OREGONIAN, 6/24).

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