Despite On-Field Success, MLS Crew Failing To Draw At The Gate
The MLS Columbus Crew through eight home games is averaging 12,881 fans, which ranks 13th of 14 MLS teams, but "in reality, an average of 9,638 people have had tickets scanned this season," according to Shawn Mitchell of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. The Crew at 8-5-3 have the second best record in MLS, and while the "response of the Crew's fans has at times been resounding," the fan base has "exhibited some disturbing apathy, as well." The team's average paid attendance of 9,987 is "888 below its projection of 10,875," and the Crew is "behind budget in ticket sales and ticket revenue." The club's "gross ticket revenue has averaged $185,964.25 per game, more than $11,000 less than budgeted." Crew GM Mark McCullers said that the team is "on track for a financially successful year and is confident the Crew can reach its budgeted gross ticket revenue of $3.2[M]." McCullers said that the team can "make up the ground it needs in the final seven home games." But according to internal club documents, the attendance figures announced by the club are on average 3,243 "higher than the number of tickets scanned at stadium gates." The Crew for the April 12 Chivas USA-Crew game drew a paid attendance of 5,082, but the number of tickets scanned at the gate shows "only 4,473 showed up." The announced attendance was an "inflated total" of 6,733, still a record low for an MLS game at Columbus Crew Stadium. Meanwhile, as of Monday, the Crew had sold 6,010 tickets and distributed 4,658 more for free for Thursday's Wizards-Crew game on ESPN2. Mitchell noted an ESPN telecast "put pressure on the sales staff to draw a crowd it can be proud of to present to a national television audience." Thursday night's game was expected to set a "season high for giveaways," though the number was not expected to "come ... near the 9,000 tickets the Crew reportedly gave away to a game in 2005" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 7/17).
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