While MLS's third season is set to kick off Sunday,
league officials are "uncertain what to expect," according
to Frank Dell'Apa of the BOSTON GLOBE. The expansion Miami
Fusion will host the DC United in a game televised live on
ABC, yet the Fusion "have sold only 1,000 season tickets and
7,000 tickets for the opener." MLS Commissioner Doug Logan:
"I'm concerned. I'd prefer to go in with 15,000 advance
sales. But we are a week away and we don't know the
dynamics of the marketplace. We'll see. We learned about
markets in other cities as we went along." Logan added that
he has been "disappointed by the New York/New Jersey
MetroStars' total of 4,000 season tickets." Logan: "I urged
all of our teams to get an early start on season-ticket
sales for this season, and some started last August. The
MetroStars waited until December, which was disturbing, but
some of that had to do with ongoing discussions about Giants
Stadium." Dell'Apa calls this "a season for MLS to maintain
some equilibrium." While competing against the World Cup in
France, MLS "should concentrate on increasing attendance in
questionable markets such as" K.C. and "be certain" the MLS
Cup in Pasadena on October 25 is a "showpiece event" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 3/10). Logan said that the Revolution is tops in
league season ticket sales with 5,500, while 35,000 season
tickets have been sold league-wide (USA TODAY, 3/10).
LOOK, UP ON THE BIG SCREEN: MLS is planning in-stadium
doubleheaders with a World Cup game shown on the Jumbotron
via a TV feed before a league game (N.Y. TIMES, 3/10).
