FC Cincinnati in the fourth home game of its inaugural USL season yesterday drew a league-record crowd of 23,375 at Nippert Stadium on the Univ. of Cincinnati campus, breaking its "own single-game USL attendance record" from earlier in the season, according to Patrick Brennan of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. With the 1-0 win against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, the club broke the previous record of 20,497, set April 16 against Louisville City FC. Of the "nine MLS games that took place this weekend, only one" -- Whitecaps-Toronto FC at BMO Field -- had a "better turnout" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/16). In Cincinnati, Paul Daugherty writes FC Cincinnati "has seized the local sporting buzz." The team that has now "played exactly four home games in its entire existence is drawing as many people as the Reds do for weeknight games." In just a few months, going to FC Cincinnati games "has become the thing to do around here." An FC Cincinnati game "has moved quickly from Curiosity to Event" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/16).
PULLING THEIR WEIGHT: The GUARDIAN's Charlie Hatch writes FC Cincinnati "has moved up the list of clubs campaigning to join" MLS. Perhaps the most impressive feat during FC Cincinnati’s rapid growth "has been their ability to truly represent the full spectrum of soccer supporters in the area." While the club’s official supporters section, The Bailey, "waves massive blue-and-orange flags and ignites smoke bombs, other sections of Nippert Stadium seat young families and casual fans attending just to witness the city’s latest craze." Essentially, the club has "created a massive community through a grassroots effort," despite FC Cincinnati Owner & CEO Carl Lindner coming "from a family of billionaires" (GUARDIAN, 5/16).
