For the fourth consecutive season, MLS set new league attendance records, drawing more than 8.2 million total fans for an average of 22,106 per game, up 1.9% over last season and topping the 22,000 mark for the first time ever. The Sounders, who have led the league in attendance for the past eight seasons, were surpassed by expansion franchise Atlanta United FC this season. Atlanta United set both the North American single-game attendance record (71,824) and the single-season attendance average (48,200) while playing its first nine games at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium before moving into the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium for their final eight contests. The Sounders averaged 43,666 fans, the club’s fourth-highest figure ever, for a 2.4% gain over last year. The league's other expansion club, Minnesota United FC, averaged 20,538 fans at the Univ. of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium. The Fire's increase of 11.4% at the gate led the league. The Earthquakes were relatively flat this season, but last month for a game against the Fire failed to sell out all 18,000 seats at Avaya Stadium for the first time since the San Jose venue opened three years ago. FC Dallas saw the lowest attendance at 15,122 across the league, but were up 7.4% in year-to-year comparisons. Orlando City SC saw the league's sharpest drop, but the club moved from the Camping World Stadium to the new Orlando City Stadium for this season. NYCFC also was down 19% at Yankee Stadium. That decline comes as the club is proposing a soccer-specific venue that would be built on the current site of Belmont Park.
|
'17 MLS REGULAR SEASON ATTENDANCE
|
| TEAM |
GMS
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
GMS ('16)
|
| Atlanta United* |
17
|
819,404
|
48,200
|
99.9%
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Sounders |
17
|
742,314
|
43,666
|
110.8%
|
42,636
|
2.4%
|
17
|
| Toronto FC |
17
|
470,005
|
27,647
|
91.5%
|
26,583
|
4.0%
|
17
|
| Orlando City** |
17
|
425,477
|
25,028
|
98.0%
|
31,324
|
-20.1%
|
17
|
| Galaxy |
17
|
378,182
|
22,246
|
86.7%
|
25,147
|
-11.5%
|
17
|
| NYCFC*** |
17
|
377,016
|
22,177
|
81.7%
|
27,196
|
-18.5%
|
17
|
| Whitecaps |
17
|
364,073
|
21,416
|
95.4%
|
22,330
|
-4.1%
|
17
|
| Red Bulls |
17
|
359,977
|
21,175
|
84.0%
|
20,620
|
2.7%
|
17
|
| Timbers |
17
|
359,448
|
21,144
|
100.0%
|
21,144
|
0.0%
|
17
|
| Minnesota United |
17
|
349,138
|
20,538
|
93.8%
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
| Impact^ |
17
|
340,783
|
20,046
|
92.8%
|
20,669
|
-3.0%
|
17
|
| Earthquakes^^ |
17
|
337,873
|
19,875
|
99.8%
|
19,930
|
-0.3%
|
17
|
| Sporting KC |
17
|
332,121
|
19,537
|
105.8%
|
19,597
|
-0.3%
|
17
|
| Revolution |
17
|
329,233
|
19,367
|
96.8%
|
20,185
|
-4.1%
|
17
|
| Real Salt Lake |
17
|
319,284
|
18,781
|
92.9%
|
19,759
|
-4.9%
|
17
|
| DC United |
17
|
304,369
|
17,904
|
91.1%
|
17,081
|
4.8%
|
17
|
| Dynamo |
17
|
297,507
|
17,500
|
79.4%
|
19,021
|
-8.0%
|
17
|
| Fire |
17
|
295,511
|
17,383
|
94.0%
|
15,602
|
11.4%
|
17
|
| Union |
17
|
285,797
|
16,812
|
90.9%
|
17,519
|
-4.0%
|
17
|
| Crew |
17
|
262,469
|
15,439
|
77.3%
|
17,125
|
-9.8%
|
17
|
| Rapids |
17
|
260,476
|
15,322
|
87.9%
|
16,278
|
-5.9%
|
17
|
| FC Dallas |
17
|
257,077
|
15,122
|
94.5%
|
14,094
|
7.3%
|
17
|
| MLS TOTALS |
374
|
8,267,534
|
22,106
|
93.7%
|
21,692
|
1.9%
|
340
|
| NOTES: * = Played home games at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium before moving to the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. ** = Orlando City is playing its first season at Orlando City Stadium (capacity: 25,527), having moved from Camping World Stadium (23,726) following the '16 season. However, Orlando City's opener in '16 drew over 60,000 fans. *** = Includes designated NYCFC home games played at UConn's Pratt & Whitney Stadium and at Citi Field. ^ = Includes a designated Impact home game played at Olympic Stadium in '17 and two games during the '16 season. ^^ = Includes a designated Earthquakes home game played at Stanford Stadium during both seasons. |
