MLS ended its ’18 regular season with an average attendance of 21,873, a decline of 1.1% compared to last year, marking the first year-over-year drop for the league in the last five years. Nine of the league’s 23 teams had year-over-year increases or were flat, with the largest increase coming for Minnesota United, who were up 16.4%. Atlanta United saw a 10% increase as it fully opened Mercedes-Benz Stadium more this season, setting MLS records in total and average attendance in the process. Thirteen teams saw year-over-year declines, with the Crew seeing the biggest drop at 19.4% as relocation rumors surrounded the team for the vast majority of the season. The Crew also had the league’s lowest average attendance. LAFC, in its first season, averaged 22,042 fans per game at Banc of California Stadium, becoming the first MLS club since the Timbers in ’11 to sell out all of its games in its first year in a soccer-specific stadium. While average attendance was down, MLS saw its highest paid attendance in league history at 7.4 million, averaging 19,000 paid tickets per game. The league also had an average ticket price of $30 this season, the highest in its history. In total, average ticket revenue per game was up nearly 10% compared to ’17.
|
MLS REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE FOR '18
|
|
TEAM
|
GAMES
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
GAMES ('17)
|
|
Atlanta United*
|
17
|
901,033
|
53,002
|
104.8%
|
48,200
|
10.0%
|
17
|
|
Sounders
|
17
|
690,893
|
40,641
|
103.1%
|
43,666
|
-6.9%
|
17
|
|
Toronto FC
|
17
|
452,675
|
26,628
|
88.1%
|
27,647
|
-3.7%
|
17
|
|
Galaxy
|
17
|
415,543
|
24,444
|
95.2%
|
22,246
|
9.9%
|
17
|
|
Minnesota United
|
17
|
406,342
|
23,902
|
109.2%
|
20,538
|
16.4%
|
17
|
|
Orlando City
|
17
|
405,730
|
23,866
|
93.5%
|
25,028
|
-4.6%
|
17
|
|
NYCFC
|
17
|
394,583
|
23,211
|
80.8%
|
22,177
|
4.7%
|
17
|
|
LAFC**
|
17
|
374,716
|
22,042
|
100.2%
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
Whitecaps
|
17
|
373,089
|
21,946
|
99.2%
|
21,416
|
2.5%
|
17
|
|
Timbers
|
17
|
359,448
|
21,144
|
100.0%
|
21,144
|
0.0%
|
17
|
|
Sporting K.C.
|
17
|
339,148
|
19,950
|
108.0%
|
19,537
|
2.1%
|
17
|
|
Earthquakes^
|
17
|
323,547
|
19,032
|
95.5%
|
19,875
|
-4.2%
|
17
|
|
Real Salt Lake
|
17
|
316,286
|
18,605
|
92.0%
|
18,781
|
-0.9%
|
17
|
|
Red Bulls
|
17
|
316,214
|
18,601
|
73.8%
|
21,175
|
-12.2%
|
17
|
|
Impact^^
|
17
|
315,665
|
18,569
|
88.0%
|
20,046
|
-7.4%
|
17
|
|
Revolution
|
17
|
311,897
|
18,347
|
91.7%
|
19,367
|
-5.3%
|
17
|
|
DC United***
|
17
|
299,803
|
17,635
|
94.4%
|
17,904
|
-1.5%
|
17
|
|
Dynamo
|
17
|
287,408
|
16,906
|
76.7%
|
17,500
|
-3.4%
|
17
|
|
Union
|
17
|
280,805
|
16,518
|
89.3%
|
16,812
|
-1.7%
|
17
|
|
FC Dallas
|
17
|
263,707
|
15,512
|
97.0%
|
15,122
|
2.6%
|
17
|
|
Rapids
|
17
|
260,660
|
15,333
|
88.0%
|
15,322
|
0.1%
|
17
|
|
Fire
|
17
|
251,708
|
14,806
|
80.0%
|
17,383
|
-14.8%
|
17
|
|
Crew
|
17
|
211,603
|
12,447
|
62.3%
|
15,439
|
-19.4%
|
17
|
|
MLS TOTALS
|
391
|
8,552,503
|
21,873
|
92.6%
|
22,106
|
-1.1%
|
374
|
NOTES: * = Played nine games last season at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium before moving to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. ** = Expansion franchise. ^ = Includes a designated Earthquakes home game played at Stanford Stadium during both seasons. ^^ = Includes a designated Impact home game played at Olympic Stadium during both seasons. *** = Includes designated home games played at Maryland Soccerplex and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium this season.
