Thursday, April 2, 2009

Home Opener – Attendance Figures

UPDATED to include Thursday’s attendance at 11,806. Very poor showing, but great match. Also added 2008 opener numbers for every team, and added the rest of the opener numbers.

Major League Soccer teams typically get a big boost to their season’s attendance figures from their home opener (and when Beckham and Blanco come to town). Real Salt Lake has had some decent opener figures in the past, but weather always comes into play.

Aside from the weather (which is looking dicey this year), there are four other key factors that may affect attendance this year:

  • High expectations coming off of the team’s first ever playoff run
  • Rio Tinto Stadium which should draw people in better than Rice Eccles did
  • Midweek game – I don’t know the numbers but these games always draw substantially less than the weekend variety
  • Nationally televised ESPN2 game. Combined with the weather this gives interested parties another option to get their RSL fix

So where does this leave attendance expectations for tonight’s match? I have no clue, but I think the prevailing thinking is that attendance will be down primarily do to the weather. This, despite Jason Kreis’ appeal to the fans and the team’s “Ticket Insurance” for this match.

Can the team exceed their previous opener low of 16,132?

Real Salt Lake Home Opener Figures by Year

2005 – Rice Eccles

25,287

2006 – Rice Eccles

16,132

2007 – Rice Eccles

18,678

2008 – Rice Eccles

20,272

2009 – Rio Tinto

11,806

All but 4 teams (including RSL) have already had their home openers. The other 3 will have theirs this weekend. Here is how each team’s home opener attendance has stacked up so far. Where will RSL fit into this? My guess is middle of the pack, but we’ll soon find out.

2009/2008 Home Opener Figures by Team

TEAM

2009

2008

DIFF

PCT %

Seattle

32,523

N/A

N/A

N/A

LA Galaxy

18,013

27,000

-8,987

-33%

Chivas

16,453

17,251

-798

-5%

Houston

16,053

20,102

-4,049

-20%

Dallas

15,905

17,540

-1,635

-9%

DC United

15,895

20,161

-4,266

-21%

Columbus

14,686

13,843

843

6%

NY Red Bulls

12,462

17,119

-4,657

-27%

Colorado

11,885

18,713

-6,828

-36%

Real Salt Lake

11,806

20,272

-8,466

-42%

Kansas City

10,385

10,385

0

0%

San Jose

10,335

20,038

-9,703

-48%

Toronto

20,658

20,219

439

2%

New England

11,314

11,116

198

2%

Chicago

11,633

15,553

-3,920

-25%

TOTALS (excl. Sea)

197,483

249,312

-51,829

-21%

Notes:

Real Salt Lake played Blanco/Chicago for 2008 opener.
San Jose also played Chicago for opener (in Oakland).
Colorado played LA Galaxy w/Beckham.
The Galaxy, of course, had Beckham for their opener.