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.
