The Week 5 numbers look like this…

  5 year comparison
  Week 5 37 GP YTD
  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP
 2006   13,351     6   16,522     17,354     28 
 2007   11,206   -16.07%   6   14,897   -9.84%   15,036   -13.36%   32 
 2008   17,544   56.56%   7   15,596   4.70%   17,138   13.98%   35 
 2009   12,082   -31.13%   7   14,827   -4.93%   14,686   -14.31%   36 
 2010   12,592   4.22%   8   17,092   15.28%   17,092   16.38%   37 
YTD – 37 Games
  Average Median %<10K %>20k
 2006    16,522     16,280    16.67%   25.00% 
 2007    14,897     14,087    13.51%   18.92% 
 2008    15,596     15,271    16.22%   29.73% 
 2009    14,827     12,827    18.92%   16.22% 
 2010    17,092     14,843    13.51%   27.03% 

Here are the attendance comparisons to 2009:

MLS Attendance – Equal # of Home Games
  2009 2010  
  Att Cap % Att Att +/- GP Cap % Cap
 Seattle  29,939   92.40%   36,077   20.50%   3   101.63%   35,500 
 Philadelphia NA NA  34,870  NA  1   91.76%   18,500 
 LA Galaxy  19,346   71.65%   20,508   6.01%   3   75.96%   27,000 
 Toronto  20,465   93.12%   20,186   -1.36%   2   91.85%   21,978 
 Real Salt Lake  11,806   36.33%   19,970   69.15%   1   103.26%   19,340 
 D.C. United  14,245   63.31%   19,536   37.14%   2   86.82%   22,500 
 N.Y./N.J. Red Bulls  10,424   41.38%   17,953   72.22%   3   71.27%   25,189 
 Houston  16,085   71.49%   16,500   2.58%   3   73.33%   22,500 
 Chicago  11,208   56.04%   15,794   40.92%   2   78.97%   20,000 
 ChivasUSA  14,914   55.24%   15,213   2.00%   3   56.34%   27,000 
 Columbus Crew  11,076   55.38%   13,929   25.76%   2   69.65%   20,000 
 Colorado Rapids  12,033   66.53%   10,785   -10.37%   2   59.63%   18,086 
 NE Revolution  10,213   45.39%   10,470   2.52%   2   46.53%   22,500 
 KC Wizards  9,231   88.88%   10,219   10.71%   3   98.40%   10,385 
 San Jose  9,756   20.58%   9,836   0.81%   2   95.49%   10,300 
 FC Dallas  9,747   45.99%   9,028   -7.38%   3   42.60%   21,193 

My disclaimer about the capacity calculations

For my calculations, I’ve taken the 3 teams playing in Amercan football stadiums, DCU in RFK, Houston in Robertson and New England in Foxboro and assigned maximum capacities at 22,500. I took the 22,500 number from an approximate average of the soccer specific stadiums in use.

  • Philly’s first two home games will be at Lincoln Financial Field. The announced capacity for the Union was published as 38,000 and will be calculated as such.

    Observations

    The week began on Thursday in Dallas. Another attendance disaster for the charter member of the league. Saturday began with the first game in what promises to be an excellent rivalry with Philadelphia visiting the Red Bulls. Unfortunately, after a great start at their new Arena, fans failed to come out in numbers for the 2nd match in a row. The announced crowd was just over 15,600, but I think most folks were thinking that RBNY would draw 18,000+, especially with good weather. Columbus pulled in a pretty typical 14,300+ on a rainy night, so not too bad. New England managed to draw less than Dallas, which has been the butt of ridicule since Thursday. Will we hear the same about the Revs this week? Chicago had just over 11,300 for the Dynamo visit. KC nearly filled its house. ChivasUSA had just under 14,400 at the HDC. Well it finally happened. It took rain and a bit of a chill(really? surely not in Toronto) and a closed major access road for TFC to not fill the house as over 18,300 saw their team beat Seattle.

    I wonder how many people were surprised to learn that, barring injury, Jeff Cunningham will most likely become MLS’ all time leading scorer.

    Attendance Notes

    Of the 20 lowest attended matches in MLS regular season history, Colorado and Kansas City have 8 each, Tampa Bay 2, and one each for Dallas and Los Angeles. I only have the weather for 6 of the 20 matches, one had rain, but 61 degrees was the lowest temperature of the 6. None of the KC lows have occurred in Community America Ballpark..

    Think David Beckham hasn’t made a difference? Think again. How’s this for impact? Total home games in parentheses.

    • 2 of Columbus’ 13 all time high attendances(216)
    • 2 of Dallas’ 9 all time high attendances(217)
    • 2 of DCU’s 5 all time high attendances(215)
    • 3 of Houston’s 4 all time high attendances(64)
    • 2 of KC’s 5 all time high attendances(217)
    • 2 of New England’s 8 all time high attendances(216)
    • 2 of New York’s 7 all time high attendances(217)
    • 2 of RSL’s 5 all time high attendances(78)
    • 2 of San Jose’s 10 all time high attendances(includes SJ aka Houston)(186)
    Week 5 Games
     
    FC Dallas 2 3rd Degree – Buzz Carrick
    Seattle 2 Seattle Times
     
    RBNY 2 Red Bulls Reader
    Philadelphia 1 Philadelphia Union Soccer
     
    Columbus 1 Columbus Dispatch – Crew XTra
    Real Salt Lake 0 RSL – Behind the Shield
     
    New England 1 Revolution Soccer
    Colorado 2 Undercurrent
     
    Chicago 2 Chicago Fire Confidential
    Houston 0 Soccer y Fútbol – Jose de Jesus Ortiz
     
    Kansas City 0 Kansas City – Hillcrest Road
    Los Angeles 0 LA – Official Blog
     
    Chivas USA 3 Chicago Fire Confidential
    San Jose 2 San Jose Center Line Soccer
     
    Toronto 2 TFC Connected
    Seattle 0 Seattle Times

    Streaking

    • FC Dallas have not lost at home in its last 11(7 wins).
    • Colorado has not lost at home in 7 straight.
    • TFC has not lost at home in 8 straight.
    • TFC has lost 11 straight road games.
    • RSL are unbeaten in their last 11 regular season home games.

    MLS Throw Ins

    • There have been 21 clean sheets in the first 37 matches
    • Through 37 games: goal scoring is exactly even with 2009.
    • RSL has lost only twice in its last 31 home matches. They lost only once in ’08 and ’09, a feat matched by Houston.

    Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

    The MLS play-in matches for the Open have begun for the teams that did not finish in the top 6 in 2009. The next match will be played on April 27. All times are ET. Seattle are the defending cup holders, and as such will compete in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League.

    • Colorado Rapids defeated the Kansas City Wizards 2-1.
    • Real Salt Lake beat the San Jose Earthquakes on PK’s 5-3 after playing to a 3-3 score.
    • Philadelphia Union at New York Red Bulls, Tuesday, April 27, 8 p.m. at Red Bull Arena (Harrison, N.J.)
    • FC Dallas at DC United, Wednesday, April 28, 7:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium (Washington D.C.)
    • New England Revolution at Philadelphia or New York on Wednesday, May 12