The playoff numbers look like this...

5 year comparison Conference Semifinals 1st Leg  Avg +/- Home Teams  2005  12,147 NA  Chicago  NY  Colorado  Los Angeles  2006  9,533  -21.52%  Chicago  NY  Colorado  Chivas USA  2007  14,245  49. Click to continue reading...

The playoff numbers look like this...

5 year comparison Conference Semifinals 1st Leg  Avg +/- Home Teams  2005  12,147 NA  Chicago  NY  Colorado  Los Angeles  2006  9,533  -21.52%  Chicago  NY  Colorado  Chivas USA  2007  14,245  49. Click to continue reading...

The playoff numbers look like this...

5 year comparison Conference Semifinals 1st Leg  Avg +/- Home Teams  2005  12,147 NA  Chicago  NY  Colorado  Los Angeles  2006  9,533  -21.52%  Chicago  NY  Colorado  Chivas USA  2007  14,245  49. Click to continue reading...

The final regular season numbers look like this...

5 year comparison  Final Week YTD   Avg  +/-  GP  Avg  +/-  GP  2005  18,417   6  15,108   192  2006  20,277  10.10%  6  15,504  2.62%  192  2007  20,575  1. Click to continue reading...

After week 31 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 31 217 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  18,417   6  15,957   15,108   192  2006  20,277  10.10%  6  16,157  1.25%  15,402  1. Click to continue reading...

After week 30 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 30 209 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  18,417   6  15,969   15,108   192  2006  20,277  10.10%  6  16,247  1.74%  15,402  1. Click to continue reading...

It was a welcome announcement that MLS will not schedule matches during the group phase, semifinals and finals of the 2010 World Cup. That means the league will not play from Friday, June 11 through Friday, June 25. The WC round of 16 will be played from Saturday June 26 through Tuesday June 29.

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After week 29 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 29 205 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  18,417   6  15,959   15,108   192  2006  20,277  10.10%  6  16,235  1.73%  15,402  1. Click to continue reading...

After week 28 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 28 198 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  17,148   9  15,949   15,001   186  2006  19,097  11.37%  6  16,225  1.73%  15,244  1. Click to continue reading...

Major League Soccer

We've read for many years that a "traditional" calendar will never work in Major League Soccer. Stadium issues, weather and competition from other sports forces MLS to play over the summer.

After many years of defending that policy, I have to the realization that for once (and only once) Sepp Blatter may be on to something.

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After week 27 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 27 190 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  18,227   6  15,033   14,938   177  2006  18,083  -0.79%  6  15,463  2.86%  15,116  1. Click to continue reading...

After week 26 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 26 183 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  13,173   9  14,968   14,823   171  2006  15,419  17.05%  7  15,310  2.29%  15,014  1. Click to continue reading...

After week 25 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 25 175 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  15,302   6  14,878   14,912   162  2006  12,373  -19.15%  8  15,115  1.59%  14,997  0. Click to continue reading...

After week 24 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 24 172 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  16,101   5  14,930   14,897   156  2006  14,880  -7.58%  6  15,109  1.20%  15,129  1. Click to continue reading...

After week 23 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 23 164 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  15,133   7  14,807   14,857   151  2006  11,814  -21.93%  10  15,065  1.74%  15,139  1. Click to continue reading...

After week 22 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 22 155 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  15,573   4  14,897   14,844   144  2006  13,932  -10.54%  6  15,263  2.46%  15,361  3. Click to continue reading...

An abbreviated post due to my just returning from the road.

After week 21 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 21 149 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  12,985   6  14,776   14,823   140  2006  14,771  13. Click to continue reading...

An abbreviated post due to my being on the road.

After week 20 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 20 143 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  21,232   10  14,849   14,905   134  2006  17,497  -17. Click to continue reading...

An abbreviated post due to my being on the road.

After week 19 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 15 137 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  13,291   6  14,799   14,506   124  2006  92,650  597. Click to continue reading...

After week 18 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 15 130 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  8,365   2  15,023   14,568   118  2006  11,399  36.28%  7  15,558  3.56%  14,549  -0. Click to continue reading...

Photo by Hernan Valencias

After week 17 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 15 124 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  13,835   9  14,547   14,675   116  2006  16,028  15.85%  7  15,716  8. Click to continue reading...

After week 16 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 15 118 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  23,776   6  14,568   14,807   107  2006  13,158  -44.66%  6  14,724  1.07%  14,632  -1. Click to continue reading...

After week 15 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 15 112 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  19,065   8  14,710   14,274   101  2006  15,853  -16.85%  12  14,821  0.75%  14,721  3. Click to continue reading...

Supporters' Shield Trophy

After week 14 the numbers look like this...

 5 year comparison  WK 14 106 GP YTD  Avg +/- GP Avg +/- Avg +/- GP  2005  9,538   6  14,692   13,862   93  2006  10,494  10.02%  7  14,814  0. Click to continue reading...

Good crowds attended this week's eight matches, except of course in Dallas. The league averaged just over 16,600.

The week began with west leading Chivas USA visiting Houston. A midweek turnout of over 14,500 saw the Dynamo continue its good form.

On Saturday, the east's top teams clashed in DC in front of over 18,300.

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This week's eight matches averaged just over 13,100. Last year's week 12 included a visit by Beckham to San Jose. The game was at Oakland Alameda and drew over 39,800.
After 92 matches, the league is drawing 1,479 fewer per game than the first 92 games last year, a 9.1% decrease. On the up side, the average was 2,000 better than the corresponding week in 2005 which also had World Cup Qualifiers.

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This week's nine matches averaged just over 16,000. After 84 matches, the league is drawing 1,278 fewer per game than the first 84 games last year, a 7.9% decrease.

The weekly average was down from last year but can be understood as last years numbers included a special soccer doubleheader with FCD at the Revs and the national teams of Brazil and Venezuela; the doubleheader drew 54,045 to Gillette Stadium.

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This week's seven matches averaged just under 13,800, slightly up from last year's week 10 average. It was good to see an increase, albeit a small one, with Seattle on the road.
After 75 matches, exactly the 1/3 mark of the season, the league is drawing 1,128 fewer per game than the first 75 games last year, a 7.

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This week's seven matches averaged over 15,100, up from last week's average.

This week the NBA and NHL playoffs continued. By Saturday, Boston, Denver, Houston and LA had teams alive in the NBA, while the NHL still shows Chicago alive.

As the Lakers were playing Game 7 of their series with Houston, the Galaxy reported the lowest attendance of the season in a match against current Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup champion Columbus.

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This week's nine matches averaged over 14,800, about 1,300 less than last year's seven matches.

The NBA and NHL playoffs continue. Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston and LA have teams alive in the NBA, while the NHL still shows Anaheim, Boston, Chicago and DC(well kind of, the Capitols).

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This week's seven matches averaged less than 13,800, about 2,100 less than last year's Week 7 matches.

A busy sports weekend to say the least; NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs, Hattan/Pacquiao, and the Kentucky Derby.

The weather was OK. A bit chilly with rain at kickoff of the Toronto match, but that didn't stop 20,000 from showing up and they were rewarded with the sun as the game wore on.

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Week 6 attendance was an improvement over last week.

This week's nine matches averaged over 15,800, about 100 more than last year's week 6 matches.

First place Chivas disappointed again, drawing only 14,611 with clear weather and 67 degrees. On the plus side, they are drawing about 2,000 more than last year through the first 4 home games.

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Week 5 in the MLS was troubling from an attendance standpoint.

This week's seven matches averaged just a bit over 12,000, a decline of nearly 5,000 from last year's week 5 matches.

As optimistic as I like to be, it's hard to fathom the 8,508 at Giants stadium with fantastic weather against its conference final opponents from last year.

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Week 4 in the MLS saw 5 draws in 7 games. Keller got red-carded, a Blanco to McBride goal was brilliant and the Galaxy may have found a starting keeper in Donovan Ricketts. Oh yaeh, Seattle gave up its first goal after Keller was ejected and lost its first game.

This week's seven matches averaged just a bit over 17,200, an increase of over 1,300 from last year's week 4 matches.

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After reading the piece on 2-0 v 0-2 teams at Climbing the Ladder, my own interest in numbers has led me to offer these early season tidbits on MLS attendance. First off, for all of my observations, I've taken the 4 teams playing in football stadiums, DCU in RFK, Houston in Robertson, New England in Foxboro, [. Click to continue reading...