Soccer outdrawing baseball since the end of the World Cup

[Tugg Speedman]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/chi-soccer-attendance-continues-to-soar-20140804-story.html

No World Cup? No problem as soccer attendance continues to soar
By Kevin Baxter

A month after the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup, the country's new-found passion for soccer showed no signs of ebbing, with 10 soccer games drawing a higher average attendance, then 15 major league baseball games on Saturday.

According to Soccer America's Paul Kennedy, the average attendance for 10 professional soccer matches Saturday -- six in Major League Soccer and four in the International Champions Cup tournament -- was 36,317. Saturday's 15 major league baseball games averaged 34,179.

The soccer numbers were helped by the record 109,318 fans who turned out to see Manchester United beat Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup at Michigan Stadium. That was the largest crowd ever for a soccer game in the U.S.

Another Champions Cup game between Liverpool and AC Milan at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte drew 69,364, the largest crowd ever to watch a game in North Carolina. The largest MLS crowd was the 48,765 that turned out to see the San Jose Earthquakes and Seattle Sounders christen the 49ers' new Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Still not impressed?

Well, a day later the Portland Thorns and Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League broke the league attendance record when 19,123 showed up at Providence Park in Portland. That was larger than the crowd that turned out in Cleveland to watch the Indians and Texas Rangers and just 800 less than the attendance in Houston where the Astros played the Blue Jays.

All this comes on the heels of the first post-World Cup friendly in the U.S., which drew 86,432 to the Rose Bowl on July 23 to see Manchester United rout the Galaxy, 7-0.

[keefe]

Maybe the Budster should dredge the sewer and bring back Big Mac and the Sammer to spark some interest 

[tower912]

One day abberation caused by 109k at the Big House.    What was the average if that game is taken out?   Having said that, soccer will continue to grow.   

[keefe]

The Sounders average more than 40'000 per game every season, playing in Century Link Field. There is a lot of enthusiasm for the club with fans emulating European followership with painted faces, singing, and scarves. I have no idea about the quality of play - hell I don't even know what their League is called - but they do have a passionate fan base. I have been near the stadium on game day and it is a boisterous crowd. Having said which I will likely never attend one of their matches as I find the sport mind numbing.

[GGGG]

One day abberation caused by 109k at the Big House.    What was the average if that game is taken out?   Having said that, soccer will continue to grow.   

Not only that, but it was by and large a special event.  Not just some regular season game in the middle of August.

Soccer fans would do best not to make such comparisons, because they don't hold water in the long run, but to just be content that the market continues to grow.

[Aughnanure]

Hockey fans are going to get real defensive soon (not that they aren't already).

[GGGG]

Hockey fans are going to get real defensive soon (not that they aren't already).

I have really outgrown the "my sport/team/whatever is most popular/best etc." type arguments.

I like what sports I like, and what teams I like, and just want to get some enjoyment out of it.

[Aughnanure]

I have really outgrown the "my sport/team/whatever is most popular/best etc." type arguments.

I like what sports I like, and what teams I like, and just want to get some enjoyment out of it.

More pointing out that Hockey fans are already insanely defensive towards basketball (i.e., LeBron cramping memes), and it's going to be fun to wathc them start targeting more and more as it threatens their Top 4 "status".

[Lennys Tap]

I have really outgrown the "my sport/team/whatever is most popular/best etc." type arguments.

I like what sports I like, and what teams I like, and just want to get some enjoyment out of it.

Yeah, I don't "get" those kind of arguments either. I've been a White Sox fan all my life and for most of that time the Cubs have had more fans than the Sox. For some strange reason this is a source of pride for some of my Cub fan friends. Unless you're an owner or a stockholder, who cares?

[Jay Bee]

A month after the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup, the country's new-found passion for soccer showed no signs of ebbing, with 10 soccer games drawing a higher average attendance, then 15 major league baseball games on Saturday.

According to Soccer America's Paul Kennedy, the average attendance for 10 professional soccer matches Saturday -- six in Major League Soccer and four in the International Champions Cup tournament -- was 36,317. Saturday's 15 major league baseball games averaged 34,179.

The soccer numbers were helped by the record 109,318 fans who turned out to see Manchester United beat Real Madrid in the International Champions Cup at Michigan Stadium. That was the largest crowd ever for a soccer game in the U.S.

Another Champions Cup game between Liverpool and AC Milan at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte drew 69,364, the largest crowd ever to watch a game in North Carolina. The largest MLS crowd was the 48,765 that turned out to see the San Jose Earthquakes and Seattle Sounders christen the 49ers' new Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

4 games of non-regular competition, a couple of which had "big name teams" (from what I'm told). Why compare those to MLB regular season games?

6 MLS games... averaged less than 23k. That includes 49k in a game that allowed football (real football) fans their first chance to see the 49ers new stadium. The soccer team that they watched... their last game at Candlestick Park was a 0-0 barnburner that apparently was a friendly.. couldn't easily find the attendance. The game prior to that packed in 10,525.

The other 5 MLS games.. average of less than 18k. yay, better than baseball!

kick the ball!

[🏀]

Really, really poor comparison.

Soccer isn't any bigger than it was in '94.

[77ncaachamps]

The Sounders average more than 40'000 per game every season, playing in Century Link Field. There is a lot of enthusiasm for the club with fans emulating European followership with painted faces, singing, and scarves. I have no idea about the quality of play - hell I don't even know what their League is called - but they do have a passionate fan base. I have been near the stadium on game day and it is a boisterous crowd. Having said which I will likely never attend one of their matches as I find the sport mind numbing.

This past MUBB season was numbing

[keefe]

This past MUBB season was numbing

All we want from you is another photo of your friend!

[chapman]

All about sampling.  Here's another:


Wednesday, August 6

Baseball: 15 games, 464,857 fans, 30,990 average

Soccer: 1 game (MLS All-Stars vs. Bayern Munich in Portland) 21,733 fans

[MUfan12]

Soccer isn't any bigger than it was in '94.

That's not accurate.

[GGGG]

Really, really poor comparison.

Soccer isn't any bigger than it was in '94.

Yeah that's not accurate. 

In 1994 the US had no major domestic league.  MLS is very healthy league that is growing in respectability.

In 1994 you couldn't catch any European soccer on television.  Now you can watch a bunch of EPL games on NBC Sports, and a good portion of the Champions League on FS1 or even on Fox.

In 1994 European teams didn't barnstorm the United States during pre-season.  Now you can catch such games pretty much anywhere in late July / early August.

In 1994 you would never have seen non-American soccer stars in sports commercials, and now you can see a few.

It's not huge.  But it is significant and it is growing.

[Golden Avalanche]

Yeah that's not accurate. 

In 1994 the US had no major domestic league.  MLS is very healthy league that is growing in respectability.

In 1994 you couldn't catch any European soccer on television.  Now you can watch a bunch of EPL games on NBC Sports, and a good portion of the Champions League on FS1 or even on Fox.

In 1994 European teams didn't barnstorm the United States during pre-season.  Now you can catch such games pretty much anywhere in late July / early August.

In 1994 you would never have seen non-American soccer stars in sports commercials, and now you can see a few.

It's not huge.  But it is significant and it is growing.

No need to stop there. Best soccer channel in America is beIn Sports which features the Spanish league, Italian league, and the French league. Throw in internet streaming from this channel as well as ESPN and Fox and an 11 year old kid can even watch matches all the way from Russia to Brasil.

[Aughnanure]

All about sampling.  Here's another:


Wednesday, August 6

Baseball: 15 games, 464,857 fans, 30,990 average

Soccer: 1 game (MLS All-Stars vs. Bayern Munich in Portland) 21,733 fans

Considering the Portland stadium holds only 20,000, that's pretty good. It's just terrible to compare any of these since the sizes of the stadiums are a huge part of it. Comparing the NFL to MLB based on average attendance would be the same. There are no 80,000 seat MLB ballparks.

Basketball and Hockey are much better comparisons attendance wise, but it's still highly flawed due to the vast differences in arena sizes. One may be sold-out every game but tops out at 16,800. Does that mean Sporting KC averaging almost 18,000 is more popular? Well, maybe if it's the Bucks but you know what I mean.

[jsglow]

I very much enjoyed watching the World Cup and am pleased that soccer is catching on here in the US.  Most major sports (including soccer) are drawing very well these days.  The one exception right now is NASCAR as as a lifelong racing fan I have trouble putting my finger on why it has become vanilla and boring over the last several years.  I guess for me it has become a bit too antiseptic.  Gone are the drivers, teams and tracks that brought character to the sport.

[GGGG]

I very much enjoyed watching the World Cup and am pleased that soccer is catching on here in the US.  Most major sports (including soccer) are drawing very well these days.  The one exception right now is NASCAR as as a lifelong racing fan I have trouble putting my finger on why it has become vanilla and boring over the last several years.  I guess for me it has become a bit too antiseptic.  Gone are the drivers, teams and tracks that brought character to the sport.

Same type of driver driving the same type of car on the same type of track...week after week after week after week.  The season is endless.

[Aughnanure]

Same type of driver driving the same type of car on the same type of track...week after week after week after week.  The season is endless.

Plus how long is that offseason? 6 weeks?

[keefe]

The one exception right now is NASCAR as as a lifelong racing fan I have trouble putting my finger on why it has become vanilla and boring over the last several years.  I guess for me it has become a bit too antiseptic.  Gone are the drivers, teams and tracks that brought character to the sport.

I'm curious Glow: Finance exec with a top drawer MBA who follows NASCAR? You're not the sweet spot of their target demographic.

But my question is whether you consider NASCAR an actual sport? I would submit that flying tactical aircraft is more physically demanding, requires infinitely greater coordination, and is far more dangerous and while fighter squadron personnel work out like fiends no one has ever suggested they are world class athletes. Do you really categorize NASCAR as a 'sport?'

[jsglow]

I'm curious Glow: Finance exec with a top drawer MBA who follows NASCAR? You're not the sweet spot of their target demographic.

But my question is whether you consider NASCAR an actual sport? I would submit that flying tactical aircraft is more physically demanding, requires infinitely greater coordination, and is far more dangerous and while fighter squadron personnel work out like fiends no one has ever suggested they are world class athletes. Do you really categorize NASCAR as a 'sport?'

Atypical for sure.  My love of racing stems from my childhood going to races in southeast Wisconsin with my grandfather and my cousins.  Absolutely love the sounds and smells at the track.  Classic venues like Hales Corners, Slinger, Rockford, Madison and of course the Milwaukee Mile, America's oldest operating oval.  Wisconsin was a huge racing hub back in the day.  Local drivers actually made a living and supported a family by running the circuit.  Of course the greatest of these was the late Dick Trickle.

I agree with the notion that it's all too similar and vanilla today.  Areo push at cookie cutter tracks has replaced careful tire management and mechanical grip on the sandy surface at Rockingham and long gone are the days when a bright self funded Wisconsin kid (Alan Kulwicki) could head south with a one man team and win a championship.  If you want to see the greatest NASCAR race ever, go youtube the 1992 Championship finale at Atlanta.

And yes, I do consider it to be a sport but I would not necessarily call drivers athletes.  Ironic that I'd view professional wrestling to NOT be a sport (actually it's theater) but would probably call wrestlers athletes.

[GGGG]

I also wonder if some of this is NASCAR regressing back to a more "natural" audience.  I think a lot of "casual" fans seemed to get caught up in it, and are really not as interested as they were.  (Perhaps a cautionary tale for soccer?)

But if you compare the fan base to what it was 25 years ago, I would guess that it is assuredly much larger.

[jsglow]

I think a lot of truth in that Sultan.  Part of my view is that NASCAR attempted to appeal to that much larger audience and actually ended up damaging the sport.