What's the problem?

[Old Ska]

Originally Posted by montgjules

Yeah, but Wednesday games have typically drawn smaller crowds (the Catolica game was our smallest crowd yet and that's not officially recorded on the MLS website. Keep that in mind.

Actually, that is a good point. I forgot that the Chivas match was on a Wed. Well, I guess that would explain the low attendance too. That challenges my MLS savy Utah theory.

I suppose it would be hard to tell whether attendance is more affected by the day of the week or opponent at this point.

[clarette]

What is the problem?

We're consistently on our heels. Which means no anticipation, no movement off the ball, and lots and lots of ballwatching. When that happens, you obviously can't pull off the short, one-touch passing that you have to be able to employ in the professional game.

We don't play team defense. The lack of cohesion going forward would be forgivable if people would actually help each other out on defense. So our defense keeps getting hammered at, they boot the ball straight vertically because nobody's running off the ball, and you have a giant vicious circle.

Sigh.

[Jim Umber]

Sigh. I agree. It all creates a viscious circle which feeds on itself and just gets worse.

[Rover]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Actually, that is a good point. I forgot that the Chivas match was on a Wed. Well, I guess that would explain the low attendance too. That challenges my MLS savy Utah theory.

I suppose it would be hard to tell whether attendance is more affected by the day of the week or opponent at this point.

It's both, and is also affected by so many other factors (weather, entertainment competition, holidays, etc.) that it's tough to make clear connections.

But some visiting teams will draw better--it's that way around the league. It may be the team, but often it's a player (Donovan, Adu).

One trend is clear after ten years of MLS--midweek games don't draw as well. If you want all the numbers, check here:

http://www.kenn.com/soccer/mls/index.html

Oddly enough, this year it doesn't look as bad because the Fire "drew" 54,427 on a Wednesday (27 April) who were actually there for an international friendly. Otherwise, the Wednesday numbers are down for all teams (the Galaxy had their only sub-20K crowd on a Wednesday.

So if the crowd is down on Wednesday, it will be typical of all MLS teams. We'll be doing well if we draw better than 12,000, considering the losing streak.

[RSL Punk]

I don't think the crowd Wednesday will be down at all. Two reasons:
1) All those Jr Loyalists will be back to get a free pair of shorts.
2) That whole autograph session if you buy 20 tickets deal. Smart of the FO to tie that to ticket sales.