MLS vs NBA attendance

[Dash]

THE COUNT OCTOBER 21, 2010 Who Says the MLS Isn't a Big Draw? With the Major League Soccer regular season winding down this weekend, we ask just one question of this country's sports fans: Please stop saying nobody in the U.S. cares about soccer. Half of the league's teams are averaging more than 15,000 fans per match, and while that's not astronomical—the NFL's lowest-drawing teams get 40,000-plus—it actually puts the league in the same conversation with a handful of NBA teams, who start their own regular seasons next week. Thirteen of the 16 MLS teams are based in the same area as NBA teams and five of them are outdrawing what their basketball counterparts did in 2009-10, including the Houston Dynamo (16,832) besting the Houston Rockets (16,528) and the New York Red Bulls (18,625) drawing 42% more fans than the New Jersey Nets (13,103).

 

As impressive as these numbers may be, it would be silly to assume that soccer has knocked off the NBA. MLS teams charge a fraction of what NBA teams do for tickets. Moreover, some NBA teams can't draw more fans because they don't have any more tickets to sell. While the Los Angeles Galaxy average 11.5% more fans per game than the Lakers, the Galaxy are only at 80% capacity. The Lakers are sold out.

 

The Soccer Towns Examples of areas where the local MLS team has more people going to games than the NBA team—not accounting for attendance capacity at the teams' stadiums. MLS TEAM (2010 Avg. Attendance), NBA TEAM (2009-10 Avg. Attendance), DIFF.; New York Red Bulls (18,625), New Jersey Nets (13,103), 42.1%; Philadelphia Union (19,254), Philadelphia 76ers (14,224), 35.4%; Los Angeles Galaxy (21,182), Los Angeles Clippers (16,343), 29.6%; Toronto FC (20,453), Toronto Raptors (17,897), 14.3%; Los Angeles Galaxy (21,182), Los Angeles Lakers (18,997), 11.5%; Houston Dynamo (16,832), Houston Rockets (16,528), 1.8%

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304741404575564463288685240.html

 

While the tickets are cheaper and the soccer stadiums are bigger, its still impressive how quickly the MLS has caught on since the World Cup.

[xx.]

This isnt because of the world cup lol......most of the cities are very diverse consisting of many nationalities that all support their favorite game which is soccer, its been happening for a while now

[htown11]

The Hispanic community comes out in full support for the Dynamo, the championship dominance in the past has helped also lol. The Rockets draw a good crowd when the team is winning, that 22 game winning streak was great probably the best crowds I have seen in years. I went to a couple during the streak, and it's all the city was talking about.

 

The Dynamo are projected to open up the new 110 million dollar stadium in June 2012, should be a great venue to watch some soccer.

[fish7718]

Staples Center only seats 19,000 people this news report is kinda dumb because soccer teams SHOULD sell more tickets than NBA teams, still I guess it's interesting

[Phightins]

Staples Center only seats 19,000 people this news report is kinda dumb because soccer teams SHOULD sell more tickets than NBA teams, still I guess it's interesting

 

Yeah honestly, it is comparing apples and oranges. Also, 41 regular season NBA home games as compared to what? I don't know the exact number, but I am pretty sure MLS teams only play a fraction of that. So obviously, the demand for tickets is going to be higher.

[Dash]

You guys are missing the point, soccer was pretty dead here in the States just a couple years ago and the fact that the MLS teams are drawing 18,000+ is impressive. It just shows that the MLS is growing, the author even says it himself in the article that the MLS is no where near the level of the NBA.

[Gooner]

Seattle averaging over 36k is pretty impressive.