2016 Attendance Thread

[Gotham Gator]

Game 1 - Toronto - 30,315 (Sun, 5pm)
Game 2 - Orlando - 24,597 (Fri, 7pm)
Game 3 - New England - 23,425 (Sat, 3pm)
Game 4 - Chicago - 22,930 (Sun, 7pm)
Game 5 - Montreal - 23,352 (Wed, 7pm)
Game 6 - Vancouver - 25,438 (Sat, 4pm)
Game 7 - New Jersey - 37,858 (Sat, 3pm)
Game 8 - Orlando - 25,039 (Sun, 4pm)
Game 9 - Real Salt Lake - 22,736 (Thur, 7pm)
Game 10 - Philadelphia - 27,456 (Sat, 1pm)
Game 11 - New Jersey - 33,613 (Sun, noon)
Game 12 - Colorado - 25,711 (Sat, 3pm)
Game 13 - LA Galaxy - 35,509 (Sat, 3:30pm)
Game 14 - DC United - 23,768 (Thur, 7pm)
Game 15 - Dallas - 25,204 (Sat, 7pm)
Game 16 - Chicago - 25,011 (Fri, 8pm)
Game 17 - Columbus - 30,374 (Sun, 4pm)

Hi - New Jersey, 37,858 (2015 - New Jersey, 48,047)
Lo - Real Salt Lake, 22,736 (2015 - Philly, 20,461)
Total - 462,336 (2015 - 493,448)
Avg - 27,196 (2015 - 29,026)
Avg (w/o hi/lo) - 26,783 (2016 - 28,969)
Median - 25,438 (2015 - 27,545)

Avg Sat: 28,657 (2015 - 28,907)
Avg Sun: 28,454 (2015 - 33,222)
Avg Weeknight: 23,285 (2015 - 24,599)
Avg Friday Night: 24,804 (2015 - 23,315 for one game)
Avg Weekend Day: 29,474 (2015 - 33,721)
Avg Weekend Night: 24,067 (2015 - 25,566)

 

[Gotham Gator]

Here is the final total from 2015. You can see more at this thread.

Game 1 - New England - 43,507 (Sun, 5pm)
Game 2 - Kansas City - 27,545 (Sat, 7pm)
Game 3 - Philadelphia - 20,461 (Thur, 7pm)
Game 4 - Portland - 21,891 (Sun, 7pm)
Game 5 - Seattle - 25,384 (Sun, 7pm)
Game 6 - Chicago - 23,315 (Fri, 7pm)
Game 7 - Houston - 26,211 (Sat, 7pm)
Game 8 - Montreal - 24,042 (Sat, 7pm)
Game 9 - New Jersey - 48,047 (Sun, 5pm)
Game 10 - Toronto - 27,533 (Sun, 3pm)
Game 11 - Orlando - 32,041 (Sun, 2:30pm)
Game 12 - Montreal - 27,645 (Sat, 2pm)
Game 13 - DC United - 28,262 (Thur, 7pm)
Game 14 - Columbus - 30,018 (Sat, 4pm)
Game 15 - Toronto - 25,075 (Wed, 7:30pm)
Game 16 - San Jose - 28,321 (Sat, 7pm)
Game 17 - New England - 34,150 (Sun, 5pm)

Hi - New Jersey - 48,047
Lo - Philly - 20,461
Total - 493,448
Avg - 29,026 (3rd in MLS)
Avg (w/o hi/lo) - 28,329
Median - 27,545
Average first 8 - 26,545
Average last 9 - 31,232

(The following exclude Games 1 and 9)
Avg Sat: 27,297
Avg Sun: 28,200
Avg Worknight: 24,278
Avg Weekend Day: 30,277
Avg Weekend Night: 25,566

 

[The Toe]

Two NJ games, and I'd say no games below 24k the rest of the year makes me think we'll break a 30k avg.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Should Friday nights be considered a "worknight"? I get your main point there, people commuting to the game after work, but its also a bit different than a monday-thursday night in that those then have to return to work the next day.

 

[The Toe]

Should Friday nights be considered a "worknight"? I get your main point there, people commuting to the game after work, but its also a bit different than a monday-thursday night in that those then have to return to work the next day.

I think it absolutely should be. I'm sure you don't need to be told this, but not everyone has the luxury of working 9-5, and that goes especially for many -- if not most -- jobs in Manhattan/NYC. I try to take half days on weekday gamedays just so I can guarantee I'll be there on time. Games on Friday are just as difficult to get to as the middle of the week for many and should be treated so. The thing that makes it difficult isn't the next day, it's getting there in time after work.

 

[Goodfella]

I think it absolutely should be. I'm sure you don't need to be told this, but not everyone has the luxury of working 9-5, and that goes especially for many -- if not most -- jobs in Manhattan/NYC. I try to take half days on weekday gamedays just so I can guarantee I'll be there on time. Games on Friday are just as difficult to get to as the middle of the week for many and should be treated so. The thing that makes it difficult isn't the next day, it's getting there in time after work.

I do think a Friday night game is slightly different from attendance perspective than say Wednesday in that more people that do work these luxurious M-F/9-5 jobs are more inclined to go given they don't have to get up for work the next day. Still, I agree it belongs in the week night rather than weekend classification.

 

[mgarbowski]

Also it is not uncommon for people who work until 7-9 pm and later Monday thru Thursday to leave 5-6pm on Friday, even if they have to put in time over the weekend. So I agree Friday night is in the category of weeknight, but it is the most favorable night of the group.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I consider it a worknight because it caters to those coming from the office rather than coming from home, but I agree it's not the same as a Wednesday. Since we have two, I might end up breaking it out separately this year.

 

[jerseyhotspur]

Hi - New Jersey - 48,047
Lo - Philly - 20,461

is there a reason why Philly had the lowest attendance (since you'd expect more away fans attending)? oh wait, it was a THURSDAY night and a 7pm kick off time (pain in the ass if you work 9-5).

1st Philly Union game at YS is Sat Jun 18, so hopefully that game would be a higher attended game?

 

[Ulrich]

I wish that one Wednesday Game a year would be a matinee game. I realize it'd be a bit of a bitch for some people, but the uniqueness of it has the potential to be amazing - I'd love to take a half-day at work and leave for the stadium at noon, grab a bite to eat there, and drink beer in the middle of the afternoon/the middle of the week on a sunny day. For those STH that cannot make it (and there's a possibility that work deadlines would torpedo me), then the Ticket-exchange would hopefully make up the slack with non-STH taking a flier for the game like so many do for matinee baseball games. As far as TV goes - it could be a slam dunk for ratings as the same people that make time for Monday EPL or Tue/Wed Champions League would shift their lunch to watch it, especially with it being the only option on the TV.

 

[ManhattanValley]

I wish that one Wednesday Game a year would be a matinee game. I realize it'd be a bit of a bitch for some people, but the uniqueness of it has the potential to be amazing - I'd love to take a half-day at work and leave for the stadium at noon, grab a bite to eat there, and drink beer in the middle of the afternoon/the middle of the week on a sunny day. For those STH that cannot make it (and there's a possibility that work deadlines would torpedo me), then the Ticket-exchange would hopefully make up the slack with non-STH taking a flier for the game like so many do for matinee baseball games. As far as TV goes - it could be a slam dunk for ratings as the same people that make time for Monday EPL or Tue/Wed Champions League would shift their lunch to watch it, especially with it being the only option on the TV.

Occasional weekday matinee games in a 168-game MLB season = sure

Occasional weekday matinee games in an MLS season = enough to make me reconsider getting a season ticket

Funny idea though. Is there any other football league in the world that does this?!

 

[Ulrich]

Occasional weekday matinee games in a 168-game MLB season = sure

Occasional weekday matinee games in an MLS season = enough to make me reconsider getting a season ticket

Funny idea though. Is there any other football league in the world that does this?!

So there's absolutely zero chance of you ever missing a game each season, because if there was, why ever consider being a STH?!

That's a funny notion though.

And what does it matter if any other league does this? Stagnation kills innovation and there's a reason bucking common trends have the possibly of proving fruitful.

 

[ManhattanValley]

So there's absolutely zero chance of you ever missing a game each season, because if there was, why ever consider being a STH?!

That's a funny notion though.

And what does it matter if any other league does this? Stagnation kills innovation and there's a reason bucking common trends have the possibly of proving fruitful.

Nah, I just mean, I'm happy to get a season ticket knowing there's likely to be a handful of games I can't make every year. If you start adding on top of that one or two games to the list that I know I definitely can't make, then it becomes a less attractive option.

 

[clt]

I think it absolutely should be. I'm sure you don't need to be told this, but not everyone has the luxury of working 9-5, and that goes especially for many -- if not most -- jobs in Manhattan/NYC. I try to take half days on weekday gamedays just so I can guarantee I'll be there on time. Games on Friday are just as difficult to get to as the middle of the week for many and should be treated so. The thing that makes it difficult isn't the next day, it's getting there in time after work.

I think weeknight matches, or at least Friday ones, should start at 8 pm. Unlike other sports you pretty much know it's going to take 2 hours. Getting out of there at 10, especially on a Friday, seems reasonable.

 

[mgarbowski]

Before the first season started they ran a city coot poll on when night games should start, with separate questions I think for midweek and Friday's. Then I'm pretty sure they did what's best for TV.

 

[Seth]

So there's absolutely zero chance of you ever missing a game each season, because if there was, why ever consider being a STH?!

That's a funny notion though.

Yeah, I can totally empathize with this. A little annoyed I'm going to have to miss the Orlando match over Memorial Day weekend because my younger daughter's graduating from college that day. Really going to have to reconsider my season ticket plans.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Updated for third game.

Attendance really down so far this year, and the next couple of games are not looking better.

 

[Gene]

There's a difference between 2015 & 2016 of slightly more than 13K after three home games. It's down, but the difference being the first ever home opening match (43K) vs year number two home opening match (30K).

The next two home games in '15 brought in around 47K, which is a number the team should have no problems matching with Chicago and Montreal coming in.

 

[The Toe]

Probably going to be about 40-45 degrees at kickoff Sunday. Yuck.

 

[Goodfella]

Probably going to be about 40-45 degrees at kickoff Sunday. Yuck.

thus why I've upgraded to Delta Suite via Cityzens points