Out and Forward: Robbie Rogers returns to soccer

Photo credit: ESPN

Robbie Rogers, Men's national team standout  and former Columbus Crew and Leeds United player returned to action last night with the LA Galaxy in a game versus the Seattle Sounders. Scarcely three months ago, Rogers shocked the American soccer scene when he announced early retirement at the age of 26 and revealed to the world that he was gay.

Soon after coming out and having returned to America after a one-year stint in English soccer, Rogers was training with the LA Galaxy. It became clear to the soccer media that there was a possibility for Rogers to return to the field in MLS but questions still remained, specifically with his rights being owned by the Chicago Fire.

Just this past week it was announced that Rogers had been signed by the Galaxy following a trade that sent Mike Magee to Chicago. It is worth remembering that Magee is LA's current top scorer and also a clutch player for them in the post-season for the past 4 years.

But Robbie Rogers stole the show in his debut not necessarily with his play--he needs time to be match fit. Instead, Rogers became the first gay pro-athlete in any sport actively participating in competition. In a time when gay marriage is gaining significant traction in many parts of the country and it has become mainstream for the great majority of young people, Rogers' adventure is all the more significant.

We now celebrate Robbie Rogers' accomplishments on the field and off. He is the young winger Bruce Arena has been looking for his team to provide width and enable Keane, Donovan, Zardes and Villarreal room to move. He is also a trailblazer for the LGBT community and society as a whole. We are all one people, friends, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts, cousins and grandparents. We are humanity and are free to love whomever we desire, for that is our purpose in life and it makes us eternal.

MLS Attendance Statistics 2012 Week 17

Briefly catching up with MLS, which is in full swing after the international break. There are consistent patterns in attendance numbers stemming from how well a team is doing, especially as compared to recent seasons. DC United, for instance, has seen a steady increase in attendance given their winning ways this season. The same can be said for Columbus, Chicago and Colorado.

Some of the negatives include New York's struggles at Red Bull Arena, although the latest match was a sellout, and Montreal, which has seen attendance numbers that are relatively low for a debuting team. Indeed, as soon as Saputo Stadium opened, there have been three games in a row well below 15,000. Interestingly, places like Seattle and Portland sell out every game, and Salt Lake, Philadelphia, Houston and Kansas City have full stadiums almost every game.

The numbers:

Team	Average	Relative	Median
DC	14132	73	14131
KC	19353	105	19876
NE	12254	61	12523
CLB	14141	69	11978
TOR	19036	83	18911
CHI	14756	74	14163
NYRB	17161	68	17114
PHI	18399	99	18367
HOU	21632	98	22039
MON	26495	130	19223
LA	22483	83	21836
CHV	13291	71	13816
DAL	13252	65	12203
SJ	16509	157	10391
COL	15396	85	15269
RSL	18820	94	18780
SEA	39514	103	38399
POR	20438	100	20438
VAN	19123	91	19271

MLS 2011 Attendance Statistics Game Week 33

Magnificent Seattle. Over 64,000 in attendance for Kasey Keller's farewell match. Can anyone else match that? Perhaps once Donovan or Dempsey retires. Maybe the LA Colliseum or Rose Bowl. Maybe for Tim Howard there will be enough to approach Seattle's attendance for Keller? In New York? Seattle has set the bar pretty high once more.

This is the penultimate week of MLS attendance stats. The Sounders continue in front, having raised their average by 2000 over last year. KC, relatively speaking, has doubled its attendance due to their new stadium. LA, Dallas and Colorado have all had good gains from 2010. Chicago and Columbus continue to struggle a bit although recent matches have seen higher number of seats filled, especially for the Crew as they gear up for the playoffs.

The stats:

Team	Average	Relative	Median
DC	15203	62	14849
KC	18070	98	18467
NE	13631	68	13164
CLB	12185	60	11298
TOR	20183	88	20139
CHI	13898	69	14203
NYRB	19356	77	20039
PHI	18258	99	18524
HOU	16491	61	16478
LA	23330	86	23719
CHV	14470	54	14067
DAL	12933	63	11022
SJ	11928	114	10525
CRD	14881	82	14706
RSL	17248	86	16841
SEA	38496	108	36304
POR	18827	101	18627
VAN	20334	97	20226

MLS 2011 Attendance Statistics Weeks 5 & 6

Weeks 5 and 6 had to be a combo due to the midweek matches. Real Salt Lake gets a pass for the Monterrey games. We're all behind you as MLS fans.

New England continues to struggle, as does Chicago and Columbus. New York, surprisingly, is also well below its stats from last year. This is quite inexcusable due to the form of Henry, Ream, Agudelo, Marquez, Lindpere and just the team in general. The lowest attendance has been 14,000, well below the capacity of 25,000.

I make a lot of points about relative attendance, which is the actual numbers divided by the capacity. It's an interesting statistic worth exploring when one sees how full (empty) a stadium really is. Bigger stadiums look emptier than small ones depending on crowds. When it comes to Western Conference teams, stadiums are typically much fuller than the East. A simple scatter plot above shows the relationship between relative and average attendance. Notice that many teams are close to 100 even though some, like San Jose, have smaller stadiums (i.e. higher relative attendance). Conversely, a team like Chivas is much lower in the relative axis due to its large capacity (27,000).

MLS 2011 Attendance Statistics Week 4

We are now in the 4th week of play and attendance remains strong for the most part. FC Dallas, although only having an average of just under 12,000 for their last couple of matches, still pulls off an average of over 14,000 given their sellout opening game. They are clearly doing something right both on and off the pitch. Vancouver has also had the novelty sellout crowds and continue to show how strong soccer is in the Pacific Northwest market. The Portland Timbers open their new home venue at Jen-Weld Field on Thursday. This match attracts special interest on my part, as I will probably attend a few games this season.

Some of the weaker markets are already showing their poor attendance, however. Most notable are New England and Columbus. A more detailed look at the difference between seasons is presented in the two plots above. For the yellow bars (2011-2010), New England lags behind last year's average by over 3,000. Compare that to 2009 (green bars) and it is over 4,000. Something needs to be done to address this. Not to mention that their total numbers are in the four-digit category. New England used to be one of the strongest markets early in the league's history. Is it management? Players? The venue? Steve Nicol is a great coach but sometimes fresh ideas can inject energy into a team (and crowd). Hyndmann did it for Dallas.

Also on the losing end is Columbus. The 2008 champions have struggled in attendance for the past couple of years, even with the presence of Barros-Schelotto. They also recently lost their jersey sponsor, Glidden, before their contract was up. Finally, Chicago is also well below their past attendance numbers when C. Blanco was playing. Bringing is Ljundberg and Nery Castillo payed very little dividends and aren't in the team anymore.

Expect other markets like Houston and Toronto to stabilize. Their fan base is strong and their stadiums are usually full. More stats will come by the middle of next week as a combo of weeks 5 and 6.

MLS 2010 Attendance stats week 16-22

Yes, I know it's been a long while since I last posted any graphics. As stated on my last post however, important matters needed to be settled.

Most important of all in the new analysis is the presence of Henry, Castillo and Marquez on the die-hard soccer fans in New York as well as the Mexican contingent in Chicago and the Big Apple. Their latest battle (in Chicago, sold out) came to a 0-0 draw thanks to newcomer goalkeeper Johnson. A future USA prospect? Perhaps. This country has a knack for great goalies. I leave you with an amplified view of the change in attendance from 2009. Most glaring is the jump in New York given its new stadium and marquee acquisitions. Seattle also upped its capacity and keeps selling out every week.

More to come. Stay tuned.

MLS Designated Players 2009

Is it silly season yet? In Europe, it is. Fabregas is flirting with Barcelona. Drogba is being lured out of Chelsea. Efrain Juarez is now a Celtic man. Carlos Bocanegra has moved to St. Etienne. Roy Hodgson is now the Liverpool manager and Fulham are about to pick their own. It doesn't stop there: MLS also has its share now.

Yes, no longer a pushover league after the success of the US national team and the rise of its players abroad, MLS is quickly becoming more interesting to the international audience. Not too long ago, MLS was a league akin to that of Qatar or Saudi Arabia: big name stars in the twilight of their career. We are talking about Valderrama, Stoichkov, Zenga, Matthaus, Djorkaeff, Donadoni, Hugo Sanchez, Luis Hernandez, Leonel Alvarez. Not now: Freddie Ljunberg, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, Marcelo Gallardo, Nery Castillo, Blanco, Nkufo. These are all players capable of working at the highest level in the toughest leagues. Note that Beckham missed the World Cup due to injury while Henry had some minutes for the ill-fated French squad and Blanco scored on a PK for Mexico.

Consider the fact that Nery Castillo is by no means a grade B player. He had a monstrous time with Olimpiakos before an ill-advised move to big-pocketed Ukranian team Shaktar Donesk. He's 26, not a 32-year-old retiree. Also consider that both Beckham and Blanco were recalled by their respective nations given their play in MLS. I can't say the same for a team in the Middle East, not yet. Also, Henry is no pushover. His time in Barcelona was winding down given the accuracy of Pedro, the consistency of Ibrahimovic and the arrival of David Villa. Few people want to sit on the bench. Henry wouldn't be the first.

Then there are the Omar Bravo, Ronaldinho and Rafa Marquez rumors. Some probably truer than others. For Marquez, it would be change in scenery for one of the best Concacaf defenders of all time. He has ascertained that he has already won everything in Europe and is ready for something new (New York is a possibility). Omar Bravo has been released by Chivas Guadalajara and is rumored to be on his way to Kansas City. Ronaldinho is another matter entirely: he has been rumored to be going to the Galaxy ever since Becks made his way there.

Perhaps the most important signing is Thierry Henry. He is by no means done with the sport. He knew from 4 years back that he would be a Red Bull eventually... this was just the right time. His recent bad press with the "Hand of Gaul" against Ireland, limited time on the pitch with Barcelona, and the French debacle in 2010. Americans love outlaws and controversies and redemption stories. Henry should fit the bill. Added to that is the fact that he will be paired with Juan Pablo Angel, with the possibility for another DP (Marquez?) to manage the midfield. How fun does that sound?

So there you have it. Even if Landon Donovan were to leave MLS, the league would have newer and younger (Castillo) stars to continue the growth of the sport in this country. I'm looking forward to seeing them in action with their teams. Nkufo already played for Seattle (impressive, although the team hasn't been). Henry will debut next week in MLS action (this week versus Tottenham in a friendly match). Castillo is likely to do the same this week or next for Chicago.

Colorado Rapids Home Opener: The live experience

Today's match between the Colorado Rapids and the Chicago Fire was my first experience at a competitive MLS match. I am a soccer fan. It runs in my blood and exhilarates me to watch. When I have a chance to experience the game live it is that much more special. Perhaps this is because I've been relatively deprived of high-level futbol throughout my adult life. As a kid born in Ecuador and having stayed there until the 6th grade, it was difficult to find a steady futbol mentor. Living in New Orleans and then North Carolina the rest of my life limited me to NASL and USL action only. A handful of Barcelona(EC)-Emelec clasicos, a US World Cup Qualifier and interspersed MLS-USL preseason action account for my experience of the game at actual stadiums.

To start, I'd like to compliment the team on a superb field and impeccable stadium (Dick's Sporting Goods Park). The pitch looked amazing and could be described as a soft green carpet. The seats were comfortable, close to the field and spacious. The new "Supporters Terrace" adds a bit of European flair to the fan base. My colleague (and ticket buyer) is a footy fan and a former River Rats fan club member. It was a joy to cheer along with her as well as my significant other and other company in attendance.

The stadium was a good 63% full today. Not optimum but decent and it sure felt like a packed house on my side of the stands. The opposite end had more empty seats. It's also nice to note the game's very much a family sport in this nation. I was reminded of this when I saw two girls (7 or 8) sitting together watching the game... one with a yellow jersey with the name "Brazil" above the number 10 and the other with a mini Manchester United jersey and Rooney's name.

The game for me, as always, was also much more about the players. I followed Conor Casey intently for most of the match as well as Marvell Wynne. Casey was often dangerous but with limited service from midfield. A stronger number 10 is needed and the incoming Claudio Lopez may just do the trick. I can see Casey's name being included in South Africa if Ching is unable to make it due to his recent injury. Casey is a good target forward (just watch the US-Honduras game from last October) and he can dribble with style. Wynne also showed his class--and his flaw. Poor decisions when pushed to the limit (his foul on Nyarko produced Chicago's equalizer). Excellent marking when needed. He was the reference point for the Rapids' defense and saved his team on 5 or 6 occasions.

Today's game left me wanting more. My stay in the Denver area is about to expire and this was the only match I could attend. I'm looking forward to next season, however, since my future home will be the state of Oregon. They will have a new expansion team, the Portland Timbers, and I plan to attend many more games. Indeed, it will be a pleasure (and relief) to finally have a home side to root for.

MLS 2009 Attendance stats week 9

You can now follow me on Twiter. I'm not really sure what that means but I thought it might be worth noting. MLS games have been sort of scrambled the past couple of weeks due to midweek play. That messes up my analysis and it takes me a little while to collate everything so that it makes sense on a "weekly" basis. On that note, I wanted to update everyone on what's been happening with fans at stadiums. Where on the one hand you have expansion teams (Philly, Vancouver) selling out seats ahead of their respective start dates (2010 and 2011), on the other hand we have classic teams like Dallas trying everything to bring fans to games.

Indeed, a recent game day deal included free stuff and other considerations. Seattle, meanwhile, has expanded their MLS capacity from 27700 to 32000. This tinkers with my relative attendance analysis but I'm trying to coalesce the two seamlessly so that it works. So what do these very different turn of events mean? Either a honeymoon phase with Seattle or a reluctance of having a poor team in Dallas. Go figure. FCD has to do something soon or they risk losing their franchise. Their one advantage over other markets? Pizza Hut Park. Yes, the "Hoops" have their own home.

I also wanted to show a time series of the eastern conference attendance. After an early fall out during their second week of play, most markets have stabilized and/or recovered. Case in point, look at the defending champs, Columbus, bounce back to ~15K. Chicago's low attendance also bothers me, as does New York's fan base. Red Bull Park could become another Pizza Hut Park next year if the NYRB ownership team doesn't try something new. Otherwise, let's play with the names... Have some pizza with your red bull drink.

MLS 2009 Attendance stats week 7

This will be short but poignant. Previously, on week 5, I had done some analysis on weather-attendance correlations. Not much there. I thought maybe I would try the same but with relative attendance to put all stadiums in perspective under the same umbrella. Interesting things happen. With Toronto and Seattle (attendance leaders with sellout crowds) attendance has a very slight but noticeable trend to cooler games (on right). Notice I have circled the suspect attendance figures. Some include LA but I keep those for the second analysis.

So let's say we have no TFC and no Sounders. . . Trends (very slight and statistically not significant) are for warmer weather (figure on the left). I'm beginning to agree with some of the readers that the economy may be to blame. I think it's also fans of the game that are not as enthusiastic for their own teams (i.e. Dallas, Chicago, Colorado). Note that all three have their own stadium. Chicago perplexes me... they have Blanco and McBride.