Galaxy II, Red Bull B and MLS development

Photo credit: LA Galaxy

 

The rise of MLS development is here and the marquee clubs are setting the stage for it. The Red Bulls just announced that they would begin the process of creating a secondary feeder team in the USL Pro. This is not without precedent since the Galaxy II was just formed a few weeks ago.

If this sounds familiar to those that follow international soccer it's because great teams in other leagues around the world also have this type of setup: Barcelona B, Bayern Munich B and so on. Indeed, it's quite a step for MLS teams.

The "b" teams we are talking about have given us players like Pedro, Giovanni dos Santos, and the great Carles Puyol, who came up from Barcelona C to become one of the greatest central defenders of all time.

Recently, players like Terrence Boyd and USA prospect Julian Green have come up the ranks from Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. The former landed a starting (and successful) role at Rapid Wien of the Austria Bundesliga while the latter made his first full-team appearance in a Champions League match with Bayern.

It is no secret that MLS teams have had partnerships with lower division teams for player loans in order to get young players valuable playing time. Such was the case with individuals like Seaton and Dykstra for DC united and the Richmond Kickers.

Just as the great leagues in the past have move forward with new, clear and groundbreaking developments, so does Major League Soccer. Still in its second decade, the league is advancing step by step to catch up to the rest of the soccer world.

Major League Soccer is now experiencing what we might term its third age. A time after the Beckham era. The influx of highly talented designated players continues, as does the repatriation of in-prime US internationals like Dempsey and Bradley. 

The projected increase of teams to 24 by the end of the decade calls for an increase in the talent pool. The Galaxy and Red Bull are now leading the way with their developmental "B" sides to ensure they can have the tools to meet the demand and are once again doing the trailblazing for the league.

Red Bulls elimminated and the craziness of MLS Playoffs

Photo credit: USA Today

 

For some of us, watching games late at night prior to a day full of work can sometimes be unfeasible. And yet, if for whatever reason you are unable to sleep, you can catch up on the #MLSPlayoff action.

First up was New York's latest bid to make it past the first round of the playoffs. Ever since the inception of Red Bull Arena, the Red Bulls have been unable to win in a playoff match. Last year it was Houston that took away their chance at advancing. Might the same happen this year even though the team was the best in league play and won the Supporter's Shield?

Answer, unfortunately, was yes. Whether it was Jamison Olave's absence or lack of clarity in the final touch, New York was unable to break through Tally Hall's masterful performance and Brad Davis's control of the midfield. An overtime clutch goal by Omar Cummings sent Houston to the next round and New York to continue looking for answers and suffer another setback.

Kansas City versus New England Revolution was a different type of match. It was second place versus third place. Establishment versus youth. Solidity versus experiment. New England pressed and made a statement when they tied the game halfway through the second half. It would have been 3-2 aggregate. But Kansas City had other plans.

Sporting KC was the better team yesterday. Better poise. More atmosphere. A Feilhaber, Nagamura, Zusi midfield that knows how to play attacking football. Deadly strikers in Bieler and Sapong. Peter Vermes played his game and delivered a statement win in overtime thanks to a sublime Bieler strike.

It was Graham Zusi's masterful runs along the flanks and Feilhaber's pinpoint passes that makes the difference for Kansas City. It is a team built around a great, hard working and underrated midfield. Kansas City also has an intimidating stadium that they have to learn to use to their advantage. Another shock loss to Houston like last year's would undo another great campaign just as it did for New York.

The playoffs highlight some of what opponents always argue against: unfair advantage to lower-seeded teams. Any slip-up can mean elimination, no matter how good your squad is. In the end, it is an American institution and for the rest of us the Supporter's Shield remains the true championship trophy and the MLS Cup might remain a cup competition a-la FA Cup. Then again, this counts as the star emblazoned above each team's jersey logo.

Will there be more surprises tonight? Salt Lake and Portland sure hope not. Portland needs to be more cautious in their approach and should try to score as many goals as possible and as early as they can. Seattle will not and cannot back down. Jeld-Wen could make the difference, as could Rio Tinto for RSL. Salt Lake needs to win by two goals while the Galaxy just need a tie. For Portland a tie will also do but being at home gives them a chance to make a statement just like KC did.

Curse broken: New York wins 2013 Supporter's Shield

Photo credit: MLS Soccer

 

There have been many constants in MLS: high attendance in Seattle, LA a perennial contender, spring-fall schedule. But another constant, that of New York never winning a single tournament, has now been erased. The Red Bulls won the MLS Supporter's Shield yesterday with a 5-2 decision over Chicago

I've been around MLS, or the other way around, since its inception. New York's lack of silverware was always an oddity and also a concern. How can you have a deep-pocketed, centrally-located, and soccer-rich city such as New York. Let's face it, Beckenbauer and Pele ruled the land and soccer in America for several years through Cosmos and the NASL. So why can't the city have this in MLS?

It's not for lack of trying that New York hasn't won anything until now. Their squad has included players like Branco, Roberto Donadoni, Tony Meola, Jozy Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Yuri Djorkaeff, Lothar Matthaus, Rafa Marquez, Eduardo Hurtado, Michael Bradley and Juan Pablo Angel. Some young and unproven, some in their prime, and some in their twilight of their careers, but all significant in their own right.

It took the addition of French-great Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill, as well as the subtraction of Rafa Marquez to get this team through. Add in Espindola, Olave and Dax McCarty and you get a stronger and more balanced group. But the missing piece was the coaching and this year marked a new direction. Mike Petke, a man without coaching experience but deep love for the team took the helm.

Petke suffered from the now-normal inconsistencies that always plagued this New York club but broke through thanks to the incomparable play of Tim Cahill and a suddenly-stout defense. New York was more difficult to beat and gathered enough points to push for winning the league. And win they did.

Mike Petke is a different sort of coach. Young, energetic, with a bit of Guradiola to his look and style. Along with Caleb Porter or Portland, he is a new breed of MLS coach. One that knows what it's like to play in the American soccer scene, and for Petke, one that knows what it's like to play in Major League Soccer.

It's now up to a newly-minted New York Red Bulls team to continue its good fortunes and go beyond the Shield won yesterday and win the MLS Cup. With the Caricola curse lifted, this team knows no bounds and West Coast squads should be wary. It would be great to have another title in this city ahead of the second MLS New York team: New York City FC.

Parity rules in 2013 MLS playoff race

One look at the table(s) in MLS standings and you come away with a peculiar observation: at any time in the past month any one of 5 to 6 teams in each conference could have won their group and at least 6 overall teams could have won the Supporter's Shield. That's  how small the margin of error is for each team in the league.

Alexi Lalas once put it this way: MLS is the most competitive league in the world. Now while those are very big words and 99.9% of the soccer world would disagree, there is a thread of truth to his claim. Unlike most European nations, not much is settled in terms of championship this late in the season. In England, Spain and Italy usually the championship is already spoken for a month in advance or is between only two or three teams with two months to go. In Spain, for instance, the choices are Barcelona or Real Madrid--always.

How does MLS do this? First, salary cap. The league contains how much each team can spend, with the only loophole being the "Designated Player" or "Beckham Rule." It has worked, for the most part, to buoy the attendance figures and increase quality in players. If it really affected who wins the league then we wouldn't be talking about Salt Lake winning in 2009 and Colorado in 2010.

The second is continuity in coaching. Most teams refrain from sacking their managers even when times are tough. Such is the case for coaches like Sigi Shmid (Seattle), Schellas Hyndman (Dallas), Ben Olsen (DC), Frank Klopas (Chicago) and even Bruce Arena when LA failed to win in 2009 and 2010 even though they were arguably the best team in the league.

This year the contest comes down to the big-spending LA and New York, new big-spenders Seattle, and more blue collar teams like Kansas City, Salt Lake and Portland. The Timbers, in particular, have lost only 5 games and yet they have not clinched the Supporter's Shield because they were tied at home to Real Salt Lake. The Galaxy have also not won key matches and now are out of the running for winning the Shield. 

Another fact remains: clubs like Colorado, Montreal, Chicago and New England could still win the MLS Cup by virtue of the playoff system. Such was the case with Real Salt Lake in 2009. What's to say this can't happen again.

There are two key components to the parity in the league: the Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup. Most critics of the American playoff setup would find it sacrilege to allow lower-seeded teams to win the league. But to those of us that understand the game and understand what the Shield stands for then this argument does not hold up. The Shield is the league and the Cup is another type of tournament, e.g. FA Cup in England. This may not be as apparent in the way the tournament is marketed but it is another trophy and a ticket to the Champions League.

So there you have it. Right now, Salt Lake, Portland, New York or Kansas City can win the league and any one of ten teams that advance to the playoffs can win the Cup. How's that for parity?

New York's second MLS team arrives

Photo credit: MLS

New York City FC will be MLS's 20th, and most expensive franchise. After 17 years of trying, the league finally achieved their goal: a second team in the New York metro area. Instead of dwelling on details better covered in other pages, I will instead devote this post to the significance of the club and what it may mean for the league and players in this country.

The New York area is home to around 19 million people. Just driving through there you get a sense of the enormity of the population, not to mention its worldly inhabitants. You can hear a dozen languages at every street corner. Thus, New York acquired multiple teams in every sport, including big names like the Giants and Jets in American football and the Yankees and Mets in Major League Baseball. So why should soccer be any different?

At one point it was thought that the New York Cosmos would come back to the big scene. What with the inclusion of Pele as a backer and managing by Giovanni Savarese and Carlos Llamosa. But Dom Garber and MLS directives were very good at keeping the secret about who would build the team, what it's brand would be and where they would play.

Enter Manchester City and the New York Yankees. Suddenly a big name in soccer and a major brand in world sport enter the scene and establish the team. Significant, because although other squads have "training" sessions with big teams (Real Madrid with Real Salt Lake), and Chivas Guadalajara might consider Goats USA to be their satellite team, adding a European squad and the Yankees is much more impressive. The cost alone, at $100 million, benefits the league and players and sets the stage for even more greatness in the American soccer scene.

So how do we take this latest step in MLS? The league has proven that it has what it takes to build new teams and followers. One must only look at the Pacific Northwest, the Canadian teams, the new stadiums being built and the crop of homegrown players and big name stars. A second New York team adds a subway derby, a cross-town rivalry better than Chivas-Galaxy ever was. In fact, Chivas might re-brand and/or move out of the city. In reality, capitalizing on the Mexican population and the biggest brand in Liga MX wasn't enough to maintain attention or build a bigger fan base. New York FC must learn from this. They should have their own stadium and bring big name players. And maybe, just maybe, Red Bull Arena and the NYCFC stadium might sell out every match the way the Sounders and Timbers do.

MLS Attendance Statistics Week 28

As the MLS season begins to wind down, a few locations in the attendance arena show some real patterns compared to years past. Nowhere is this more a fact than in New York. The Red Bulls may have 3 designated players in Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and Tim Cahill, but big bucks and a shiny, recently-built stadium haven't translated into the filled arenas seen in Seattle, Portland, Kansas City, Philadelphia and Houston.

New York's deficit compared to last year now stands at almost 3000 seats. This is after a considerable positive jump in the past two years following the completion of RBA and the signing of Henry and Marquez. So what is it? Quality on the pitch? Hardly, in my opinion. Accessibility of venue? Nope. Style of play? Maybe. New direction for team? Perhaps. We will see after this season is complete. Maybe New York needs the other New York team to start playing.

Another sore spot for MLS these days is Toronto FC. The once-gleaming venue for full stadiums and ardent fans, has now run into its 6th year of mediocrity. The team has yet to make it into the playoffs and the fans have begun to notice. What was once 100% attendance has since become 80%. The same fate could be in hand for the Timbers if they are unable to capitalize on a dedicated fan base.

The numbers:

Team	Average	Relative	Median
DC	13833	71	14131
KC	19296	104	19422
NE	12690	63	12523
CLB	14140	69	13651
TOR	18480	80	18773
CHI	15956	80	16914
NYRB	16744	66	16464
PHI	18217	98	18412
HOU	20850	95	21423
MON	23100	114	19223
LA	22309	83	21731
CHV	13285	71	13594
DAL	13590	66	12203
SJ	13633	130	10525
COL	14975	83	14987
RSL	18897	94	19341
SEA	42327	110	38934
POR	20438	100	20438
VAN	19409	92	19394

MLS Attendance Statistics 2012 Week 20

The summer void is upon us with oppressive heat that clears seats in stadiums throughout the country. Why some teams choose to play under unbearable East Coast conditions is beyond most of us. And yet the players must go on playing in virtual saunas that can't possibly be good for their health. How about scheduling matches in the evening?

As far as the statistics, not much has changed. New York looked to be making up for lost ground but the latest matinee match erased their gains. Houston looks to have lost some of their initial spark in attendance and are now below the 100% mark in 3 games out of their last 4. However, these are still 90% full thanks to the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Elsewhere, Montreal is having a hard time attracting fans to the newly-renovated Stade Saputo, and this has taking down their numbers considerably so that the median is 17112. This, after selling out the Olympic stadium for the LA Galaxy match and their opening game. Short honeymoon?

For some perspective, below is the 2012-2011 difference. Notice that the major population markets are down relative to last year, especially New York. Unlike Seattle and Portland, Vancouver has seen some minor ups and downs and don't quite sell out their stadium on a weekly basis.

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 Attendance Statistics 2012 Week 15

After a long stretch of international games, qualifiers and a small break for the Euro, MLS got back into full action last week. Thus, it is time to look at statistics once more. New England, DC, and New York continue to struggle. The latter, although the average number of seats filled approaches 16,000, the relative value is 63%, making Red Bull Arena look empty.

Montreal's recent opening of Stade Saputo, its permanent home base, would suggest strong, constant attendance numbers. Instead, neither one of the first two games at the stadium have sold out the 20341 available spots. This weekend's match, for example, drew in only 12,357. Blame the Euro perhaps, but other locales had close to capacity from Philadelphia to Salt Lake City. 

To illustrate the reason why averages may be much higher than any given match, the Eastern Conference mean vs median is presented in this scatter plot. Clearly, Montreal has a median closer to its stadium capacity, while New York has a higher mean stemming from a couple of sold out games.

MLS Attendance Statistics 2012 Week 11

Recent trends in the attendance numbers show some gain in New England, Columbus and DC. The biggest markets, however, still lag far behind the Pacific Northwest, newer league teams and recently opened stadiums. Here we speak of LA and New York. LA has been stagnant mainly due to poor form while New York just can't seem to get their city excited about their team no matter who they hire to play. Example: midweek fixtures in New York (13919, 55%), Chicago (11,947, 60%), LA (16,512, 61%) compared against Seattle (38,311, 100%) show the discrepancy. 

It is true that these major markets have other major sports, but you don't see their numbers suffering. Not too long ago, LA sold out every match, regardless of how full the Staples Center was. It comes down to the product on the pitch (LA, Chicago) and, well, the New York fickle crowd. Is a second team in the city necessary? Would it make a difference? Only time will tell.

The numbers:

Team	Average	Relative	Median
DC	13548	70	13619
KC	19017	103	19777
NE	11598	58	12112
CLB	12658	62	11516
TOR	19022	83	18944
CHI	13730	69	13852
NYRB	15823	63	15517
PHI	18437	100	18526
HOU	22039	100	22039
MON	36498	179	23120
LA	22242	82	22143
CHV	13856	74	14296
DAL	13178	64	11953
SJ	11668	111	10256
COL	14660	81	14756
RSL	18344	92	17924
SEA	38587	100	38380
POR	20438	100	20438
VAN	19012	91	19333

MLS Attendance Statistics 2012 Week 4

Week 4 and a few changes and trends begin to appear. First and perhaps most importantly are the two biggest markets in MLS: LA and New York. The Red Bulls remain south of last year's 19,691 average despite this being the first few weeks of the season with less distractions from football or baseball. The New Jersey base for New York may have been necessary from a logistics point of view but would it have been better to put Red Bull Arena elsewhere? Would a second New York team make a difference? We hope so, especially if a good location for a stadium is secured.

For LA its two teams have vastly different situations. Chivas is ailing at the moment both on the soccer pitch and the stands. Its relative attendance is less than 50% and averages 11,853, a figure just over the capacity for San Jose's team. The Galaxy has bigger attendance margins due to its superstar trio but have only sold out their opening match versus RSL and sit at over 80% capacity averaged over the first three games.

The numbers:

Team	Average	Relative	Median
DC	14742	60	14742
KC	17469	95	17469
NE	12925	65	12925
CLB	18197	89	18197
TOR	19507	85	19507
CHI	18075	90	18075
NYRB	17220	68	17220
PHI	18443	100	18443
HOU
MON	58912	290	58912
LA	22263	82	21324
CHV	11853	44	13372
DAL	16555	81	16555
SJ	16171	154	16171
CRD	13954	77	13954
RSL	18577	93	18577
SEA	38438	100	38304
POR	20438	100	20438
VAN	20197	96	20197

MLS 2012

Photo credit: Houston Dynamo

Not a doomsday year for MLS. Not by a long shot. Indeed, 2012 is building up to be one of the biggest years for the American soccer league. There are three MLS teams in the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals, a new set of designated players, a new stadium in Houston, a longer season and a new franchise in the Montreal Impact.

Success for MLS transcends the game and shows its impact in the makeup of a city. For Portland, the Timbers mean a solid franchise with a stable fan base. Where the Trailblazers may fail, the Timbers supersede expectations by nearly reaching the playoffs in their first year and by selling out every single match at Jeld-Wen Field.

The Pacific Northwest is the mecca of soccer in this country now, and with Vancouver, the regional rivalries grow in fervor and it brings Canada closer to its potential as a soccer nation. Cross-country and regional rivalries within the maple leaf country are further heightened with the entrance of the Montreal Impact, a team that gained a "promotion" of sorts from the lower divisions of North America.

Internationally, the MLS presence in the Champions League has grown by one team from last season. Toronto FC is facing LA Galaxy for one of the matchups while the Seattle Sounders are facing Santos of Mexico. LA is arguably the best team in MLS even if tonight's match versus Real Salt Lake was a 1-3 loss. They are the most complete team and replete with star power in Donovan, Keane, Buddle and Beckham, and unsung heroes like Mike Magee, Juninho, De la Garza and Saunders. A ticket to the final for LA or even a championship in this tournament isn't out of the question. It would also bring the team and the league to its first FIFA Club World Cup later this year.

Aside from the current slate of designated players is a new batch, highlighted by the Timbers' Kris Boyd, the leading scorer for the Glasgow Rangers at 101 goals. The updated "Beckham rule" now includes the ability to recruit younger players like Diego Chara and Fabian Castillo and more teams are likely to follow this paradigm.

As the league grows, one of the most important economic aspects is the need for a soccer specific stadium. There are now 12 teams with such stadiums and 2012 marks the inauguration of the BBVA Compass Stadium for the Houston Dynamo, a futuristic-looking edifice worthy of the Space City.

Major League Soccer is undoubtedly one of the most competitive leagues in the world. This argument has its basis in the salary cap and the redistribution of players through drafts, as well as the playoff-style finale to the season. This is how we arrive at Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids as champions. But legacies can also be forged: the Galaxy and DC United have storied pasts in the league with 7 titles among them. The American version of the superclub is alive in New York and LA. We cheer for underdogs, superstars and the emotion of each game. This is why we love Major League Soccer.

Finding Tim Ream

Tim Ream is set to join Premier League side Bolton Wanderers after his travel permit was granted. Scarcely over a year ago, Ream had just completed a standout 2010 season and was starting to look like the next generation of American central defenders. He played every match of his first season with the New York Red Bulls and earned a debut start with the national team in a 1-0 win over South Africa later in 2010. He was dominant in stature, had superb distribution abilities, and even scored a goal. The American soccer press pegged him as the next Bocanegra or Onyewu. All waited for what would happen in 2011.

This past year was rather forgettable for Tim. He still showed well in the beginning stages of the year both with club and country. His time with Team USA took him through friendlies versus Argentina, Spain, Chile and Paraguay and to a starting spot in the 2011 Concacaf Gold Cup. With his club, things went from rosy to blood red as the experienced and opinionated Rafael Marquez blatantly suggested Tim and company were to blame for the team's defensive woes. Marquez would be moved to midfield and Keel would team up with Ream.

Perhaps the ill-timed unprofessionalism of Marquez and an unstable locker room at the Red Bull Arena made it harder for Ream to concentrate. At the Gold Cup, after a great debut versus Canada, Ream committed a foul in the penalty area and cost the team the game versus Panama. He played again for the USA in October and was faulted--possibly--for Ecuador's game-winning goal due to his inability to mark his man.

It was, perhaps, a comedy of errors in 2011. But Tim continued his steady presence with the Red Bulls, enough to see them through to a playoff versus eventual-winners Galaxy. Still, Tim persevered and his connections, namely Bradley and Klinsmann, allowed him to pursue training stints in Europe at Bolton Wanderers after months of scouting by teams like Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven and West Brom.

We should credit a coach's vision when it comes to Ream. Clearly, the standout defender of 2010 is the person they see and the one that they keep on asking for. It is Tim's assertiveness and his control and distribution of the ball as a left-footed center back which sets him apart from other defenders. Will he get exposed in the Premier League? Yes, all of them do. Will this be a bust for the player and US Soccer? Not so fast. Ream is a mature player with two years as a professional and international experience. He is 24, not too old and not too young. He is calm and collected, patient but explosive. And, perhaps as a side note to all the doubters, it might just be that Bolton Wanderers, the Premier League, and US Soccer may have lucked out finding Tim Ream.

MLS 2011 Attendance Statistics Final Week: Part 2

Now we look at the difference between 2011 and 2010 for the whole season and every team. The difference plot shows that MLS overall gained 1142. Compared to 2009 (+2820) the number is even larger. Even with the Beckham effect in 2008 (+1175) and 2007 (+1088), 2011 still shows impressive gains. It comes down to two factors: new soccer specific stadiums and the Pacific Northwest Teams.

Seven teams gained over 1000 seats and 4 approached or surpassed the 2000 seat mark. Kansas City had specific gains due to the opening of Livestrong Sporting Park. New York, LA and Colorado made significant gains since last year. Seattle gained close to 2000 seats due to the New York game and Keller's goodbye match.

The negatives this year included Columbus (-2520 since 2010), Chicago (-1541) and Toronto (-187, although this is negligible). This may be due to the lack of important stars and results for the teams and good DP signings or homegrown stars may ameliorate the numbers in 2012.

MLS 2011 Attendance Statistics Game Week 24

As the league nears the end of the regular season, some teams have seen an upswing in attendance. This is especially important now that the NFL and College Football restart their fall run. Columbus has seen modest gains, as has New York. West coast teams remain strong and the addition of Keane to the Galaxy may bring about sellout games to Hollywood once more.

Here are the numbers:

Team	Average	Relative	Median
DC	15024	61	13735
KC	17687	96	18467
NE	13015	65	12337
COL	11278	55	11246
TOR	20105	87	20122
CHI	13919	70	13156
NYRB	18796	75	19237
PHI	18308	99	18558
HOU	16266	60	15712
LA	23044	85	23719
CHV	14714	54	14058
DAL	12984	63	11138
SJ	12128	116	10401
CRD	14617	81	14185
RSL	16704	84	16220
SEA	37120	104	36326
POR	18627	100	18627
VAN	20580	98	20518

MLS 2011 Attendance Statistics Game Week 17

Copa America or not, MLS must continue. Now with most of their players in hand, the league continues to see strong attendance, especially over the holiday weekend with sold out venues from LA to Dallas and San Jose to Colorado. Kansas City's form stretches not only through its impressive unbeaten run but also to its shining new home at Livestrong Sporting Park. San Jose's numbers may seem inflated but this is because it chose to play at a larger venue for the New York match.

Most interesting from the 2011-2010 plot is the fact that 8 teams are in the positive and 8 in the negative (Portland and Vancouver don't count as this is their first year in the league). Of the 8 teams in the negative only 3 are more negative than -1000. However, all 8 teams in the positive are above 1000.

The numbers:

Team	Average	Relative	Median
DC	15696	64	14105
KC	18017	98	18467
NE	12675	63	12337
COL	10483	51	10306
TOR	19876	86	20086
CHI	14026	70	13156
NYRB	17878	71	18081
PHI	18177	98	18372
HOU	16411	61	15176
LA	22739	84	23719
CHV	15111	56	14058
DAL	13278	65	11138
SJ	13367	127	10276
CRD	14735	81	14185
RSL	16066	80	15513
SEA	37265	104	36255
POR	18627	100	18627
VAN	20019	95	20518

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

In my last post, I recounted the experience at the MLS First Kick 2011 opening match between the Seattle Sounders and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Last year I was also fortunate to watch the Colorado Rapids' home opener in April 2010. Perhaps next year I can experience another home opener. And that's what brings me to today's post: a look ahead at MLS in 2011 and what the league has to offer.

Little did I know in 2010 that the Rapids I watched from the Dick's Sporting Goods Park stands would be the eventual MLS champions. This was over the resilient, steady FC Dallas in a 2-1 finally that went into overtime. This was after FC Dallas had dispatched heavily-favored LA Galaxy by 3-0 and semifinalists San Jose Earthquakes had humbled Henry and Marquez's New York Red Bulls. This season, the Galaxy and the Red Bulls are once again heavily favored due to their considerable pedigree and depth. Real Salt Lake is also quite deep and swelling with talent. The same can be said about the Seattle Sounders, although their finishing needs to improve.

There are also teams in rebuilding mode and others that are, at least in paper, good enough to challenge for silverware. Such is the case with the four-time champion DC United. The club boasts not only Andy Najar (18, 2010 Rookie of the Year), but also newly acquired Dax McCarty, impressive rookie Perry Kitchen, veterans Josh Wolff and Joseph Ngwenya, but also the resurgent Charlie Davies. Clearly a team to watch.

The re-branded and remodeled Sporting Kansas City is coming to the fold with US international Teal Bunbury and Mexican star Omar Bravo. Salt Lake upgraded Saborio to Designated Player (DP) status and has kept its core of players, becoming deeper and more stable. Such is also the case with the Earthquakes, who are hoping Ike Opara can return to form and Wondolowski can continue to impress. New York has Agudelo to build around Henry at forward and Marquez in the back line alongside Tim Ream. Also in the mix are Tchani, John Rooney, Lindpere and Dane Richards. LA may have lost Edson Buddle, but have gained Juan Pablo Angel--how's that for a triple whammy with Donovan and Beckham?

Also on the upswing is the Houston Dynamo. Rookies Kofi Sarkodie and Will Bruin complement Brian Ching and a solidified back line with Hunter Freeman as a new addition. The New England Revolution, Chicago Fire, Toronto FC and Columbus Crew are at a crossroads right now, in a continuously difficult rebuilding process. This was evident in RSL's demolishing of the Crew in Concachampions play. Toronto has much to prove after years of impressive fan base but not enough on the pitch.

Seattle and Philadelphia, recent additions to the league, are going through different growing pains. Seattle is still looking for a stabilizer in its back line and a creative force in the attack. Losing Nkufo and Ljundberg have hampered its ability to finish their chances (clear evidence of this occurred in Tuesday's match). Piotr Nowvak has yet to find a winning form for his Philadelphia Union. The sophomore year for this franchise should be an interesting one now that players like Orozco and Fred have left and Faryd Mondragon and Carlos Ruiz have taken their place.

Not to be outdone, not by a long shot, are the two newcomers: Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps. True to their USL and NASL roots, the Cascadia teams have taken similar, yet uniquely distinct paths to the MLS. Portland boasts impressive rookies like 2nd overall Darlington Nagbe, with experience national team players Kenny Cooper (striker) and Perkins (goalkeeper). Vancouver went for the biggest longshot in league history by snatching 17-year-old Omar Salgado as the number 1 pick and the fullback--and World Cup star--Jay DeMerrit. Portland has a stocked offense. Vancouver is still building theirs, with Salgado months away from being allowed on the pitch given FIFA rules (American with a Canadian team).

So tomorrow as some of us watch intently the NCAA brackets unfold and others catch the early European games, a new chapter will be played out in MLS history. The 2011 season is upon us and the league is 18-team strong and 16 years old. Stars will rise and fall but one thing is clear... American soccer is here to stay. Enjoy the games.

Photo credits MLS

New York vs San Jose: Superclubs don't always win

It was truly a tale of two matches. On the away match, the overbearing New York Red Bulls stomped all over the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium in the first leg of the quarterfinals in MLS' convoluted playoff system. The scoreline was 1-0. Many out there, including myself, thought the Red Bulls should come home with the away advantage and score a routine win or a tie to see them through. We were wrong.

Enter Bobby Convey (remember him?). His goal in the 6th opened up spaces in the defense as Rafa Marquez kept moving forward. Tim Ream and company were leaving too many spaces open after that in a push for the equalizer. Chances came and went via Agudelo, Richards, Lindpere and Angel. None got through thanks, in part, to John Busch.

With the first half behind and an ever-more-dangerous New York pushing farther up San Jose's defense, more room was left in the back line for the Red Bulls. Convey punished them for this with his second strike of the night. Immediately after, however, a smart play by the 17-year-old Agudelo set up a free header for Angel. 2-1. It's a game again.

Then came Wondolowski, the league's top scorer, with a superb header. 3-1 was the final score.

What do we take away from this result? Big spending doesn't necessarily mean success, and this is not a "Tea Party" remark, let's stick to football. Consider this: New York had 3 designated players on the pitch: Rafa Marquez, Thierry Henry and Juan Pablo Angel. Together they are worth three MLS teams, so to speak. Henry was a commodity. Angel was a proven scorer. Marquez was a brilliant move...but Henry and Marquez came in too late in the season (August). Not enough time to transition into MLS play.

San Jose went in the other direction. They signed a designated player late in the season also (Giovanni), but it wasn't their centerpiece. They were smart about spending and about having a blue-collar team that can do some damage. They snuck into the playoffs and are now semifinalists. Players like Wondolowski (27-year-old veteran of MLS), repatriated Convey (his time in Europe was cut short due to form), Corrales, and a hard working team. That's worth more in MLS right now when two or three year projects are allowed to proceed. New York went the opposite direction. New manager, pricey players, big team attitude.

But New York isn't completely flawed. This can be a team to reckon with in the coming seasons if Hans Backe is allowed to remain at the helm and if a more skillful playmaker is signed. Add to this the promising 17-year-old Agudelo, Richards, Lindpere, Tim Ream, and this adds up to a successful franchise.

So cheer up, New York. There's always next season. And to San Jose, welcome back to the big leagues.u

MLS 2010 Attendance stats week 30

These MLS attendance stats graphics may be a bit disjointed as I compile all the seasonal information. Also, keep in mind that some weeks have more games than others. This tends to impact trends somewhat but the numbers remain solid (5% error at most). A final MLS regular season attendance post will also be included in three week's time.

For now, besides the usual updated graphics on the right column, I'm providing two high-res images of the relative attendance vs average attendance. At some point in the first season I started with this project, I had a person point to me that I should provide details on how the two numbers are related. Most notable is the actual size of the San Jose and KC stadiums. This will change starting next year with the opening of KC's 18,500 stadium. San Jose will also be getting a stadium soon, but this has yet to begin construction. Large attendances don't always equal full stadium (LA, Houston, New York), and this analysis confirms it. As always, it depends on the size of the stadium.