By Ben Nicholson
October 27 – The MLS has broken its season long average attendance records, improving on last year’s mark by 12.7%. The league’s growing visibility overseas upon acquisition of ageing legends has had a positive domestic influence, as evidenced by the total 7,335,053 attendance for the year.
The average attendance per game in the league’s 19th season came to 21,574, which is more than 2,000 over last season’s average. 161 games sold out this year, up from 133 in 2014.
The improvement is largely driven by the advent of Orlando City SC and NYC FC, who in their inaugural seasons had the respective second and third highest attendance figures, and the dissolution of Chivas USA who managed only to attract 7,063 fans per game last season.
Stadium capacity increases of 7,500 at both San Jose Earthquakes and Toronto FC resulted in respective season long average increases of 40% and 6%. In all, only five out of 18 teams suffered marginal percentage decreases in attendance from the 2014 season.
In terms of capacity, the average amounts to 92.971%, which is only slightly lower than what the Premier League has averaged for the 2015/2016 season, being 95.72%.
The Seattle Sounders also broke an MLS record: their own season long average attendance. Their 2013 record of 44,038 was broken by 209, thus overtaking Liverpool in the global rankings.
The MLS’ average attendance is now seventh in the world rankings. The top ten is as follows:
1. Bundesliga (GER) 43,177
2. Premier League (ENG) 36,487
3. La Liga (ESP) 28,773
4. Liga MX Apertura (MEX) 24,625
5. Serie A (ITA) 23,893
6. Chinese Super League (CHN) 22,580
7. Major League Soccer 21,574
8. Primera A Division 2014-15 (ARG) 21,374
9. Ligue 1 (FRA) 20,904
10. 2.Bundesliga (GER2) 19,147
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734806323labto1734806323ofdlr1734806323owedi1734806323sni@n1734806323osloh1734806323cin.n1734806323eb1734806323