Is FC Dallas feeling the pinch?
Monday, 09 March 09, 03:35 PM · Comments (2)
A little over a month ago an article was published in Street & Smith's Sport Business Journal detailing how most MLS teams are bucking the recession in terms of season ticket sales. Toronto and debutantes Seattle both posting particularly impressive numbers.
However, two MLS teams - FC Dallas and Chivas USA - failed the partake in the article. Evidence as to why Dallas chose not to participate may have recently been reported. According to 3rd Degree it appears that FC Dallas has sold less than 5,000 tickets to it's opener against heated rivals Chicago, a team featuring Mexican superstar Blanco and American soccer hero Brian McBride.
Low ticket sales are not new to FC Dallas, the former Burn has averaged less than 10,000 fans on three seperate occasions (1997 and 2004 at the cavernous Cotton Bowl in Dallas, and in 2003 at a high school stadium in Southlake). Since the move to Frisco reported attendances have generally been decent, though not near the top of the league by some stretch. But it must be said that this was during a period of economic expansion in the United States, when people could still afford to travel long distances to watch matches. A common thread shared by Toronto and Seattle is stadium location with BMO Field and Qwest Field being located well within the boundaries of their respective cities. Frisco is a clear 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) from the heart of Dallas, and an alarming 50 miles (80.4 km) from the heart of Ft. Worth, the second pillar of the DFW Metroplex.
While we would all like to see MLS and it's teams succeed this news can simply not be ignored. While it is rumored that FC Dallas is one of three MLS franchises to run a profit one has to ask how much longer it will be able to do so with scores of empty red seats being shown on national television. With that said, DFW may be the one "market" the USL could take MLS head-to-head. Hello Ft. Worth?
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Bobby
Charlotte, US
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2 Comments · Add yours
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
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Thanks :)