Much to the shagrin of anti-soccer “journalists” with strange goatees, all the signs point to Major League Soccer over-taking the NBA and possibly NHL in attendance figures by next year. Stats since 2006 show the MLS inching closer to numbers put up by professional Basketball and Hockey, which by next year could plant them third behind Major League Baseball and the National Football League domestically.

This figure doesn't include events like NASCAR, but who are we kidding? A bunch of rednecks driving around in circles for three hours inhaling gas fumes isn't a sport.

Three factors look to cause soccer's rise including the sport's overall growth and the economic recession. The biggest impact however will most likely be the addition of the newest MLS franchise the Seattle Sounders FC.

MLS attendance this year has has averaged 16,222 fans per game nearing the NBA average of 17,393 and the NHL average 17,305. This figure doesn't take into account the fact that MLS has yet to play out their final two weeks of the season, which generally see an upswing in attendance as the playoff picture heats up. The league is on track to pass last year's attendance total by this Sunday.

The economy will also have an effect on fan attendance. You can't turn around without being reminded of the recent recession in the United States and with tickets to NBA and NHL games, often costing in the hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars, it wont be long before the financial impact hits fans. Although the NHL isn't quite as pricey as the NBA, their average ticket is still over $40, nearly twice as much as the MLS average of $22.

In fact if you want an instructional DVD on how to alienate fans and lose revenue look into commissioning the NBA, whose exorbitantly high ticket prices and consistent relocation of franchises have seen attendance remain stagnant since 1995, despite the addition of three new teams. Since 1998 viewership of the NBA Finals has dropped by over 50% and just recently the league announced it was laying off employees due to economic cut-backs.

Those two factors combined should make stats between the leagues close next year, but what will put the MLS over the top?

Following this year's relocation of the Seattle Sonics to Oklahoma City, which at best was immoral and at worst illegal, it might just be that same city and Seattle's newest professional sports team, the Seattle Sounders FC, who push soccer ahead of basketball and hockey.

After seeing their beloved NBA franchise snatched from their hands, the Seahawks eliminate themselves from playoff contention 5 games into the season and the drowning Mariners become the first Baseball team in history to have a 100 million dollar pay roll and lose 100 games, Seattle's bitter fans (and rightfully so) are hungry for a winner.

Sounders FC have already sold over 18,000 season tickets ahead of their April 2009 debut and look to rival the Los Angeles Galaxy for the league's highest attendance. That figure is already above the NBA and NHL averages and can only increase in the six remaining months left before the season begins.

Here are some more MLS attendance facts:

• The top 5 MLS teams together averaged higher attendance than 85% of the NBA and every NHL team but the Montreal Canadians.
• This year the Los Angeles Galaxy averaged higher attendance than every team in the NBA, NHL and 7 Major League Baseball franchises.
• The highest attendance for an MLS game so far this year was 54,045 when FC Dallas faced New England in June.
• In Los Angeles, Toronto and Washingon DC MLS teams outdraw both their NBA and NHL counterparts.

MLS stats from MLSnet.com. NBA, MLB & NHL stats from ESPN.com. Projections based on MLS rate of growth between 1998-2008 and 2009 season ticket sales.