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Man oh man, did we have fun at the first Sounders game last Thursday. Sometimes events--not just sporting events--have an electricity about them. This was one of those.
The crowd: massive and enthusiastic. Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said it was the loudest he's ever heard for an MLS game. Many fans had already bought Sounders gear; and those who hadn't did so post-game, the first time we can ever remember seeing a souvenir stand with five-deep lines after a game. A tremendous night all around, except maybe for the souvenir stand employees.
But here comes the hard part, Seattle--keeping that enthusiasm up as the season rolls along.
Novelty wears off fast. The 1977 expansion Mariners drew more than 57,000 people to their first game. The next night, the crowd barely reached ten large (yeah, we've been watching a lot of The Wire). The '76 expansion Seahawks averaged better crowds during their preseason exhibition schedule than they did once the games counted.
We sports fans thronged the Kingdome's footprint again on Sounders opening night, but will we show up this Saturday for Game 2? For a 7:30 p.m. start in March? With temps in the mid-40s and strong winds and rain likely? With the NCAA regionals on TV?
It'll take a group effort to keep the excitement going, a determination by Seattle fans to brave the weather, eschew March Madness, and erase the shame of our previous expansion team attendance efforts.
Ticket sales have been brisk, only a few tickets are left. But buying tickets and going to the game are two separate things. See last year's Mariners attendance numbers.
One thing working in the Sounders' favor: They don't suck. The Mariners got whitewashed 7-0 in their first game. The Seahawks lost to the lowly St. Louis Cardinals. Sounders FC, meanwhile, spanked one of the favorites for the MLS title 3-0. No matter what the history of the sport, fans respond to a winner.
We'll be there, in section 119, standing, shouting, and waving our Sounders FC scarf. Or, perhaps, for the sake of warmth, keeping it wrapped tightly around our face.
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I'll be really interested to see how Season Ticket renewals go.
22,000 sold for the first season.
What's a good number for next year? Half that?
Probably depends on how well they do, just like it would for any other team. Husky football season tickets are down 40% from last year, but the Sounders already have one-up on them -- they've won a game!
SOLD THE F OUT
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/sounders/2009/03/27/saturdays_game_is_sold_out.html