It seemed like the perfect confluence of events: A beautiful night, a team on a winning streak, a Saturday night in September (the Revs traditionally pull big fall crowds) and a fireworks spectacular at the end of the game. However, instead of a big raucous crowd, less than 9,500 were in attendance as the Revs fell to Kansas City in a fairly exciting game. This was the second straight Revs game under 10k, and while the previous game fell victim to the remnants of Tropical Storm Daniel, these are disappointing numbers for a proud franchise.
The poorly attended match continued a downward trend for the Krafts’ soccer franchise. For the season, New England is averaging less than 12,000 The Revs averaged 14,300 in 2008 and 16,700 in 2007. While attendance has fallen, the team has been a consistently successful performer on the field. The Revs have been to multiple finals, won the SuperLiga, won the US Open Cup and have been a perennial playoff participant.
So what has gone wrong? Some fans believe that the early years of MLS (where the Revs were fairly well supported), were so dismal in New England, that fans stopped turning out. Others believe that the Revs neglected the “hard core” supporters in lieu of promoting family attendance and as a result, the young crowd stopped coming. Others believe that the cavernous atmosphere of Gillette stadium combine with turf fields and football lines have conspired to drive fans away. Moreover, there has long been a feeling among Revs’ fans that the team is barely a blip on the Kraft family radar, and that there is an unwillingness to bring in players or spend on the team. Over the last few years, the Revs have lost quality players like Dempsey, Noonan, Dorman and Parkhurst without finding ready replacements.
To the Revs’ credit, they are making an effort to bring “hard core” fans back to the stadium. Check out our interview with Revs’ COO Brian Bilello for more on their efforts to attract fans. But is it enough? The Boston area seems to be a great place for a professional team. Youth soccer is popular in the area, there are strong ethnic communities and a history of turning out for big soccer events. A huge crowd turned out in 2002 for the Galaxy/Revs final in Foxboro in full throat for the Revs
(and were disappointed by the result). That game occurred at a time when the region was desperate for a champion and ready to embrace the Revs and the sport of soccer. The Revs lost, and slowly, the fans stopped coming.
The Revs need to take steps to right the ship or risk further alienating their fans. In our view, the team needs to take a hard look at using its DP in 2010 and bringing in a player or two with international recognition to ignite the soccer base in the Boston area. With a healthy Twellman and Joseph, the steady Matt Reis, an improving young defense and a big name “number 10″, the Revs can generate the press and excitement to re-energize their potential base. Moving towards a stadium will also help; Gillette can really suck the life out of soccer game.
So what should the Revs do? Will the construction of a stadium bring the fans? Does the team need to sign a big player or two? What can the Revs do to bring them back to Gillette?
How big of a factor is the distance from Gillette from Boston in terms of drawing fans?
Probably a big factor. There is no real public transportation out to Foxboro which essentially eliminates the non-car owning public from making the trip.
Boston is also known as a college town, however I assume that many students living in a city like Boston do not have access to a car. The location is a big issue.
[...] looks at the disappointing attendance for the New England Revolution, who had their second successive sub 10k turnout at the weekend. A [...]
I think it’s a combination of almost all the factors you’ve listed. The hardcore fans think that the FO ignores them and that Kraft really doesn’t care about the team. We lose quality players and don’t seem to make the efforts to grab any big names. The families see a smaller crowd and a team where the kids don’t have someone to identify, minus Shalrie and Twellman. Twellman’s been out so long, people forget he’s even on the team. I went to the game in New Britain and two kids in front of me were arguing about which guy was Clint Dempsey. Their father insisted he was playing right fullback. Cmon, the guy’s been gone for years! They didn’t know any of the other players. A soccer specific stadium would change things. Bring it closer to Boston. I’d lose out because of my location, but the team would gain.
it is all about the stadium. who wants to watch a game an hour from the city with 70k empty seats. red bulls will start flying next year because of this issue.
Not sure where ESPN is getting their number for NE, but I show the YTD average for the Revs at 13,221.
Remove the extra 40,000 for a Venezuela/Brasil doubleheader and 13,000 fewer that came to the ’09 version of the Beckham road show than last year and the Revs are slightly ahead of ’08. Still not great, but it’s a numbers thing with me.
As for the poor showing on Saturday, didn’t help that the game was in direct conflict with the US v El Salvador WC qualifier. How that happened with Gulati, Prez of Kraft Soccer and of USSF, is beyond me.
I’m thinking partly on-field play. They remind me of the Avalanche, as they have been a top 3 team every year for the past five years and now they are above average and out of every cup except the league.
Agree with all of the above. Plus, I would add that the field turf is a disgrace. It’s like watching foosball. The ball just ricochets everywhere.
Natural grass, in a 20,000 seat stadium with a partial roof, in the city, near rapid transit. Git ‘r done, baby!
This all begs the question… why does Seattle work?
Turf: yes
Big Stadium: yes
Is it just because it is new?
All of the above are true.
Seattle works despite turf and big stadium because their ownership embraced the soccer fan from the beginning. NE is trying to undo damage that was done a decade ago and that’s difficult.
Plus, NE’s style of play just isn’t very exciting to watch. They were breathtaking watch in 2005 and had their moments in 2006 but mostly the play just doesn’t demand reach out and grab you.
Once Kraft sees the type of turn-around an SSS does for NYRB I think he will take this venture more seriously. In New York fans have been hampered by poor front office decisions and playing in a cavernous stadium as well, but you better believe that Red Bull Arena will be rocking next season.
Many thanks regarding the awsome post. I am going to keep an observation about your own website, i allready bookmarked it to personal list