It was championship weekend in WPS, so we’ll start in the Bay Area, where 5300 showed up to see the home side win the second WPS championship. The game was an important milestone for WPS and from a business perspective, it was a success. The match was covered by FSC, and was presented by Citi. Both teams in the match were wearing jerseys featuring sponsorships, the weather was perfect and the league’s biggest star (Marta) was on the field. Coming off a week that saw the addition of a new franchise (in Western New York), the final was a great culmination of the second year for WPS.
From a business perspective, RSL’s 1-1 draw versus Colorado was a great reflection of MLS 2.0. More than 18, 000 screaming fans, at a gorgeous SSS cheering a last minute goal by the home side over a hated rival. FSC coverage was very good, the crowd sounded great and the quality of play was also very good. With both sides jockeying for playoff position, the match had the look and sound of a premier sporting event. Overall, it was a great attendance weekend for MLS, starting with the 27k at the Home Depot Center for the Red Bulls/Galaxy match. Other big crowds were in announced in Toronto and Chicago. With the playoffs no longer a foregone conclusion for most teams in MLS (only half make the postseason), it will be interesting if attendance reflects the increasing importance of these late season games.
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