While TV viewership might not be up to the high standards we all expect from a major league sport in this country, as showcased by the recent NBC broadcast game, the good news is that attendance to games is literally off the charts! Well, the charts that established the league as a relatively minor league only a few years ago. As of this weekend, however, the league surpassed a huge milestone: 5,000,000 people in total have attended games with a league average of 18,526 which is better even than last year's record attendance records.
The truth of all this is that, at least in terms of stadium capacity, it's become a profitable venture for companies, investors, and sponsors to invest in MLS stadiums. While some teams like FC Dallas and Columbus Crew still struggle to get people in the seats and sponsors for their stadiums, most other teams already have such deals (such as Jeld-Wen Field) or are close to reaching one (San Jose Earthquakes). All this represents a major revenue stream for MLS going forward and is a major part of running a successful league.
Here's how MLS compares to other leagues across the world (based on either their most recent estimates or last seaosn's). Care of Dan Courtemanche who posted this info last month.
- Bundesliga (Germany) - 45,726
- English Premiere League - 34,601
- La Liga (Spain) - 30,272
- Liga MX (Mexico) - 25,288
- Serie A (Italy) - 23,459
- Eredivisie (Netherlands) - 19,516
- Chinese Super League - 18,928
- Coca-Cola Championship (England) - 18,824
- Ligue 1 (France) - 18,665
- Major League Soccer - 18,526