Paul Kennedy of Soccer America writes of the massive crowds that were on hand at matches here in the United States this summer.
Despite tours by such popular clubs as Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid, Mexico's national team remains the biggest draw on the U.S. soccer scene.
The Tri, which faces the USA on Wednesday in Philadelphia, has drawn six of the 15 largest soccer crowds of the year on U.S. soil, including four of the top six crowds.
Reflective of its ability to attract fans for heavyweight opposition, the USA has played on four of the nine dates that drew the largest crowds.
The seven other largest crowds not involving the USA or Mexico were for the 2011 World Football Challenge. Five of those games involved MLS teams.
2011 Largest Crowds
ATT. GAME DATE VENUE
93,410 1. USA-Mexico June 25 Pasadena, Calif.
81,807 2. Man. Utd.-Barcelona July 30 Landover, Md.
80,108 3. Mexico-El Salvador June 5 Arlington, Texas
78,936 4. USA-Argentina March 26 East Rutherford, N.J.
78,807 5. Mexico-Guatemala June 18 East Rutherford, N.J.
70,627 6. Mexico-Honduras, USA-Panama June 22 Houston
70,080 7. Barcelona-Guadalajara Aug. 3 Miami
67,052 8. Seattle-Man. Utd. July 20 Seattle
64,121 9. USA-Spain June 4 Foxboro, Mass.
62,000 10. Mexico-Costa Rica June 12 Chicago
61,308 11. Chicago-Man. Utd. July 23 Chicago
60,808 12. Mexico-Ecuador March 29 San Diego
60,807 13. Barcelona-Club America Aug. 6 Philadelphia
57,305 14. Philadelphia-Real Madrid July 23 Los Angeles
56,211 15. Los Angeles-Real Madrid July 16 Los Angeles
No comments:
Post a Comment