Five games sell out in opening week

Mike Woitalla of Soccer America reports on the number of sellout crowds in week 1 of the 2012 Major League Soccer season.

Five of eight games in the opening week of the 2012 MLS season sold out. For MLS team attendance rankings ...

Portland, Vancouver, San Jose, Los Angeles and FC Dallas all announced capacity crowds for their first games of MLS's 17th season. The Galaxy's 27,000 crowd at the Home Depot Center was the biggest of Week 1.

The opening week average of 18,174 was down from last season's first-week openers, when Seattle's crowd of 36,433 drove the average to 21,046. The Sounders, who had a bye, open their season at home next Saturday. The 2010 season had opened with an average of 17,921.

MLS ATTENDANCE:

Club (2012 Rank) Week 1 Home Games 2012 Home Average 2011 Home Average (Final)

Chicago (-) -- -- 14,273
Chivas USA (7) 14,464 14,464 14,830
Colorado (6) 14,746 14,746 14,838
Columbus (-) -- -- 12,185
D.C. United (5) 16,314 16,314 15,196
FC Dallas (3) 20,906 20,906 12,861
Houston (-) -- -- 17,694
Kansas City (-) -- -- 17,810
Los Angeles (1) 27,000 27,000 23,335
Montreal (-) -- -- --
New England (-) -- -- 13,222
New York (-) -- -- 19,749
Philadelphia (-) -- -- 18,259
Portland (4) 20,438 20,438 18,827
Real Salt Lake (-) -- -- 17,591
San Jose (8) 10,525 10,525 11,858
Seattle (-) -- -- 38,496
Toronto FC (-) -- -- 20,267
Vancouver (2) 21,000 21,000 20,406

Leaguewide 18,174 18,174 17,872