2019 Canadian Premier League Attendance

[Kent]

Was the game included in the season ticket package for Vancouver? This is their first game in the competition, so it's not that weird for it to be part of their package.

[Ansem]

1 hour ago, T_Bison said:

That's pretty awesome.

But it does beg the question - if VWFC is that successful at the box-office against a Canadian opponent, does it change the math of having a MLS squad? I mean, the salary of a CanPL team would be well less than half of an MLS  team, and if you're getting the same revenue you would make a lot more money.

I think it kind of debunk many's assumption that MLS playing Canadian teams would hurt their attendance.

16 minutes ago, Reign said:

I don’t think it’s that easy. I bet a big allure to whitecaps fans for these tickets is the the assumption they will get to see their teams absolutely destroy the Cavalry. Vancouver and Calgary has some what of a natural rivalry when it comes to sports. I’m not convinced this game sells as well if it’s a team like Halifax.

I disagree. I think Halifax is the kind of team that would draw lots of attention on novelty alone...

York9 on the other end...🙄

[SpursFlu]

I actually disagree. I think Whitecaps fans just enjoy playing another Canadian team. It's far more interesting then some random American city which people are completely indifferent towards. Im clearly hoping for a Whitecaps win but cheering for a good showing by Cavalry. The underdog non mainstream "localized" energy of the CPL is appealing to the nature of most Vancouverites

Edited July 8, 2019 by SpursFlu

[grasshopper1917]

Just a timbit of info: last time Whitecaps played a non MLS team (Fury) in their opening cup round (2016) they drew 17,800. I'm assuming season ticket holders get a ticket to the first round. No reason to think they would not draw a similar crowd this time as the fan support seams pretty steady over the years. I would assume and USL or CPL would be about the same draw for Whitecaps (or the other 2 MLS teams).

[Macksam]

20 hours ago, Reign said:

I don’t think it’s that easy. I bet a big allure to whitecaps fans for these tickets is the the assumption they will get to see their teams absolutely destroy the Cavalry. Vancouver and Calgary has some what of a natural rivalry when it comes to sports. I’m not convinced this game sells as well if it’s a team like Halifax.

I doubt that. Competition is a draw, not how much the home team is going to destroy its opponent. 

[Ansem]

 

[Gopherbashi]

That is a nice looking graphic

[Toronto Ruffrider]

4996 at tonight's York9/Impact tilt, and judging by the crowd I saw, that was 100% accurate. Exciting game, good vibe in the grounds.

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

5252 according to soccerway:

https://www.soccerway.com/matches/2019/07/11/canada/canadian-championship/york-9/montreal-impacts/2984614/

6213 in Halufax:

https://www.soccerway.com/matches/2019/07/11/canada/canadian-championship/hfx-wanderers/ottawa-fury-fc/2984612/

and 5129 in Calgary:

https://www.soccerway.com/matches/2019/07/11/canada/canadian-championship/cavalry/vancouver-whitecaps-fc/2984613/

Edited July 11, 2019 by Ozzie_the_parrot

[Admin]

1 hour ago, Toronto Ruffrider said:

4996 at tonight's York9/Impact tilt, and judging by the crowd I saw, that was 100% accurate. Exciting game, good vibe in the grounds.

For sure. If that doesn't convert some people, nothing will. 

 

[Reign]

Yup that was a good night to build fanbases. Exciting games all around.

[Ansem]

Cavalry made so much money tonight with thos $100 tickets...wow.

Lots of casuals, curious and MLS fans went to the games and/or tried Onesoccer.

Tonight was the perfect scenario as they saw CPL as a competitive professional leagues and they were impressed by the entertainment and level of play.

Tonight was exactly what the league needed

 

[Bison44]

Finally we can say to the naysayers, there is your proof.  WIn or lose these series, the CPL teams can hang with the MLS clubs.  It isnt bush league sem-pro, low wage sunday ball.  Nobody got humiliated and both MLS teams were lucky not to be down a goal going home.  

Maybe some of the "snobs" will get off their ass and forgo watching foreign leagues, and we can keep some of this momentum going for the teams that have been struggling to get fans out.  

[HfxCeltic]

Wanderers Grounds is usually at or near capacity every game, but last night felt like the grounds held 15,000 as opposed to 6,200. Privateers 1882 reached a whole nother level and the main stand was really into it as well. I've been buzzing since last night. Have to admit I'm falling more in love with this club every day - not good for my stress levels.

Too bad about the loss though - the ref left a lot to be desired and I felt like we deserved more. Looking forward to the away day trip though. 

York Lions and Spruce Meadows looked packed as well and both clubs did CPL proud! What a night for Canadian club soccer!

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

12 minutes ago, HfxCeltic said:

...What a night for Canadian club soccer!

Definitely suggests that good things could happen in future if MLS and CanPL work together closely.

[ironcub14]

On the Y9 side, the crowd yesterday most definitely felt like 5,000. Nearly broke my thumb shaking the metal stands lol, still on a CPL high from yesterday.

Last night was a perfect combination of Montreal coming into town, which pretty much all Y9/TFC/GTA soccer fans are in unison united against lol, and the $9 (or the $14 lol) tickets. We all know the prices were set too high for season seats for the regular season, and we can all see how many fans will come out when the tickets are priced at the level it should be. And Mtl of course lol.

I'm 100% sure that Ben Z, the Y9 VP who's in charge of ticket pricing structure, got that message yesterday for sure. Also saw both PB and Clanachlan in the stands overlooking the crowd as well. Great night.

[Reign]

Cavalarys 5130 sounded like 12000. Man that stadium gets rocking. Footsoldiers are awesome at getting that stadium into it. Spruce Meadows is an absolute fortress. 

[CanSuffer]

2 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Definitely suggests that good things could happen in future if MLS and CanPL work together closely.

Playing in the same competition is not an example of working closesly together. Nor really is one or two players on loan either.

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

True, but the way York 9 suddenly filled their stadium to capacity when a Canadian MLS team was involved is not something that the bean counters and movers and shakers are likely to ignore. What conclusions they draw from that on what to do more closely in future, if anything, remains to be seen.

[narduch]

York9 doesn't fill their stadium if that was a regular league game against an MLS reserve team. 

USL should be a pretty clear warning that the CPL should not allow reserve teams in. 

[Ams1984]

4 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

True, but the way York 9 suddenly filled their stadium to capacity when a Canadian MLS team was involved is not something that the bean counters and movers and shakers are likely to ignore. What conclusions they draw from that on what to do more closely in future, if anything, remains to be seen.

I think it’s only natural for there to be heightened interest among casuals when a more well known and established club comes to town. The great thing about last night though was that there were probably more eyeballs on CPL clubs than ever before, and what they saw wasn’t a beer-League, it was a pair of competitive hard fought matches. The CPL is better than many casuals think it is, and yesterday many of them will have seen that to be the case. 

[Ams1984]

4 hours ago, narduch said:

York9 doesn't fill their stadium if that was a regular league game against an MLS reserve team. 

USL should be a pretty clear warning that the CPL should not allow reserve teams in. 

100% agreed! 

[Bison44]

And the Impact have been building their brand long before they joined MLS.  They have a long head start, next year the fans THAT ACTUALLY GO TO the games will remember grudge matches from this season, player they did and didnt like and the regular games against CPL opposition will start to mean much more. 

[CDNFootballer]

At CPL's early year one stage, games where the opposition is an established and well know high level pro team will draw more favorably for the lesser known first year CPL clubs more often than not, especially in a competition like the Voyageurs Cup.

There won't be any "working more closely" between USA's D1 MLS and Canada's D1 Canadian Premier League and there doesn't need to be, each is and will continue to do their own thing.

The American MLS isn't interested in working with the CPL and could care less about Canada's cup competition, they'd only be interested in putting farm/reserve teams in the CPL which would basically be a death blow for Canada's new league, a reason why CPL wants no MLS reserve or affiliate teams in its league, and rightfully so.

[RS]

2 hours ago, CDNFootballer said:

The American MLS isn't interested in working with the CPL and could care less about Canada's cup competition

On the contrary. MLS loves Canada's cup competition, since that's how it gets some of its most successful entrants into the CCL.