Expect a not so super SuperLiga Final Crowd

By: Bob | August 28th, 2007

Before the SuperLiga competition between clubs from MLS and the Mexican League began last month I was reluctant to fully embrace it. It seemed like a good idea, but I wasn’t sure how seriously the players would take it. While some of the games were more competitive than others, on the whole I think it has been a welcomed addition to the North American soccer scene. A cup competition where serious money is rewarded and that receives media attention is a good thing (or what the US Open Cup should be). Which is why it is disappointing to read that the stadium will be less than half full when the LA Galaxy face Pachuca on Wednesday.

For once the sparse attendance can’t be attributed fully to lack of interest in MLS. Ticket sales are being limited to 12,500 in the 27-000 seat Home Depot Center because it is the first week of classes at nearby Cal State Dominguez Hills, which shares the parking with the stadium.

“It’s not ideal, but we have a great relationship here being on the campus and we felt like it was appropriate to recognize their concerns and try to work with them,” Galaxy president Alexi Lalas said. “We recognize that (Cal State Dominguez Hills) are not in the sports entertainment business. They’re in the education business.

“School is in session and we realize a midweek game can be disruptive to the education process.”

And for some reason a certain Pink Floyd song is now running through my head. We don’t need no education…

Undoubtedly Lalas and crew were put in a tough spot in this situation, but that doesn’t make it any less disappointing. To have a competition that has been billed as a premier tournament end in front of a sparse crowd takes away some of the luster. To have it come down to a parking situation with a local college seems minor league or a convenient excuse for not being able to sell a significant number of tickets.

Is it me or is it always one step forward, one step back when it comes to MLS?

Some Related Stories:

Category: MLS, Mexico, World Football

« All Aboard the last minute Adriano Loan Express | Home | Carling Cup Match Abandoned after Clive Clarke collapses »

The Offside RSS Feeds

CD

Does this policy encourage fans to go to the Home Depot Center?

Tailgaiting:

In order to suppress potential fire hazards, disorderly conduct, noise disturbances, health code violations etc., tailgating or picnicking in any of The Home Depot Center's or University's parking lots before, during, or after an event is not permitted.
CD

Problems caused by an excessive dependence on the automobile in California. Thats a new one. Check out the interstate map on the Home Depot's Centers web page. A truly impressive web of asphalt.

http://www.homedepotcenter.com...

Curious how do they pick the 12,500 seats that are available? Do the ushers kick people out of the seats that no one could buy?
joejoejoe

Bwahahahaha! So completely bush league.

Maybe Lalas should spend more time doing some rudimentary contingency planning for his own franchise instead of giving interviews to the BBC where he tells everyone how MLS is as good as the EPL.

I'm sure an eyedropper's worth of the Beckham money could have bought some agreement with Cal State Dominguez Hills. Instead we see the truth -- the MLS's showcase franchise is second fiddle to Cal State Dominguez Hills night school classes.
Eluvsdynamo

How are they supposed to win fans if they pull shit like that. Ive been to a Dynamo and it was on a thursday night which they uses the University of Houston stadium and that wasnt a problem. Its a bunch of pile of bull that the Galaxy and Co. are eating.
Nick

A young David Beckham dares to dream -- "Some day I'm going to win the league with Man U, then if I'm lucky, the Superliga title!" Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Laurie

Oh! Look! In the picture! It's me! About halfway up on the left.

In truth, I think I was on the other side of the field, where there were actually people sitting. But still! I was at that game! Right in back of an annoying woman who kept asking her husband things like, "Now. United. Where are they from? Pennsylvania?"

One would have thought that the whole "DC" part of "DC United" would have given it away. But no.

Ah, soccer in the US.
Karl

What is the point of these "soccer specific" stadium if the league still has to make concessions for other uses to the detriment of the game? parking in LA, artificial turf in Toronto...
Lucas

Utterly ridiculous.
Anthony

This is still going on? I don't get Fox Soccer, so I have to rely on the Spanish channels to watch anything, and I thought they abandoned it when the Mexican league teams where playing each other, and MLS was doing the same.