Philly have sold 9100 season tickets and expect to sell out its stadium

[Dust2]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/ho.../82574842.html

Union president Tom Veit is certain the team will sell out its new 18,500-seat stadium in Chester, basing his analysis on current sales, trends in ticket purchases, and the depth of the regional soccer market.

"I'm very confident we'll sell out, and could sell more if we had them," Veit said in an interview last week.

The team sells additional season tickets every day, the total now nearing 9,100, he said. The Union plan to cap those sales at 12,000.

That would leave 6,500 seats.

About 1,500 would be held for purchase by league officials, players, and sponsors. An additional 500 would go to fans of visiting teams. Maybe 1,000 more would be sold in partial-season packages, a move the club is still considering.

That would leave about 3,500 seats, a fraction of the demand expected from businesses, youth groups, soccer clubs, and fans who can't afford to attend every game.

"There's not a lot of magic to what we did," said Paul Beirne, Toronto's senior director of business operations. "We tried to fish where the fish were, and I believe the Union is doing the same thing."

Toronto executives aimed at the soccer community, reaching into Irish pubs and Italian cafés to connect with fans. They pursued grassroots marketing on Internet sites, a campaign that's become standard operation.

Beirne said that in January 2007, as Toronto prepared for its first season, it had sold about 9,000 season tickets. The Union, in the January of its first year, have sold the same.

Best of all, Philly will have 2000 seats Supporters Section that is reserved solely for registered members of supporter groups like Sons of Ben. Can't wait to see and hear what the atmosphere will be like.

[Oldtimer]

Philly has the tremendous advantage of having their supporters groups already in place.

Toronto had a few hundred supporters at this point in time, we were at maybe 300 by opening day affiliated with U-Sector and RPB.

[Fort York Redcoat]

It's come to be expected which is amazing. The league will look a lot better with Philly and the new NYRB stadium. Lets hope DC and NE will feel more pressure to reward their supporters with better stadia.

[Roogsy]

All the more reason to get the CBA done!!!

[dupont]

Nice. I want this league to get strong for the future.

[flatpicker]

^ ^^
Agreed, and agreed.

The league is starting to hit it's stride right now.
Gotta keep the momentum going.
Seattle, and now Philly, are doing wonders for that.
Any kind of work stoppage at this point would horrific.

[Wagner]

great news for the league...
adds a new layer to east coast rivalries...

[flatpicker]

I hope Vancouver is watching all this very closely.

[Hitcho]

^ agreed. it would be great to see Vancouver and then Montreal build equally successful templates and have three strongly supported Canadian teams in the league. Seattle and Philly are good moulds to follow (as are we of course!).

I'd love to see MLS grow into a really strong league with apcked attendances at virtually every ground over the next ten to fifteen years. If they can achieve that, then the future could just get bigger and bigger for th sport in north america. but the trick is not to try and run before they can walk. it's still tortoise time for now, the hare can come later.

[Beach_Red]

^ But not too much later, there's momentum now and the league should ride it.

Five to ten years, not ten to fiftenn.

[Suds]

It's come to be expected which is amazing. The league will look a lot better with Philly and the new NYRB stadium. Lets hope DC and NE will feel more pressure to reward their supporters with better stadia.

Yes. And let's not forget KC has had their plans for a new stadium approved as well. All very good news for the league.

[Dirk Diggler]

Wow ... that is a great view from the main stand.

[Sab0tage]

Am I the only one concerned that they won't have the stadium complete by the time the season starts? I'm sure they have a backup venue to play if this occurs, does anyone know if that is the case?

[rocker]

Am I the only one concerned that they won't have the stadium complete by the time the season starts? I'm sure they have a backup venue to play if this occurs, does anyone know if that is the case?

it won't be completed.. the team is going to play at Lincoln field (NFL) for a certain number of home games.. I read they were hoping the stadium would be open by the fourth of July holiday.

[Dirk Diggler]

Any word on how many are expected to fill the stands for the games in the Linc? It would be awesome if they somehow manage to sell those games out.

[boban]

Am I the only one concerned that they won't have the stadium complete by the time the season starts? I'm sure they have a backup venue to play if this occurs, does anyone know if that is the case?

It's been mentioned on here they will play part of the beginning of this season at Lincoln Field.

[Dust2]

Section 137 of the Supporters Section for Philly have been sold out, taking over by mostly Sons of Ben members. It is expected that the 2000 seats Supporters Section will be occupied by at least 1500 supporters.

[flatpicker]

^ if those number are correct, then that place should be rockin'

[Keegan]

^ if those number are correct, then that place should be rockin'

Obviously... they're american pretty much anywhere they walk rocks... literally... too many philly cheese steaks

[nascarguy]

can not wait for a road trip there

[Dust2]

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...wQWM3OFE&hl=en

Spreadsheet of Supporters Section seats taken up by those that post on bigsoccer or from info from ticket representative.

136, 137, 138 (about 950 seats) are filling up nicely from the link above and the seat selection just began about a week ago.

[Dust2]

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...wQWM3OFE&hl=en

They should be sold out within the next 2-3 days.

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

TFC...should make some kind of an agreement with philly on away section...for when the two teams meet up...

Hopefully would allocate TFC supporters approx 400 seats...and in return we could accomadate them the same!

Im sure we could get 400 to philly and im sure they could do the same ....for the home opener here in at BMO!!

[ensco]

9,100 is terrific by MLS standards, but well below where Seattle and Toronto were at this point.

I wonder if they've stalled. For instance, why would you cap SSH sales at 65% of capacity? No team in sports caps it that low.

Not trying to be a wet blanket but.....I'm going to take statements by any team about how ticket sales are going with a grain of salt. They have a job to do, which is to project a perception of scarcity. In any circumstance.

[pekduck]

TFC...should make some kind of an agreement with philly on away section...for when the two teams meet up...

Hopefully would allocate TFC supporters approx 400 seats...and in return we could accomadate them the same!

Im sure we could get 400 to philly and im sure they could do the same ....for the home opener here in at BMO!!

Nope, they changed home opener to Thursday night, it would have been like that if it was still on Saturday.

[koryo]

Well done Philly. Hopefully they become another strong market in the league.

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

Nope, they changed home opener to Thursday night, it would have been like that if it was still on Saturday.

true....forgot about the change...!

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

Well done Philly. Hopefully they become another strong market in the league.

exaclty........Toronto Seattle .............Portland.. VAn....up next.... MOntreal?....Mls is moving in the right direction... its good to see!

I'd like to call it the Toronto Disease

this could be a very creditable league in the next 5 years...

[SoccMan]

Don't worry about Philly "ensco" they are the real deal, they will be up there with the TFC's and Seattle's of this world when it comes to attendance numbers. The MLS will be no different than many leagues where there will be teams that have great attendances and ones that will always struggle, it's just the way it is, accept it and move on you will sleep better at night if you do!

[Dust2]

9,100 is terrific by MLS standards, but well below where Seattle and Toronto were at this point.

I wonder if they've stalled. For instance, why would you cap SSH sales at 65% of capacity? No team in sports caps it that low.

Not trying to be a wet blanket but.....I'm going to take statements by any team about how ticket sales are going with a grain of salt. They have a job to do, which is to project a perception of scarcity. In any circumstance.

I guess you didn't read the FIRST POST

Beirne said that in January 2007, as Toronto prepared for its first season, it had sold about 9,000 season tickets. The Union, in the January of its first year, have sold the same.