Should LA Galaxy be worried about low attendance?
- Updated: March 26, 2017
Attendance has been scarce for the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center this season.
Though they have only played two home games this season, the Galaxy has seen a low turnout for both games, which the five-time MLS Champions lost. In the opener against FC Dallas, which was broadcast nationwide on UniMas, LA fell 2-1. The Galaxy then fell 1-0 to Portland in the second match, which was also on national television, this time on Fox Sports 1.
The Galaxy had not lost two games to start an MLS season since 2001 and had never lost back-to-back home games to start a season.
These games are easily accessible for fans to watch online or on television, but that does not mean that they would not attend these games.
In the loss to Dallas, 23,554 spectators were in attendance in Carson. 25,667 fans arrived to StubHub Center the year before for the Galaxy’s home opener against D.C. United.
Going back to years before, attendance was good for the Galaxy. In 2015, 27,000 were in attendance for a 2-0 win over Chicago, 25,634 came in 2014 in a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake, but a mere 20,124 arrived in 2013 in a 4-0 win against Chicago.
The low 2013 turnout is explained by David Beckham’s exit from the club following the Galaxy’s fourth MLS Cup championship. This same reason could be why there is low attendance this season as Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard departed the club at the conclusion of the 2016 season.
2013 could have just been an odd year out. The Galaxy did just win back-to-back MLS Cups and ticket prices could have been costly for the average fan.
The low attendance this year could also point at a bigger issue for the Galaxy in the future: the arrival of LAFC.
With LAFC joining the league next year, the hype surrounding the club is surprisingly big. The team already has a core fan base, even without having a manager or a single player yet.
Similarities can be drawn between this occurrence for the Galaxy with the New York Red Bulls, when New York City FC arrived in the league in 2015.
The Red Bulls play their home games at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey while NYCFC’s home games are played at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. These locations are just over an hour apart. StubHub Center to the Los Angeles Coliseum, the site of LAFC’s new stadium, is a 25 minute drive.
The Red Bulls home opener attendance this year was 19,375, while last year it was 21,303. In 2015, NYCFC’s inaugural season, 21,036 fans were in attendance at Red Bull Arena while in 2014, 20,542 showed up. 2014 is the equivalence to this year for the Galaxy, the year before the nearby expansion club’s debut.
2014’s attendance was a decrease from the 2013 home opener for NYRB, which saw 22,022 in attendance.
NYCFC had a rough opening season but they have turned things around and are competitive in MLS. The Red Bulls are no longer the dominant team in the New York area.
NYCFC also has the big names of David Villa and Andrea Pirlo, which could happen with LAFC as the Galaxy could take the backseat to the downtown LA club.
The Galaxy has its die-hard fans who will stay with the club, but the downtown location will be attractive for fans who have to travel from the valley and northern LA area.
Whether it’s lack of superstars or LAFC’s beginning around the corner, the Galaxy will always have supporters, but the club may have to do something to bring back the fans.
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