The best way to determine on-field success, obviously, is in a team’s record. The best way to determine an organization’s overall success is in its attendance.
With that in mind, the Baltimore Blast might have had the best season in franchise history this season, despite missing the playoffs. The team drew an average crowd of 7,448, surpassing the previous franchise record of 7,005 one season earlier.
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“We’re continuing to attract bigger and better crowds,” Blast president/general manager Kevin Healey said in a Tuesday news conference.
The Blast led the Major Indoor Soccer League in average attendance this season, and only Baltimore and Philadelphia (6,551 per game) drew more than the league average of 4,708. These numbers are especially important for the Blast as the MISL plans to expand the six-team league by as many as four, as Blast investor/operator Ed Hale announced Tuesday.
“We feel that we have the best organization that you canput together inside the framework of the league,” Hale said.
In comparison to other professional leagues, the MISL is unique. Not many leagues incorporate just six teams, playing a 30-game schedule. But in comparing the Blast to other local teams, the numbers are favorable in terms of average attendance.
Sporting a constant sell-out at Ripken Stadium, the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds averaged 6,208 fans in 38 home dates last season. D.C. United, the region’s Major League Soccer power, averaged 14,193 in 16 home games in 2006.
Crystal Palace USA, a new United Soccer League club that will open its season in Annapolis next month, hopes to draw similar numbers to the Blast.
In Tuesday’s press conference, Hale hearkened back to the 1980s, when Blast games drew sell-out crowds to the 11,286-seat 1st Mariner Arena. The team’s goal remains to keep moving towards that capacity with a quality on-field product.
Single-game prices for the Blast range from $14 to $20. Hale said the team has kept at a fair rate despite the opportunity to charge more.
“We strive for excellence off the field, which we feel we can get much better at,” Healey said.
