Northwest PDL attendance numbers boosted by Kitsap and Victoria

June 16, 4:33 PMSeattle Soccer ExaminerDavid Falk

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The ten clubs in the Northwest Division of the Premier Development League (PDL) are in a race to win matches and to draw fans. How seriously they take the attendance race depends on the club you are talking about. For some clubs the top focus is giving local players a chance to play. For other clubs the focus is gathering talent for the bigger 'parent' club. Some are trying to build foundations to remain or become professional at a higher level within the United Soccer Leagues system.

Here are the attendance averages for home matches for the clubs so far in 2009. (Some clubs did not report attendance for a match here and there. Tacoma Tide FC average is from 2008)

1. Victoria Highlanders (1,647)

2. Kitsap Pumas (1,308)

3. Cascade Surge (495)

4. Portland Timbers U-23's (457)

5. Yakima Reds (275)

6. Seattle Wolves FC (270)

7. Tacoma Tide FC (207)

8. Spokane Spiders (206)

9. Abbotsford Mariners (148)

10. Vancouver Whitecaps Residency (81)

Victoria is averaging 1,600 fans at the new City Centre Park. (Victoria club photo)

 Two new clubs with higher ambitions are boosting the overall numbers in the division this year. The Victoria Highlanders (1,647) and Kitsap Pumas (1,308) are averaging far above the rest of the division in attendance. The Pumas average is boosted by the 2,100 who saw their US Open Cup match last week. Both clubs have long-term plans to move up the USL ladder. Victoria and Kitsap are hopeful of one day becoming members of a USL Second Division conference on the West Coast. The clubs have put money and effort behind season ticket sales. Kitsap sells home match tickets online as well as at the gate. Both sides have established fulltime year-round front offices.

"In order to be successful over here," says Kitsap Pumas owner Robin Waite of his Bremerton-based club, "we need a foundation of 5-7,000 fans of which 2,000 come to every game, plus the casual fan.  Our job is to make the experience worthwhile so that people want to come back. One of the best indicators (of progress) was the away game against the (Seattle) Wolves where our people outnumbered theirs by a good margin."

Kitsap Pumas fans rank #2 in numbers in the division in their first season.

The Pumas are beginning to see dividends from their pre-season efforts to 'sell' the club to the West Sound. "I would say credibility was the big issue. In the beginning, we were all talk," continues Waite. "We now have substance (actual matches) which will make getting bigger sponsors and season tickets for next year much easier.  We also have a good team and a great group of guys on the team, all of which help."

Chuck Stark, Kitsap Sun: For $5, You’ll find yourself right in the game with the Pumas

The Pumas are a club that wants to move up to a higher level than the PDL. "Next year our goal is to sell 750 season tickets. If we do that I figure a factor of 3.5 (times more) for attendance," adds Waite. "Going up to D-2 doesn't rely on attendance, (but it does on) having (other) West Coast teams. We are working to have our games marked on every Kitsap family calendar."

In Seattle, or more properly Tukwila, the Seattle Wolves Football Club sees the glass as half full, even if their Starfire Stadium has yet to be so. "Clearly playing at Starfire is a wonderful opportunity for Seattle Wolves Football Club, as the facility is Washington's premier football-specific venue. Our stadium is state of the art, our offices provide a wonderful working environment, and we are fortunate to be able to train with Seattle Sounders FC," says Director of PR & Marketing Alex Caulfield.

"Our greatest challenge lies in competing with the well-deserved success of the Sounders. They are clearly the largest club in the region, and Seattle residents will obviously want to direct their attention to top-flight competition. Nevertheless, we are enjoying an incredibly successful season in our inaugural PDL campaign, as we have secured wonderful sponsorships, elite players, and the results on the pitch have put us in a successful position to compete for the Northwest Division title. Because of these things people are coming out to follow the club, and we are so thankful for this support. People are really starting to recognize the talent that is present within the squad, as we field collegiate players from UCLA, Stanford, Indiana, the University of Washington, and a number of former USL 1 professionals. Our fans know that if you are interested in observing the future of this sport in America, coming to a Wolves match is a good place to start."

The Wolves are sixth in the division in home attendance at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila.

The Wolves also have plans to be a part of a possible West Coast USL-2. "If you look around at the attendance figures across the United Soccer Leagues," finishes Caulfield, "you will see that the PDL organizations in this region are not far behind their USL 2 counterparts (in club organization and planning). The Seattle Wolves are certainly part of this demographic, and while competing with USL 2 attendance figures is not our main priority (USL-2 average league attendances can reach 2,500), the success we have experienced thus far is beneficial for the future. If the Wolves were to move up the football ladder we would be well prepared to expand our existing infrastructure to make that jump."

In South Sound Tacoma Tide FC have a back-loaded schedule with 6 of 8 home matches yet to be played. The Tide are also now the "Tacoma Tide Sports Club" with dual duties to run a soccer and a new basketball club.

"Our situation is a complicated one," says Tide Media Director Jon Billings, "because of our addition of a basketball team to the organization this year. The focus that starting a new basketball program has taken, may have drawn attention away from soccer ticket marketing. That said, our attendance is steadily growing as the season progresses and with the majority of our home matches yet to be played, we have high hopes."

"The basketball team is helping us in a few different ways. First, we do receive some fan support from families that attend a basketball game and then see that we have a soccer option as well. Second, having two teams is a great way to spread our connection to the youth in Tacoma as well as it's family services. We have made numerous school / club / association appearances this year and have had a great response from kids and families in the area. Lastly, having the additional teams as part of our Tacoma Tide Sports Club has added some validity to our organization that sets it apart from some other minor league operations. It's been a positive addition."

Tacoma Tide FC have six matches at Curtis High School in the next few weeks.

Clubs in Portland and Vancouver exist to give players a chance to develop for the USL-1 Timbers and Whitecaps. Both clubs get exposure from their parent clubs. Vancouver play out of Simon Fraser University and the Portland Timbers U-23's have had several different home fields in the greater Portland area.

The Yakima Reds nearly folded in the off-season and rely on their steady stream of 300 fans per match to help cover costs.The Spokane Spiders play at an old Greyhound Race Track in Post Falls, Idaho.

The Cascade Surge are part of a mission out reach program and are connected with a local church. The Abottsford Mariners are the top of the Abbotsford Soccer ladder, but have had to move recent matches to Chilliwack BC.

In the end the attendance numbers matter most to those clubs who are seeking to move up the USL professional ladder and / or those who need the income to survive for another season.