Which, come to think of it, wouldn't be such a lousy name for the franchise. And based on a report in today's Denver Post, it would fit as well. From the sly lead to the content, that write-up on the Colorado Rapids’ attendance woes is worth the read. In some ways, it’s a snapshot follow-up on the San Diego Union-Tribune report (linked to and discussed yesterday) on Major League Soccer monkeying with its attendance numbers.
Numbers like Colorado's - which for this season include an embarrassing draw of 3,805, which the USL Division 1 Portland Timbers reliably top even without discounting the beer - complicate the use of the phrase “major league” in MLS. Making matters worse, the downward trend came after Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) bought the team from MLS’s patron saint, Phil Anschutz. Still, the article closes with happy talk from spokespeople for the former, who assure fans they’ll turn it all around next season when Colorado gets their shiny new stadium. They also promise better TV coverage.
Could it be they were just waiting for a better backdrop for it all? I suppose. Invesco’s just too damn big for anything but their Fourth of July blowouts. Let’s hope, for the team’s sake and the league’s reputation, that KSE’s people are not just talking.
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