American Fans Abound This Summer

• Dailysoccerfix/Steve Davis Blog, Friday, July 24, 2009 3:02 PM

Steve Davis suggests that the packed stadiums popping up all over America this summer show the depth and diversity of this country's love for soccer. Davis writes: "I tell people all the time that there are plenty of soccer fans in this country, it's just that only a relatively small percentage like MLS. But since that's the country's most visible soccer property, it's irresistibly convenient to use as a barometer."

Americans have flocked to stadiums to see name brand teams and rosters full of quality players: 81,224 fans poured into the Rose Bowl for this week's Chelsea-Inter Milan match. The Home Depot Center was full (27,000) two nights before that for the Galaxy-AC Milan. And a night prior, more than 65,000 packed Qwest Field for the Seattle Sounders-Chelsea friendly. At the Georgia Dome, 50,306 watched Mexico City's Club America upset AC Milan . And more than 82,000 fans turned up in suburban Dallas for the Mexico-Haiti Gold Cup quarterfinal..

And there's more to come, suggests Davis. Chelsea's match against AC Milan set for Friday at M&T Bank Stadium (capacity: 71,000) in Baltimore is already sold out. And Davis writes: "I'd wager a Cristiano Ronaldo bobblehead that FedEx will be full for the D.C. United-Real Madrid friendly coming up in a couple of weeks."

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