The 2003 A-League campaign is 8 games old and already there is some interesting happenings. Two main things come to mind: 1) We are in the U.S. Open Cup and 2) The surprisingly low and horrible attendance.

The Pat's have qualified for the 2003 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open cup after a 3-2 aggregate win over the Indiana Blast. The Pat's suprisingly started with a 2-2 tie at Indiana then finished it off with a last minute 1-0 win here at the Sun Bowl.

After 8 games the Pats have a record of 3 wins, 4 losses and 1 tie. With 10 point earned, the team sits in 3rd place of the central division. So far the team has allowed 2 more goals than they have scored(11 against-9 for).

According to uslsoccer.com, both veteran Michael Griego and newcomer Tim Pierce are tied at 3 goals as the teams leading scorers. Next are Laurence Andrade and Omar Millan with a goal each. I dont think it's completely accurate, it seems it hasn't been updated just yet.

Anyways, the Pats are 3-1 at home while having 3 losses and 1 tie away from the Sun Bowl. The Pats have scored twice as much at home than away (6), while having allowed 8 and only putting 3 in the back of the net while away.

Freddy Juarez has been the Patriots lone represantive in the USL's A-League Team of the Week.

Game 1: 1434
Minnesota
Season opener

Game 2: 565
Minnesota

Game 3: 498
Indiana
U.S. Open Cup Qualifying, 2nd leg

Game 4: 525
Indiana

Total: 3022
Avg/Game: 755

Anyone have any ideas as to what is going on? Its true that this is the Patriots' third venue in as many years, but by all accounts the move to the Sun Bowl was the best move possible. Could it be that having the same type of team throughout the seasons has finally taken it's toll on attendance? Or maybe the $2 increase in ticket prices has somthing to do with it. If things keep going this way, will Enrique Cervantes drop the team down or will it finally convince him that another approach is necessary?

For refence, here is the numbers from Past seasons courtesy of kenntonmasch website. (Yr.,#games, Total, avg.)
Patriots Attendance since 1997
1997.....14.....38,226.....2,730
1998.....15.....55,375.....3,692
1999.....15.....34,152.....2,277
2000.....15.....49,230.....3,282
2001.....15.....45,269.....3,018
2002.....14.....31,165.....2,226

I believe when we had the highest avg. attendance in 1998 was our first year at the SAC.

Is there soccer going on across the border at this time of year?

Didn't you once say there were two or three pro teams across the border?

Didn't EP attract some fans from across the border in the past?

Are EP fans going across to see soccer over there?

Did any new men's clubs open recently in EP?

Are they broadcasting any games? If someone hears a game on radio it might spark enough interest for them to go see the team.

Economy?

What's going on in youth club soccer? Is all well there? Did Pats owner alienate someone when he opened his soccer camp?

Actually the youth team has been around for awhile, although it was just recently kicked into high gear.

I don't know what the reason is for poor attendance. I know the team was going to broadcast in Spanish, but the announcer apparently asked for an amazing amount of money per match. I've heard the figure, and all I can say is, the man's got some cojones asking for that much. It was a deal breaker.

I've always thought the team needed both English and Spanish play-by-play to spark that interest.

Somewhat related... If you ever want to hear an EXCELLENT soccer broadcast in English, try listening to one of the Rochester Raging Rhinos games on the Internet.

Don Stevens who does one-man broadcasts is really good at translating the flow of soccer to the airwaves. Whenever they are on, I make it a point of listening.

I wonder what the audience would be for English broadcasts of Patriots games. I remember living in El Paso and wishing that I could hear their games on nights when I couldn't be out at the stadium, but I doubt there is much of an audience for the Patriot games on radio.

Jeff

Audiences can be created through giveaways, etc. It just depends on your product as well. I never thought anybody listened to the Diablos broadcasts until I worked the board for one and they called for the Pizza Hut Play of the Day and, lo and behold, the lines lit up like Vegas.

Sports on the radio when done well is fun to listen to, and I think people would be surprised at soccer's action if they actually heard play-by-play of it. I think the sport translates best to radio, as a matter of fact. It's also nice if you can take your radio to the games, hopefully lending perspective to newbies and vets alike.