In the heady days of a consistently sold out stadium and ridiculously inflated secondary market it was easy to miss noticing that Toronto FC never actually lead the league in attendance. In fact, in their first season, TFC was behind two other clubs: the Los Angeles Galaxy and DC United.
While the Galaxy rode the first year of David Beckham’s tenure on the west coast to a league leading average attendance of 24,252 DC was having their second best season at the gate ever and ultimately finished with an average attendance of 20,967 on the way to picking up that year’s Supporter’s Shield.
Back in 2007, before Seattle and Portland, before Red Bull Arena, and before the revitalization of Kansas City, it was very difficult to imagine an MLS without United. The bouncing, camera facing stands of RFK Stadium, filled with members of DC’s supporters groups, were an iconic visual image and the trophies won by the club made them the closest thing to an East Coast anchor the league had.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Fans around the league understood that too; it was that sentiment that made Toronto supporters, in DC for a TFC game, walk in solidarity with DC supporters in the latter’s attempt to encourage their local government to support a stadium for the club.
Since then it has been one steady story of decline for a pillar of early MLS: seemingly less and less movement on the stadium issue, talk of relocation to Baltimore, four years outside the playoffs, and a worst ever season – as bad as anything TFC has ever done - in 2010.
Even a return to the playoffs in 2012, with an exciting young team, wasn’t enough to re-energize a fan base worn down by years spent spinning the tires. Where once they were among the leaders, last year DC United’s average attendance was down to only 13,846. To put that in context, that’s behind New England.
What’s the point of recounting all this history? Simply put, it should serve as a warning to ownership and management at Toronto FC.
The situation in Toronto is, of course, different. For all the complaints of supporters, BMO Field is a more than suitable home for TFC and not in literal danger of falling apart. Season ticket sales remain surprisingly robust. There is undoubted proof of a market for a properly run and even marginally successful team in the city.
But nothing should ever be taken for granted. As stated earlier, there was a time when it was difficult to imagine MLS surviving without a strong franchise in DC. Now, unless the stadium issue can be resolved, it seems far from impossible. DC United could be revitalized, and new ownership certainly has that ambition, but the team is no longer a necessity in the way that it was a decade ago.
And now DC United is bad once again; very, very bad. Only one win from their first 14 games, fewer points than TFC (for now), and a goal difference of -18 bad. The fans who continue to show up were forced to endure the shame of watching their team capitulate 4-0 at home to the Houston Dynamo in early May.
While an optimist might point to a mid-week win in the US Open Cup over Philly, powered by a Dwayne De Rosario hat trick, as a sign of possible resurgence it’s important to note that the three goals DC scored in that game would equal half of their output in MLS to date. Even Toronto’s stuttering offense has managed to find twice as many goals in the league.
Of course, like DCU, TFC have only one win so far themselves.
Back when the Reds managed to beat Sporting Kansas City in early March they had a starting midfield consisting of Reggie Lambe, Jeremy Hall, Terry Dunfield, and John Bostock with Hogan Ephraim playing ahead of them underneath the main striker. Now, the latter three of those players aren’t even with the club having been released over the course of the last few weeks; none of them brought any asset back in return.
While the reason for each player’s departure most likely makes sense on a micro level the familiar Toronto FC malaise – constant churn and failure to accumulate assets – has not, as yet, disappeared under new management. Whether or not the spaces opened up by the most recent round of cuts will finally be filled with players who can hang around for more than a cup of coffee is a question for another day.
Saturday night’s match in DC will feature two basement dwellers; one that has a great past and one that once promised a great future. Neither is likely to find much long term relevance in a single game in the middle of another poor season but for fans of both clubs, at this point, any win would be welcome even if it ultimately proves meaningless.