U.S.-Mexico Provides Ticket Bump For Crew

The team has been coy about releasing numbers of season tickets sold this year, Mark McCullers said the team would celebrate passing the 7,000 ticket mark, but things have been quiet. The team has alluded to making an announcement later in the year coinciding with the MLS Business Summit that is happening at the same time as the U.S.-Mexico World Cup Qualifier.

Earlier this year, Mark McCullers talked about the importance of the U.S.-Mexico to the city and the team. There was the usual nod to the pride in the city, Columbus does play the roll gracious host well, but it was also referenced in the team's economic fortunes. The U.S.-Mexico presale was the team's big event to hook perspective buyers and, frankly, it was a warning sign if the Crew's drive to 10k depended heavily on an event that happens every four years and is awarded by the whims of U.S. Soccer.

Business First's Jeff Bell gets Crew SVP Mike Malo to talk a little about that. From Monday's edition, he notes the Crew estimates that the U.S.-Mexico presale likely "sold an extra 200 to 300 ticket packages". That certainly isn't nothing, but it's not a "make or break" number for the team making it to 10,000 season ticket holders.

This news fosters a belief that the team is building a solid base of support. This core group is made up of soccer fans who are coming to see Crew soccer rather than a chance to see the hottest ticket in U.S. Soccer since the last game in February 2009. That U.S.-Mexico ticket is what it should be, a benefit, an add on, not the sole reason people are buying tickets. Now, just to wait and see how big that core is getting.