Frank Dell’Apa of the Boston Globe has the final 2007 home attendance figures for the New England Revolution. The Revs brought in 251,812 fans for 15 regular season home games this season, averaging 16,787 fans per game — far better than the 11,786 average the team posted in 2006. Had the season gone on longer, the average might’ve been higher, too, as the Revs attracted 19,166 and 22,295 fans, respectively, in each of its last two games.
Understandably, management is pleased. “Twenty-two thousand fans speaks for itself,” said Revs COO Brian Bilello. “The team has had a fantastic year and this was a great crowd to cap it off.” Bilello hopes to see a record playoff crowd at Gillette Stadium when the Revs host the second-leg of the MLS first round on Nov. 3. However, New England has traditionally failed to generate big numbers in the (pre-MLS Cup) playoffs, despite making it to the finals in each of the last two years. “We are hoping for another 20,000,” Bilello said. “We have some time to sell it. These are sports fans and they want to see a team that wins.”
However, the team’s last home game won’t be such a pleasant memory. The Revs had already qualified for the playoffs, but displayed poor team defending against playoff-hungry Columbus, which prevailed, 3-2, at Gillette Stadium thanks to a late winner from Guillermo Barros Schelotto.