Remember when Toronto FC was the toast of Major League Soccer, selling out every game and almost single-handedly transforming the way supporters culture was viewed here? After five playoff-less years those sellouts have pretty much ceased and crowds in Portland the Seattle being at least as impressive. On Friday, TFC reminded North America they are still a soccer hotbed, as the team announced that 35,000 tickets have already been sold for their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal against the LA Galaxy.
With ticket sales going so well, capacity at Rogers Centre -- where the game will be played -- has been raised to 45,000. That would qualify as one of the biggest crowds in CCL history, with only the Montreal Impact announced attendance of 55,571 in 2009 coming to mind as being bigger.
The Seattle Sounders have not actually started selling tickets for their CCL quarterfinal against Santos Laguna, but even they will have their work cut out for them to exceed TFC. If all goes well, though, the two quarterfinals being hosted by MLS teams could draw a combined crowd of nearly 90,000. Now that would certainly be a statement.
For more on this CCL quarterfinal, be sure to check out Toronto FC blog Waking the Red.