CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati has sold more than 20,000 season tickets for the 2019 campaign, its inaugural season in Major League Soccer.
FCC’s 20,000 season ticket sold so far puts the club fourth in MLS among season ticket sales in 2019. Additionally, the figure ranks as the third most among all MLS expansion teams’ first-year sales behind Atlanta in 2017 and Seattle in 2009.
To celebrate the achievement of reaching the 20,000-Season Ticket Member mark, FC Cincinnati has planned a community-wide beautification project in cooperation with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and more than 50 Cincinnati-area community organizations – including four West End groups.
In June, FCC will plant 20,000 blue and orange flower blooms around the city, the majority of which will be planted around the various “Welcome to” neighborhood signs in Cincinnati.
“There’s been a fun excitement for our first season in MLS and we felt it even before last May’s announcement,” FC Cincinnati President & General Manager Jeff Berding said. “Those who have supported us from the start have helped fuel this organic, fan-driven passion for soccer in the city. We’ve found people who come to just one game are then hooked, and start identifying themselves as FCC fans almost immediately. It’s been a key factor in us reaching the 20,000 season-ticket member mark before the start of the season.”
FC Cincinnati was awarded an MLS expansion franchise on May 29, 2019 – just 277 days before the team takes the field for the first time this coming Saturday in Seattle. It’s the fastest a team has had between its announcement and first game since the most recent run of expansion awards that started with Seattle’s arrival in 2009.
Overall, it’s the third-fastest transition in league history, behind San Jose’s 260 days between the 2007 announcement that the team was returning and its 2008 first kick; and Real Salt Lake’s 262 days between its 2004 announcement and starting play in 2005.
In 2018, FC Cincinnati averaged a USL-record 25,717 fans at Nippert Stadium. That figure was more than double the second-place USL team in Sacramento (11,311), and would have ranked fourth in MLS last season behind Atlanta (53,002), Seattle (40,641) and Toronto (26,628).
“One of the first things MLS executives and league colleagues ask about is the game day atmosphere at Nippert Stadium. It truly stands out as one of the most dynamic scenes in North American soccer – not just MLS. Team after team, we hear that they are excited to come to Cincinnati this year. And that excitement from around the league is a testament to the fan support we have here in the Queen City,” Berding said.
FCC’s 2019 season tickets will be available through the sale of pro-rated season tickets after the team’s March 17 home opener.
In 2018, the club was forced to cap season ticket sales at 18,007 on June 21 in order to preserve game-by-game inventory for single-game, group and mini-plan buyers. The FC Cincinnati ticketing staff sees a potential repeat of that happening in 2019 – but potentially even earlier.
“We’ve been very public about our goal to average 28,000 or more fans per game in 2019,” Jeff Smith, FC Cincinnati Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service, said. “However, in order for us to preserve the ability for all fans to experience an FC Cincinnati game and continue to provide purchase options for all buyers, there will be a time soon when we need to review remaining inventory and end the sale of our season ticket memberships.
“Fans who are interested in season tickets are strongly urged to secure their seats for this historic first season as soon as possible before it could be too late,” Smith added. “As we start looking ahead to 2020 renewals and sales and moving into West End Stadium in 2021, the priority status of our season ticket holders will be important.”
FC Cincinnati’s debut MLS game will be played this Saturday, March 2, when the team travels to face Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field in a game televised nationally on FS1 and on the radio locally on WDJO (99.5 FM, 107.9 FM and 1480 AM). The Orange and Blue will make their home debut as an MLS team at Nippert Stadium on Sunday, March 17, when the team hosts MLS Cup finalist Portland Timbers at 5 p.m. Season tickets, mini plans and individual-game tickets are on sale at fccincinnati.com/tickets or by calling 513-977-5425 (KICK).
For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati.
