I think the top players are excellent, then there's a big drop-off. Officials hope Mathai is the exception, that the two leagues can feed off each other when the Freedom play the Boston Breakers and United faces the San Jose Earthquakes. And hopefully we'll perform well. About 30,000 tickets have been sold for the doubleheader, well above what either team would expect for a single game. But the majority of our fans are still suburban families, as are the Freedom's.
Soccer traditionally draws well in Washington.
United has always been among MLS leaders in attendance, and the Freedom drew 34,148 for the heavily promoted WUSA debut game last month. Putting the men and women on the same bill offers a contrast not only between the respective fan bases but also in the nature of the way the game itself is played. We have different personalities. We have a different system of play. We have different styles.