COMMERCE CITY — Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said Tuesday that a changing American fan culture has emboldened the growth of the stateside league — and that the Rapids are in a unique spot to be competitive.

“It’s good to be in the soccer business today,” said Garber, who was in the Denver area for a regular set of MLS board meetings. “Attendance is up and there’s far more respect for our league in the U.S. and around the world.”

Now in its 17th season, MLS has weathered an expansion that was too ambitious in its early years, through contraction and revenue struggles, to its present form — a league that Garber says outdraws the NBA and NHL in attendance.

The league’s recent successes — large attendance figures for newer teams in the Northwest, expansion into Canada, a near-complete set of soccer-specific stadiums — is due to the growth of soccer-first fans, Garber said.

“(The MLS) is no longer the fifth U.S. sport. It’s something different,” Garber said, noting that MLS recorded 78 sold-out stadiums in the 2011 season. “Average attendance is larger than the arena sports and it’s because fans believe in the teams in a way that’s not like fans of other sports.

“That culture is really changing our league.”

Garber also addressed mid-market teams, like Colorado, and their competitive place in the league.

“Look at Sporting Kansas City. They’re leading the table in the West,” Garber said. “It’s been a real transition for a team that had struggled on and off the field.”

Garber said he believes the Rapids’ approach on the field is appropriate to their position in MLS, one that is unlike bigger markets like Los Angeles with David Beckham and New York with Theirry Henry.

“We think Oscar (Pareja, Rapids coach) is a good solution to the challenges of this club,” Garber said. “His changes are driven by smart scouting and smart player development.

“Nothing is better for this market than that (owner Stan) Kroenke is involved.”

Nick Groke: 303-954-1015 or ngroke@denverpost.com