by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Nov 6, 2017

Bolstered by crowds averaging almost 28,500 for the second legs of the conference semifinals, MLS is averaging 25,296 fans through 12 playoff games, up 9 percent from the average of 23,234 after 12 games in 2016.



Photo courtesy of Seattle Sounders FC

All four Sunday games have drawn more than 20,000 fans. Just three of the eight weeknight games have hit that mark, though two of them are the largest playoff crowds to date in 2017: a record 67,221 fans for Atlanta United's first home playoff game and 39,587 for Seattle's Cascadia match against Vancouver.



The four games in the conference finals will all be played on weeknights. The MLS record for average attendance was set in 2016 when it averaged 27,790.



2017 MLS playoff crowds:

ATT. MATCH (Day of week)

11,647 Chicago-NY Red Bulls (Wednesday)

21,083 Vancouver-San Jose (Wednesday)

67,221 Atlanta United-Columbus (Thursday)

14,126 Houston-Sporting KC (Thursday)

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27,837 Vancouver-Seattle (Sunday)

18,107 NY Red Bulls-Toronto FC (Monday)

15,169 Houston-Portland (Monday)

14,416 Columbus-New York City FC (Tuesday)

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39,587 Seattle-Vancouver (Thursday)

29,974 Toronto FC-NY Red Bulls (Sunday)

23,246 New York City FC-Columbus (Sunday)

21,144 Portland-Houston (Sunday)