Skip to content

Want tickets to Mexico-Brazil in Dallas? Too bad. They’re gone.

May 29, 2012, 6:57 PM EDT

Mexican striker Javier Hernandez smiles during the Becalos scholarship program graduation ceremony in Mexico City Reuters

For U.S. Soccer fans, seeing Mexico sell out every friendly up north is a bitter sweet. After all, while the U.S. men’s national team has no trouble selling tickets, some of the crowds that show up for El Tri are downright enviable.

For U.S. soccer fans (lowercase ‘s’), though, seeing the Mexican national team selling out Cowboys Stadium isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

That will be the scene on Sunday, when the Mexican national team “welcomes” Brazil to Arlington for a crowd that should eclipse 80,000. It’s a number Mexico’s reached the two previous times they played at Cowboys Stadium, drawing 85,000 for a 2009 Gold Cup match against Haiti before luring 80,108 or El Salvador last summer.

The last time the U.S. drew as many fans was the last year’s Gold Cup final, when 93,420 showed up at the Rose Bowl. Of course, that game was against Mexico.

The last time they drew over 80,000 against somebody other than Mexico? It’s not really a fair question, since most venues the U.S. plays in can’t hold that many people.

Still, there are two recent U.S. friendlies that show just how remarkable Mexico’s numbers are. In March 2011, the U.S. hosted Argentina at the 82,566-capacity New Meadowlands Stadium a drew a huge crowd: 78,936. Seven months earlier at the same venue, the U.S.’s match against Brazil drew 77,223.

To me, those are awesome numbers: 78,936 and 77,223. That Mexico’s besting those totals at Cowboys Stadium might be worth a grumble or two, but how many soccer cultures across the globe could show that kind of support for one team, let alone two?

We like to think of U.S. soccer and its national teams as being tied at the hip, but we live in a very diverse place. Mexico’s not the only team that has a lot of supporters living within these borders, and while that’s not an ideal scenario for diehard USMNT fans, it makes for a fervent soccer environment.

  1. drchale - May 29, 2012 at 7:10 PM

    Not to mention that every time Mexico plays a friendly game in the U.S., MLS/SUM makes money since they own the commercial rights.

  2. ndnut - May 29, 2012 at 7:11 PM

    Part of it is due to our “melting pot” society. We attract huge numbers of immigrants from all over the world, showing that our economy isn’t that bad against the rest of the globe. There are plenty of Latin and South American immigrants, especially in the South. Proof of this is shown in the fact that Lids has Brazillian National team keychains and other trinkets, but zero U.S. gear. But, this gives American supporters a chance to scout Mexico, which sounds like fun to me.

  3. sabatimus - May 29, 2012 at 7:52 PM

    Actually no, I don’t.

  4. murda101 - May 29, 2012 at 10:29 PM

    I live in DC. Traffic here is nuts!! I think part of the ticket sale issues for the US Brazil friendly at FedEx Field is due to the location of the stadium. Since there is no public transportation option, you would have to sit in hours of traffic to get to the match on time. Maybe if it were on a weekend they would have faired better. Just easier to watch it on TV.

  5. arjanroghanchi - May 30, 2012 at 9:06 AM

    USSF should designate a venue as the home of the USMNT a la Wembley.

    Create a national cathedral of soccer that people can make a pilgrimage to. big finals (US open cup, gold cup, etc) should all be held there.

    RBA, PPL

    someplace like that

  6. chadmoon1 - May 30, 2012 at 3:49 PM

    If you go on Living Social Dallas edition, you can get party passes to this game for $40.

Leave Comment

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

Top 10 Player Searches
  1. M. Goodson (NFL)
  2. B. Beachy (MLB)
  3. G. Hill (NBA)
  4. M. Garza (MLB)
  5. D. Freeney (NFL)