D.C. United is a Major League Soccer (MLS) team that is based out of our nation’s capital. They were a founding team of the MLS and are the second most successful team in MLS history with four MLS Cup wins, according to ESPN. Despite their historic success, attendance at games is low and continues to dwindle.
According to the District of Columbia government, D.C. United ranks last in attendance out of the four major sports teams in this area. It is also worth noting that they have the newest stadium out of all DC sports teams. Audi Field was opened on July 9 2018, and can hold a capacity of 20,000 people.
Historic success can only take you so far, and that’s one of the things plaguing D.C. United currently. The last time D.C. United made the playoffs was six years ago, in 2019. The last time they won a playoff game was a decade ago, in 2015.
Despite the lack of overall success, D.C. United has had big stars in recent years. Former England international and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney came to D.C. in 2018 and enjoyed a good amount of individual success. He appeared in 48 matches and scored 23 goals with 15 assists, according to D.C. United’s official website. In 2018, he was included in the MLS Best XI (the best player in each of the 11 positions on the field) and was a most valuable player finalist. After retiring, he would come back to manage the club for around a year during the 2023 season. . He would see less success during this stint, and was fired prior to the end of the playoffs in the 2023 season, which D.C. United failed to make.
After Rooney’s departure, former English Premier League star and Belgian international Christian Benteke would join D.C. United. In his first season, he scored 14 goals and was the club’s leading goal scorer. Last year, during the 2024 season, he netted 25 goals and won the MLS golden boot (the trophy given to the player who scores the most goals that season), thus securing his spot as one of the top players in the MLS currently.
If D.C. United doesn’t have a shortage of star power, then why is attendance and fanfare so poor? Students may argue that the main reason is soccer’s lack of popularity in this country. This is no doubt part of the reason, however, the sport still holds a strong popularity, which should have enough fan base to see good attendance. For example, Inter Miami (another MLS team) reported that they sold out of 2024 season tickets months prior to the release of the MLS schedule for that year.
The biggest issue that D.C. faces is the availability of their own MLS games. All major men’s sports leagues besides the MLS have local games on cable. The league signed a 10-year deal with Apple in 2022, which saw all games streamed exclusively on Apple TV MLS Season Pass. For a fan to get access to the MLS, they have to pay either $15 a month or $99 for the full season. This subscription only covers the MLS, meaning you don’t get anything else with it, like other entertainment included on Apple TV. The EPL streams on Peacock, but some games are also available on TV in America. In England, most, if not all, games are available on cable. If someone buys Peacock, they also get all the shows and movies that the platform has to offer. This large paywall for the MLS Season Pass kills any chance the MLS has of growing viewership. No new fans are going to buy a $15 or $99 subscription to watch a league they haven’t watched before. If a fan wants to watch their first Wizards, Capitals, or Nationals game, they can simply turn on the TV and get local coverage.
D.C. United, and the MLS for that matter, needs to change things in order to grow the popularity of the league and sport, especially ahead of the FIFA World Cup coming to America in the summer of 2026. First of all, the current MLS and Apple TV deal is killing the league. Although getting out of the deal would be the best option for the MLS, the deal spans several more years, meaning that isn’t a possibility. I’d recommend that Apple make the MLS Season Pass included with the normal Apple TV subscription. This would allow for higher viewership as people can buy the subscription and receive more than just a league they may or may not care about.
My second suggestion is easier said than done, but D.C. United needs to start performing better. Over half of the MLS teams make the playoffs, as 18 of 30 teams make it. With the large playoff pool, D.C. United’s five-year playoff drought is inexcusable. The good news is that the club and league can expect a big boost after the World Cup coming next summer, however, they need to take advantage of it.
