Andy Loughnane talks attendance issues, playoff complications and a new stadium

Let’s not try and sugarcoat anything here. The Columbus Crew SC attendance in 2017 has left a lot to be desired.

The Black & Gold sit at the bottom of the league in attendance, drawing an average of 14,791 supporters through 12 games played at MAPFRE Stadium.

But of course, there are reasons (not to be confused with excuses).

First, Crew SC is coming off its second-worst finish in club history, just 36 points through 34 matches. While the diehard fans will return after a year such as that, the more casual supporters have to be convinced to come back to MAPFRE.

Second, for the first time in the club’s 22-year history, the Black & Gold played two home games in the month of March. If you’ve lived…