MLS and the Crew try to capitalize on World Cup buzz

Zoom in: The Crew's "Summer of Soccer" tour hosted over two dozen events around the region during games — most at neighborhood bars and restaurants as far as Delaware or Newark.

The intrigue: That marked a change from how the team approached the 2022 World Cup.

• "We really wanted to showcase the new stadium [in 2022]," senior director of events and grassroots marketing Molly Zaluski tells Axios.
• "This year, we were like, 'Let's go out and find new fans.'"

By the numbers: The team says 15,000 fans came to their watch parties, including 8,000 people who had never interacted with The Crew before, according to their data.

• Just 10% of watch party attendees have Crew season tickets.

To capitalize, the team wants to "strike while the iron is hot."

• A "fee-free weekend" ahead of matches July 22 and 25 is meant to draw potential new fans, as is the leaguewide "We'll take it from here" campaign.

The bottom line: Ultimately, Zaluski says it's not about selling tickets this summer — it's about turning World Cup 2026 fans into lifelong soccer fans.

• "It was a young group of people and it was a different demographic. While they might not be purchasing tickets or buying merch now … it's a long-term commitment that we're hoping to continue to engage with them throughout the years."