Passion for sport is in fashion

The Revolution have drawn well recently, and they and their sport appear to be on the verge of becoming fashionable, as well.

The more than 350,000 spectators who will have arrived at Gillette Stadium this year have included celebrities Jason Biggs, Dane Cook, and Kate Hudson, pop singer JoJo, plus Celtics Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. The visit of the Los Angeles Galaxy (David Beckham) kicked up the crowd numbers (35,402 in attendance) and brought in the celebs, as did the Brazil-Mexico game (67,584) Sept. 12.

But the Major League Soccer Revolution-Columbus Crew game Saturday night had no hype, no ethnic card to play, no five-time World Cup champion to feature. And the match was scheduled during a busy sports weekend, going head-to-head with a Red Sox playoff game. Yet New England's final match of the regular season at Gillette Stadium, which didn't involve high stakes, drew 22,295.

"It's hard to put a finger on exactly what it is," Revolution chief operating officer Brian Bilello said yesterday. "People are interested in soccer, either they played it, they play it now, they know someone who plays. The interest is out there, whether it's for David Beckham or Taylor Twellman, and more people are deciding to come to our games."

The Revolution's increased attendance this year, 251,812 fans in 15 regular-season games compared with 188,569 in 16 games last season, resulted from a combination of a winning team (New England has advanced to three of the last five MLS Cups), better marketing, and improved game-day management, which includes free parking, at Gillette Stadium.

"I think there is a gap in some mainstream content/media in terms of where the MLS is and where the decision-makers believe it is," Bilello said. "It's quite a bit ahead of where they might think it is. Some don't always understand what the TV ratings are and what the attendance is, and they are not in touch with the younger generation - I don't mean the 12-year-olds, but the 22- to 25-year-olds and the early 30s. Also, soccer fans are fans of other sports, but it's not always the other way around."

The Revolution likely have one home game remaining, a Nov. 3 playoff date with the New York Red Bulls. Playoff dates have been difficult to sell, partly because of the lack of time to promote, but Bilello is attempting to capitalize on the Revolution's traditional late-season success and has added staff "to account for the buzz that is happening for both the playoffs and for season tickets for next year."

Bilello believes the Revolution have established themselves as a fixture on the local professional sports scene.

"I think from the perspective of how many fans we have and how many are watching on TV, we have turned a corner, compared to where the league was in the past," Bilello said. "In the first years of the league there were a lot of unknowns and a lot of people experimenting with it. We have a natural growth of the league now and we have turned a corner. Now, it's getting everyone to understand and view it in that light. Especially in this town. The four other teams [Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox] have great histories and we respect that.

"I just look at it when we are competing head to head and it was great to see the crowd Saturday night. As long as you put a good sports product on the field, there is plenty to go around. We can all have our share and not be taking it from somebody else. There are five big-time professional sports teams in New England."

Scramble for spots

Four teams are contending for the final two MLS playoff spots. Chicago and Kansas City (37 points each) have the edge on Colorado (35) and Los Angeles (33) but the Galaxy have two games remaining (against New York Thursday and at Chicago Sunday). The Rapids' resilience has been remarkable. Playing with 10 men after Brandon Prideaux was ejected in the 46th minute Sunday, they handed Chivas USA its first home loss of the season, 2-1, the Rapids' second successive victory performing shorthanded. Pablo Mastroeni, red-carded in a 1-0 win over Toronto FC last week, could return for Colorado's season-ender against Real Salt Lake. Former Revolution coach Fernando Clavijo has been able to inspire the Rapids and devise effective tactics lately, but a two-month midseason slump nearly doomed the team.

Better late than never

Twellman was a late addition to the United States national team for tomorrow's game against Switzerland. The match will be played at St. Jakob's Park, a 40,000-capacity stadium in Basel, site of the June 7, 2008, opening match of the European Championships.

The Swiss defeated Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria, 3-1, in Zurich Saturday. Switzerland's single-striker formation paid off as Marco Streller scored twice, including a goal in the opening minute. Tranquillo Barnetta set up every Swiss goal.

Portugal has chance

Portugal can move into sole possession of second place in Group A in Euro 2008 qualifying with a win at Kazakhstan tomorrow (the top two teams from each group advance to the finals). The Portuguese (20 points) are tied with Finland, which tied Belgium, 0-0, Saturday, behind Poland (24). In Group B, Scotland (24) can stretch its lead over Italy (23) with a victory at Georgia, and France (22) can overtake the Italians by defeating Lithuania tomorrow. Greece (22) visits second-place Turkey (18) in a Group C showdown. Germany (Group D) became the first team to clinch a place in the finals with a 0-0 draw at Ireland. Croatia (26) remained in first place in Group E with a 1-0 victory over Israel; the Russia (18)-England (23) game tomorrow could determine the second team to qualify from the group. Sweden (22) has played one fewer game than Group F co-leader Spain going into tomorrow's match against third-place Northern Ireland (16). Romania (23) defeated the Netherlands (20), 1-0, in a Group G showdown for first place.

Pressure elevated

Brazil started 2010 World Cup qualifying with a 0-0 tie with Colombia in Bogota. The Brazilians struggled with the elevation (8,000 feet-plus) and wet field conditions, relying on goalkeeper Julio Cesar to salvage a draw. Brazil plays host to Ecuador tomorrow in the Selecao's first match at Maracana Stadium in seven years.

Venezuela upset Ecuador, 1-0, on a long-distance goal by Jose Manuel Rey. This was the first time the Vinotinto have won in Ecuador and the first goal ever scored by the team in Quito. Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said he warned Ecuador president Rafael Correa before the match that his country was no longer the doormat of South American soccer. Chavez was talking on his television show, filmed near the grave in Santa Clara, Cuba, of Che Guevara, who was assassinated Oct. 9, 1967 in Bolivia. Venezuela coach Richard Paez has transformed the national team, which will meet Argentina tomorrow in Maracaibo, site of the Argentines' loss to Brazil in the Copa America final in July. Juan Arango, a Mallorca midfielder who is considered Venezuela's most accomplished player, has been struggling with injuries and was replaced in the second half of the Ecuador match.

Jaime Moreno, 33, continues to be an inspiring force for D.C. United, but the decision to bring him back to Bolivia for qualifiers raises questions about the national team's progress. Coach Erwin Sanchez was a Moreno teammate on the national team and an effective player into his 30s, but Bolivia, which lost, 5-0, to Uruguay, has not produced successors to Marco Etcheverry, Moreno, and Sanchez.

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.