The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have started off the 2018 season with the best start in their history, with only one loss so far in 13 regular season games.

This year, the Hounds have acquired a new coach and several new players because another team in the league, the Rochester Rhinos, took a year-long hiatus to solve some financial problems.

These acquisitions have clearly been beneficial to the Riverhounds, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2015.

However, despite these positive signs for the team, the attendance for the games is still low.

While the Steel Army, the group that attends every game and cheers, is still going strong, regular attendance has been consistently low for the past several years.

Pittsburgh fans are quick to attend games and cheer when the Steelers, Pirates, or Penguins have a good season. It’s time for the Riverhounds to be recognized for the great season they’re having as well, despite the fact that they’re a minor league team.

Highmark Stadium even expanded seating this season, and the team ramped up advertising with billboards and spots on TV and radio stations.

However, this has clearly not been enough to generate a consistently larger crowd at games. Many Pittsburgh residents simply do not know about the Riverhounds or don’t like soccer, but the city should still be enthusiastic about the great season the team is having.

The team last made the playoffs in 2015, when they reached the fourth round of the Open Cup to play a Major League Soccer team, DC United. This game generated huge excitement and attention for the team, drawing a standing-room only crowd.

Since then, the team has not reached that level of energy at any game, but the Riverhounds hope to by having a successful season this year.

The Hounds’ one loss, Wednesday against Nashville, was a tight game with only one goal scored in the second half. Despite this loss, the team is still going strong, with a great shot at playoffs.

Despite consistently low game attendance, the Riverhounds are having a great season and hope to continue with the high performance and hopefully draw bigger crowds.