[Photo: Sounders FC]The Seattle expansion franchise has yet to play a single MLS match, but they are already smashing the cool-o-meter.
Let's "quickly" recap. They have already: hired a smooth young GM with league experience in Chris Henderson, brought a few players up from their USL squad, signed a USMNT legend in Kasey "Castle Dweller" Keller, sold over 20,000 season tickets using an algorithm that grouped supporters together based on online questionnaires with topics such as favored game experience and foreign club of choice, received rampant celebrity backing from minority owner Drew Carey, scarved the town silly, poached championship Coach of the Year Sigi Schmid, assembled a 53-piece marching band, signed their own underwear model/attacking midfielder with Prem credentials in Freddie Ljungberg, unveiled wicked awesome unis with X-Box360 Live as the sponsor, lured a couple of extremely impressive South American talents (Montero y Hurtado) and sent out season tickets in royal style with a limited edition scarf doubling as commemorative opening day ticket.
(gasping breath)
And now, they lay out a fantastic club community tradition for all home games until the end of time in March to the Match, a four-block musical convoy of Sounders fans to the stadium from Occidental Park. Community, soccer, song, civic pride and (certainly in some cases) a little badly-needed simple exercise. I can only assume someone will think to sell some sort of fresh fish-based snack and hopped beverage (as Monty Burns would say) nearby.
I still wish Qwest Field had grass, but I'm really starting to love this overall Sounders scene.
- Greg Seltzer
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3 comments:
greg, is there any chance in hell that the seattle management group can just get folded into league management? its seems to me if that they were running things...well, mls would seem much less like a dog-and-pony show to people in this country (actually im in beirut, so it would be more legit to people in america). but nonetheless, mad props to seattle.
keep it up brother, great stuff as always.
Ya know, Evan, I actually wondered the same kind of thing myself when I was done posting this. MLS needs to co-opt or confab with some of the exciting new executive talents at the club level. There are clearly some shrewd thinkers under the umbrella, and I'd hope they are utilized/appreciated.
The Sounders are doing this exactly right by approaching it from a true communuty perspective and making no apologies for being a soccer team. They are treating soccer fans like soccer fans - what a concept! It reminds me of how someone would start a new club here on the continent (if there weren't already a bazillion clubs here anyway). .
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