Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle Sounders FC
The Seattle Sounders FC crest, with the team's name on a banner stretched across a green and blue shield with the shape of the Space Needle in the center.
Full name Seattle Sounders FC
Nickname(s) Sounders
Founded November 13, 2007 (2007-11-13)
Stadium CenturyLink Field
Seattle, Washington
Ground Capacity 69,000 or 41,000[nb 1]
Owners Adrian Hanauer
Joe Roth
Paul Allen
Drew Carey
General Manager Garth Lagerwey
Head Coach Brian Schmetzer
League Major League Soccer
2015 Western Conference: 4th
Overall: 6th
Playoffs: Conf. Semifinals
Website Club home page
Active teams of Seattle Sounders FC
MLS USL PDL WPSL

Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began play in 2009 as an MLS expansion team. The Sounders are the third Seattle soccer club to share the Sounders name being part of a legacy which traces back to the original team of the NASL in 1974.

The club's majority owner is Adrian Hanauer,[3] and its minority owners are Joe Roth, Paul Allen and Drew Carey. Former USL Sounders coach and assistant coach Brian Schmetzer took over as interim head coach in July 2016 after the departure of Sigi Schmid; Schmetzer was made permanent head coach in November. The Sounders play their home matches at CenturyLink Field. Along with several organized groups, a 53-member marching band called 'Sound Wave' supports the club at each home match. Seattle competes with rival MLS clubs Portland and Vancouver for the Cascadia Cup.

The Sounders played its inaugural match on March 19, 2009, winning 3–0 over the New York Red Bulls. Seattle has set MLS records for average attendance, led the league in season ticket sales, qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of its first seven seasons, and played for the MLS Cup for the first time following the 2016 season. The Sounders have led MLS attendance since their inaugural season, consistently drawing an average of 50–65% more than the next highest-drawing team in the league, LA Galaxy. The club's announced attendance average was 43,144 in 2012. The team's players have included U.S. men's national soccer team captain Clint Dempsey, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C. forward Obafemi Martins, U-23 product and current Newcastle United F.C. player DeAndre Yedlin, striker Fredy Montero, and Osvaldo Alonso.

The Sounders have won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup three times in a row, in four consecutive Open Cup final appearances. In 2014, Seattle won their fourth U.S. Open Cup title, defeating the Philadelphia Union in overtime, 3–1. For the first time in franchise history, the Sounders won the Supporters' Shield over the LA Galaxy in the 2014 regular season, also completing their double.

History

Even before the first cities in the United States were chosen to host Major League Soccer teams, Seattle was considered a viable location for a professional team.[4] In 1994, as the U.S. was preparing to host the FIFA World Cup, more than 30 cities were pursuing the rights to an MLS team, Seattle being among them.[5] However, despite the strong soccer fan base in Seattle, the absence of a soccer-only stadium was a drawback to establishing an MLS team.[6] Cities seeking consideration for an inaugural MLS team were also expected to secure 10,000 assurances from fans for season tickets.[5] By the June 3, 1994 deadline for MLS team bids, Seattle organizers had secured fewer than 1,500 such assurances.[7] These low numbers were a result of competition between the ticket campaign for the MLS expansion team and for the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) Sounders expansion team.[8]

In a June 14, 1994 announcement, Seattle was not included among the first seven cities to be awarded an MLS team.[4] Five more teams were to be announced later in the year, and to improve their chances this time, Seattle MLS organizers began working with the University of Washington to secure use of Husky Stadium as an interim stadium while they pursued the construction of a permanent soccer-specific facility.[9] In November 1994, the start of the first MLS season was postponed until 1996, and it was noted that the absence of an "adequate grass-field facility" in the area and the presence of the new APSL Seattle Sounders team had thwarted Seattle's MLS bid.[10] In the end, Seattle was not among the cities chosen to establish a team during the first season of MLS.[11]

In 1996, as Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen worked with the city to build a new football stadium for his team, the potential of an MLS expansion team that could be a co-tenant helped drive public support for the effort.[12] Many of the state's voters supported the referendum to construct Seahawks Stadium because it was also expected to be a professional soccer venue.[13] While the stadium problem was being resolved, a new issue emerged. By 2000, MLS was moving away from league-operated teams to investor-operated teams, so wealthy individuals would need to step forward for Seattle to obtain an MLS expansion team.[13]

In 2003, Seattle was again listed as a possibility for an MLS expansion team when the ten-team league announced plans to expand into new markets.[14] In 2004, MLS commissioner Don Garber indicated that Seattle had been "very close" to receiving the expansion team ultimately awarded to Salt Lake. Adrian Hanauer, then-owner of the United Soccer League's (USL) Sounders (formerly the APSL Sounders), was in discussions with MLS about an estimated payment of $1 million to secure rights to a Seattle franchise for 2006.[15] However, when Seattle was passed over again in 2006, Hanauer announced that he would not be able to secure an expansion team without the help of more investors willing to cover the increasing MLS franchise fees which had grown beyond $10 million.[16]

MLS expansion arrives

In 2007, Hanauer teamed up with Hollywood producer Joe Roth to make another bid for MLS expansion into Seattle, at a cost of $30 million.[17] Paul Allen, whose First and Goal company operated Qwest Field (now CenturyLink Field), joined the ownership group that same year, making the bid the most promising yet for Seattle.[18] During the first week of November 2007, rumors began to build that MLS would be announcing an expansion into Seattle the following week, and that the ownership group had taken on a fourth member, TV personality Drew Carey.[19] In a press conference on November 13, 2007, it was announced that Seattle had been awarded an expansion team. The announcement marked the return of top-level soccer to Seattle for the first time since the dissolution of its North American Soccer League (NASL) team in 1983. The announcement also meant that the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division would play its final season the year before the new MLS franchise was formed.[20][21] "Seattle Sounders FC" was announced as the team name on April 7, 2008, along with the team logo, colors and badge design, in a presentation held at the Space Needle.[22] The "FC" in the team moniker stands for Football Club, but the team name is officially "Seattle Sounders FC".

Inaugural season

Several players are standing together with one lifting a large trophy upward
Players celebrate after winning the 2009 U.S. Open Cup.

Seattle Sounders FC, the league's 15th team, began play in the 2009 season. All 22,000 season ticket packages offered by the club for its inaugural season were sold,[23] giving them the most season ticket holders in MLS.[24] The club played its first home match on March 19, 2009 in front of a sold-out crowd of 32,523, defeating the New York Red Bulls 3–0.[25] During the pre-match ceremonies, the first Golden Scarf was awarded to MLS Commissioner Don Garber.[26] Seattle was the first MLS expansion team to win its first three matches, and they did so with a shutout in each.[27] The club set a state record for attendance at a soccer match on August 5, 2009, when 66,848 attended a friendly match with FC Barcelona,[28] a record which was later broken when they hosted Manchester United in front of 67,052 fans.[29]

On September 2, 2009, the Sounders became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago was the first) to win the U.S. Open Cup tournament in its first season.[30] They did so by defeating D.C. United 2–1 on the road at RFK Stadium. In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.[30]

On October 17, 2009, the Sounders became the second MLS expansion team in league history to qualify for the playoffs in its first season. They clinched a playoff berth with a come-from-behind victory over the Kansas City Wizards 3–2 at Kansas City.[31] Seattle finished the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 draws. The club set a new MLS record for average attendance with 30,943 fans per match.[32] Its inaugural season came to an end in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs with a loss in the conference semi-finals to the Houston Dynamo by a 1–0 aggregate score in a two-legged series.[33] During the 2009 season, all 15 Sounders MLS regular season home matches, its home playoff match, and its four home U.S. Open Cup matches (played at Starfire Sports Complex) were sold out.[34]

2010 season

Before the first match of the Sounders' second season, the club increased the number of season ticket holders to 32,000.[35] The first match of the season was played at CenturyLink Field, with Seattle hosting a new MLS expansion team, the Philadelphia Union. The Sounders won 2–0 on goals from Brad Evans and Fredy Montero. However, Seattle followed the win by losing 8 of its next 14 matches. In the latter half of the regular season, Seattle reversed its fortune. The team won 10 of its last 15 matches, and clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive year with a 2–1 win on October 10, 2010 at Kansas City.[36] They finished the season with 14 wins, 10 losses, and 6 ties. In the playoffs, the Sounders were eliminated in the conference semi-finals by the Los Angeles Galaxy on a 3–1 aggregate score.[37] The club broke its own single-season attendance record, averaging 36,173 fans per match,[38] and again sold out every league match.[39]

The Sounders also competed in two additional competitions during the 2010 season – the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup. In the Champions League, Seattle progressed through the preliminary round, beating Isidro Metapán 2–1 on aggregate, but was eliminated in the group stage.[40] In the U.S. Open Cup, Seattle won matches at Portland and at home against the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA before reaching the final, which they hosted at CenturyLink Field against the Columbus Crew. On October 5, 2010, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup final, 2–1, becoming the first team since 1983 to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions.[41] The final was played in front of a U.S. Open Cup record crowd of 31,311,[42] and the victory ensured Seattle's return to the Champions League in 2011.[43]

2011 season

Several players are standing together with three trophies on the ground in front of them
Sounders FC players with the '09, '10, and '11 U.S. Open Cup trophies.

The Sounders began 2011 by hosting the opening match of the MLS season for the third straight year.[44] The club hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy, and lost 1–0.[45] On April 22, 2011, in a match against the Colorado Rapids, Seattle's star midfielder Steve Zakuani suffered a broken leg in a challenge by the Rapids' Brian Mullan, which ended his season.[46] Despite setbacks and a slow start to the season (the club won just 3 of its first 10 matches), the Sounders went on to finish the season with the second-best record in the league at 18 wins, 9 draws, 7 losses, and qualified for the playoffs for a third consecutive year.[47]

On October 4, 2011, Seattle won its third consecutive U.S. Open Cup, becoming the first club to do so in 42 years, as they defeated the Chicago Fire 2–0 in front of another tournament record crowd of 35,615 at CenturyLink Field.[48]

In the MLS playoffs, Seattle lost its Western Conference semi-final series 3–2 on aggregate to Real Salt Lake. The club dug itself a hole by losing 3–0 in Salt Lake, and could only net two goals in the second leg at home.[49]

Sounders midfielder Mauro Rosales was recognized by the league as the 2011 Newcomer of the Year.[50] In 2011, Seattle again broke its own league record for average attendance at 38,496. On October 15, 2011, the club hosted the third-largest crowd ever for a single MLS match, as 64,140 attended the final regular season home match.[51]

In the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, the club finished second in its group and advanced to the knockout round, which was played starting in March 2012.[52][53] In champions league group play, Seattle became only the second MLS team in history to win a competitive match in Mexico, defeating CF Monterrey 1–0 on August 23, 2011.[54]

2012–2013

In 2012, the Sounders finished third in the conference, seventh overall in MLS, were finalists once again in the US Open Cup, reached the quarter finals in the CONCACAF Champions League and runners-up in both the Cascadia Cup and Heritage Cup. The top scorer in league play was 28-year-old striker Eddie Abraham Johnson, who scored 14 goals.

In 2013, the Sounders completed the largest transfer deal ever in the history of MLS, paying $9 million to Tottenham Hotspur for Clint Dempsey,[55] captain of the U.S. national team and considered one of the best American players to date. The Sounders agreed to pay Dempsey the fourth-largest salary to date in MLS, approximately $5 million per year until 2016.[56]

Seattle Sounders continued breaking the MLS attendance record for the fourth and fifth consecutive year in 2012 and 2013 with the average crowd of 43,144 and 44,038 respectively.[57]

2014 season

After a disappointing 2013 season, the Sounders replaced starting goalkeeper Michael Gspurning with Toronto's Stefan Frei. Several veteran players, including Eddie Johnson, Patrick Ianni, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Mauro Rosales, and Steve Zakuani, left the club as part of a major restructure; Brad Evans was named as club captain.[58] Marco Pappa, an experienced MLS player and Guatemalan international, was added to the team. Homegrown player DeAndre Yedlin was transferred overseas to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season.[59]

The Sounders advanced to the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final and defeated the Philadelphia Union in extra time, to win their fourth trophy of the tournament. On October 25, 2014, the final game of the 2014 regular season, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 2–0 to secure and win their first Supporters' Shield.[60]

Entering the playoffs as the top seed, Seattle defeated FC Dallas on the away goals rule and advanced to the Western Conference Championship to face the LA Galaxy once again. The Sounders lost on aggregate score and the away goals rule after losing 1–0 away and winning 2–1 at home. LA would go on to win the MLS Cup.[61]

2015 season

Former Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey was hired by the club in January 2015, replacing Adrian Hanauer.[62]

Seattle was unable to repeat their successes in the 2014 season. The season started successfully, with several key wins that saw the team at the top of the Western Conference by June.[63] During a 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match against the Portland Timbers on June 16, however, Obafemi Martins left the game with a groin injury and Clint Dempsey was suspended after tearing a referee's pocketbook, though he would be called away for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[64][65]

The injury and suspension of the team's main attacking duo led to a death spiral during the summer, with Seattle winning only one match in nine games. By late August, Martins had recovered and led the team to an 8-match unbeaten streak to secure a playoff spot, finishing 4th in the Western Conference. The Sounders had also successfully topped their group in the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps and Club Deportivo Olimpia, with two wins, one draw, and one loss.[66] Paraguayan international Nelson Haedo Valdez was signed as the club's newest designated player, and was joined by fellow international signings Andreas Ivanschitz and Román Torres in August 2015;[67] Erik Friberg also returned to the club after his stint in Europe.[68]

During the playoff's opening knockout round, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 3–2, ending a "curse" for the club, who had lost to LA in each of the three previous playoff matchups.[69] The playoff run would end in the next round, the Western Conference semifinals against FC Dallas, during a penalty shootout after both teams were tied on aggregate score after extra time in Frisco, Texas.[70][71]

In November 2015, Adrian Hanauer was made majority owner of the club, succeeding Joe Roth.[72] The club set a new attendance record during the 2015 season, with an average attendance of 44,247.[73]

2016–present

Prior to the 2016 season, Obafemi Martins abruptly left the club to sign with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C. in the Chinese Super League,[74] a move that would hamper the Sounders' offense during the season. The move was mitigated somewhat by the signing of homegrown product Jordan Morris.[75] GM Lagerwey also traded Marco Pappa and Lamar Neagle to other clubs in the offseason.[76]

On July 26, 2016, the Sounders and coach Sigi Schmid agreed to part ways, ending his tenure at the club. Assistant coach Brian Schmetzer was promoted to interim head coach.[77] The same day, the club announced their signing of Uruguayan midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro on a designated player contract,[78] as well as the return of former designated player Álvaro Fernández.[79] After qualifying for the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, Schmetzer was named as permanent head coach in November.[80] The Sounders won the 2016 Western Conference Final against Colorado to go to their first-ever MLS Cup.[81]

Team colors and crest

The badge design resembles a heraldic shield, and consists of two layers which represent "the partnership between the ownership, the community, the players and the fans." The logo incorporates the Space Needle, an internationally recognized Seattle landmark. The official team colors are Sounder Blue, signifying the waters of the Puget Sound; Rave Green, representing the forests of the Pacific Northwest; and Cascade Shale, representing the Cascade Range to the east of Seattle.[82] Fans chose a name for the team in an online poll held between March 27 and 31, 2008. The initial list of possibilities – Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance – deliberately did not include Seattle Sounders in order to provide a "fresh start." Despite the names having been selected through fan research and internal committees, the omission of the traditional Sounders name embittered many in the Seattle community.[83][84] In response to the backlash, the team added a fourth "write-in" option for the team name, allowing for any name to be suggested on the ballot.[85] Of the more than 14,500 votes received in choosing the new team name, 49% of the votes included some form of the name "Sounders".[86] Upon announcing the name of the club, Hanauer acknowledged the significance of keeping with tradition: "The team playing at the highest level in our region has always been called Sounders. Starting with the NASL and then the USL 1st Division, we now have the chance to create a separate and distinct identity with the new MLS team."[87]

Sponsorship

Team ownership revealed the first Sounders jersey on May 28, 2008, and announced Microsoft as the team's sponsor in a five-year deal worth approximately $20 million.[88] As part of the agreement, Xbox branding appeared on the front of the Sounders' jerseys and throughout the stadium, beginning with the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live and later replaced with the Xbox One (simply shown as "XBOX").[89]

In 2012, the club hired a consultant to explore other jersey partnerships,[90] but ultimately added a one-year extension to its Microsoft sponsorship deal in September 2013 to last through the 2014 season.[91] A second extension signed in December 2014, lasting through the end of the 2016 season;[92] the extension came amid rumors that Emirates Airlines was interested in a sponsorship as part of their marketing campaign in Seattle.[93]

Stadium

Main article: CenturyLink Field
A view of a soccer field from high in the crowd before a match.
Supporters in the lower bowl of CenturyLink Field

Seattle Sounders FC plays home matches at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, also home to the Seattle Seahawks.[94][95] Sounders minority owner Paul Allen is also the owner of the Seahawks, who have a 30-year lease on CenturyLink Field.[96] Because of this relationship, the Sounders makes use of CenturyLink Field without paying rent.[97] For Sounders matches, the pitch is called "The Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field" as part of the sponsorship deal with Microsoft.[98]

CenturyLink Field is a 69,000-seat stadium designed for both teams.[95] The Sounders artificially limits the stadium's capacity for MLS matches, with certain seating sections covered with tarpaulins to provide "a more intimate atmosphere." However, the club does open the entire stadium for international friendly matches,[94][99] and some league matches.[100] The team's original business plan expected only 12,000 tickets per game.[101] Based on high initial demand, capacity for the stadium was limited to 24,500 for the beginning of the inaugural 2009 season.[94] However, due to continued high demand, capacity has been increased multiple times, to 38,500 for the 2012 season[99][102][103][104] and to 39,115 for 2015 season.[105] On October 7, 2012, a record was established when a crowd of 66,452 attended a Sounders 3–0 win over the rival Portland Timbers: the second-highest to-date in MLS.[106] The Sounders then beat their own record on August 25, 2013 again against the Timbers with 67,385 in attendance for Clint Dempsey's home debut, a 1–0 win for the Sounders.

While the Sounders currently play on FieldTurf, CenturyLink Field has previously had temporary natural grass installed for international soccer events.[107][108] In 2012, an updated FieldTurf surface was installed and certified by FIFA with a 2-star quality rating, the highest possible rating.[109] If an MLS rule change requires natural grass playing surfaces, the field will be permanently replaced with natural grass.[110]

The team's training facilities and offices are located at the Starfire Sports Complex in nearby Tukwila.[111] Smaller than CenturyLink Field, Starfire is also used to host U.S. Open Cup matches. Sounders representatives have said they prefer the more intimate atmosphere for smaller cup matches.[112]

Supporters

For more details on this topic, see Seattle Sounders FC supporters.
Fans waving flags and unfurling a large green and blue tifo behind a goal.
Emerald City Supporters unveil a tifo prior to the club's inaugural match.

The Sounders FC Alliance was established at the request of minority owner Drew Carey. Based on the fan association at FC Barcelona, members of the Alliance have the ability to vote on the removal of the General Manager and on other team decisions. Season ticket holders become automatic members, while non-season ticket holders may buy into the Alliance for a fee. Membership benefits include voting privileges, an invitation to the annual meeting and other team perks. Members may also be elected to the Sounders FC Alliance Council by receiving at least 25 nominations from other members on an annual basis. The first vote on retaining or replacing Sounders General Manager Adrian Hanauer was scheduled to be held between October to December 2012. After 13,775 votes registered, Hanauer was retained by the Alliance.[113] Drew Carey is the chairman of the Sounders FC Alliance.[114]

Carey also requested that the Sounders have their own marching band, the first of its kind in MLS.[115] This led to the creation of the Sound Wave, a 53-member marching band consisting of brass and marching percussion.[116] The band plays music from multiple genres, such as Latin, rock and pop,[116] and sits on the north end of CenturyLink Field.[117] The March to the Match, in which fans march from Occidental Park to CenturyLink Field before each home match, has been accompanied by the Sound Wave.[118]

Besides the Alliance, there are currently four recognized, independent supporters groups for the Sounders. Emerald City Supporters (ECS), which formed in 2005 to support the USL Sounders, is the largest supporter group and sits in the south end of the stadium in sections 121–123.[119] Eastside Supporters is a group which can be found in section 150 which they call "The Pod". Gorilla FC is a Sounders supporters group that sits in the south end of CenturyLink Field in Sections 119 and 120.[120] The North End Faithful sit in the north end of the stadium beneath the "Hawks Nest" in sections 100 and 144–152.[121]

Rivalries

The Seattle–Portland and Seattle–Vancouver rivalries formed in the years that the NASL-Sounders and USL-Sounders were playing in Seattle. In 2004, the fan-based Cascadia Cup was created to formalize the competition between the Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver USL teams.[122] This geographic rivalry went on without Seattle for two years after 2009 saw the Sounders enter MLS, and was restored to all three cities when the MLS expansion teams in Portland and Vancouver began play in the 2011 season.[123][124]

The fan-created Heritage Cup competition with the San Jose Earthquakes began in the 2009 MLS season. MLS teams that carry on the names of their NASL predecessors are eligible to compete. The results of their league matches determine the winner.[125]

Although there is no official rivalry between the Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy, the two teams have met several times in the MLS Cup Playoffs.[126] The relationship between head coaches Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid, the two most successful in league history, also played a factor in the clubs' rivalry.[127]

Ownership and team management

The ownership group of the club is composed of four investors. The majority owner is the former owner of the now defunct USL-1 team Seattle Sounders Adrian Hanauer, with minority owners Joe Roth, a Hollywood producer; Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers; and Drew Carey, comedian and game show host.[128] Allen's partnership allowed for the team to share certain resources with the Seahawks, including over half of the team's full-time staff, with merged ticket, marketing, and financial operations.[101] This arrangement ended on April 30, 2014, with the Sounders becoming a fully independent business operation.[129]

Brian Schmetzer is, as of July 26, 2016, the Sounders' head coach. He was promoted to interim head coach from his role as assistant coach after Sigi Schmid parted ways with the club on mutual terms.[77] Schmid had been introduced as the first head coach of the team on December 16, 2008, after leaving the Columbus Crew following their MLS Cup victory.[130] The club's assistant coaches are Ante Razov, a retired MLS player,[131] and Djimi Traoré, a retired Sounders player who played for Liverpool F.C.[132] Tom Dutra was hired in 2008 as the club's goalkeeper coach.[133][134]

Garth Lagerwey was hired from Real Salt Lake in January 2015 as the club's general manager and President of Soccer.[62] Former MLS player and Everett, Washington native Chris Henderson was named technical director on January 24, 2009.[135] Former Sounders defender Taylor Graham was hired as the club's Vice President of Business Operations in 2012,[136] replacing longtime Seattle Seahawks executive Gary Wright.[137]

SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily recognized Seattle Sounders FC as the Professional Sports Team of the Year in 2009 because of the team's record-setting success in attendance, as well as making the playoffs in its inaugural season.[138][139] Former Seahawks and Sounders CEO Tod Leiweke was recognized by the Puget Sound Business Journal as the newspaper's 2009 Executive of the Year.[140] Gary Wright was named MLS Executive of the Year in 2009.[141] In 2012, he was named Seattle Sports Star Executive of the Year.[142]

USL reserve team

Main article: Seattle Sounders FC 2

On October 14, 2014, the Sounders announced that they would field a reserve team, named Seattle Sounders FC 2 (S2), in the United Soccer League beginning in 2015.[143] The team, managed by former assistant coach Ezra Hendrickson and playing at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, began its inaugural season on March 21, 2015.[144]

Broadcasting

Seattle Sounders matches are televised locally in English on either Q13 FOX (KCPQ) or JOEtv (KZJO) within the Seattle market, regionally on Root Sports Northwest and nationally on ESPN and Fox Soccer. English television broadcasts were called by Keith Costigan, who works alongside color commentator and former Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller.[145] Matches are televised in Spanish on Univision Seattle (KUNS) with Jaime Mendez and analyst Diego Arrioja.[146] On radio, Sounders matches are called in English on KIRO-FM by Matt Johnson, and in Spanish on El Rey 1360 AM (KKMO) by Mario Rodriguez and Felipe Maqueda.[147][148]

Former Seattle SuperSonics announcer Kevin Calabro and former U.S. soccer star Greg Vanney called the play-by-play for the local broadcasts during the Sounders' inaugural season in 2009.[149][150] However, they were replaced by former BBC cricket and general sport commentator Arlo White for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, who called English language broadcasts without a partner.[151] In 2012, White was hired by NBC Sports Network to be the voice of their soccer coverage. That led to BBC commentator Ross Fletcher becoming the club's television and radio play-by-play commentator beginning with the 2012 season, working alongside Kasey Keller as the color commentator.[152] Fletcher left the club at the end of the 2015 season and was controversially replaced by Keith Costigan.[153][154]

Profitability and revenue

A 2015 study by Forbes ranked the Sounders number one in the league in terms of annual revenues ($50 million) and operating income ($10 million). Consequently, the Sounders were also ranked as the most valuable franchise ($245 million) in MLS — a 717% increase over the expansion fee it paid to join the league.[155] The Sounders financial success is driven in large part by their high attendance figures.[155]

Players and staff

Current roster

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of July 28, 2016.[156]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Miller, TylerTyler Miller      United States
2 Forward Dempsey, ClintClint Dempsey (DP)     United States
3 Defender Evans, BradBrad Evans      United States
4 Defender Mears, TyroneTyrone Mears      Jamaica
5 Defender Ockford, JimmyJimmy Ockford      United States
6 Midfielder Alonso, OsvaldoOsvaldo Alonso      Cuba
7 Midfielder Roldan, CristianCristian Roldan      United States
8 Midfielder Friberg, ErikErik Friberg      Sweden
9 Forward Gomez, HerculezHerculez Gomez      United States
10 Midfielder Lodeiro, NicolásNicolás Lodeiro (DP)     Uruguay
11 Midfielder Kovar, AaronAaron Kovar (HGP)     United States
12 Midfielder Farfan, MichaelMichael Farfan      United States
13 Forward Morris, JordanJordan Morris (HGP)     United States
14 Defender Marshall, ChadChad Marshall      United States
15 Defender Remick, DylanDylan Remick      United States
16 Forward Valdez, NelsonNelson Valdez (DP)     Paraguay
17 Forward Jones, DarwinDarwin Jones (HGP)     United States
18 Midfielder Sturgis, NathanNathan Sturgis      United States
20 Defender Scott, ZachZach Scott      United States
21 Midfielder Fernández, ÁlvaroÁlvaro Fernández      Uruguay
22 Goalkeeper Lyon, CharlieCharlie Lyon      United States
23 Midfielder Ivanschitz, AndreasAndreas Ivanschitz      Austria
24 Goalkeeper Frei, StefanStefan Frei       Switzerland
25 Defender Alfaro, TonyTony Alfaro      Mexico
29 Defender Torres, RománRomán Torres      Panama
31 Defender Lowe, DamionDamion Lowe      Jamaica
33 Defender Jones, JoevinJoevin Jones      Trinidad and Tobago
39 Forward Anderson, OalexOalex Anderson      Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
80 Forward Mansaray, VictorVictor Mansaray (HGP)     United States
91 Defender Fisher, OnielOniel Fisher      Jamaica

Head coaches

Name Nat Tenure
Sigi Schmid  Germany December 16, 2008 – July 26, 2016
Brian Schmetzer  United States July 26, 2016 – November 1, 2016 (interim)
November 2, 2016 – present

General managers

Name Nat From To
Adrian Hanauer  United States 2007 2015
Garth Lagerwey  United States 2015 present

Staff

As of 26 July 2016[134][157]
Executive
Majority owner Adrian Hanauer
Minority owners Joe Roth, Paul Allen, Drew Carey
Chief executive officer Bart Wiley
General Manager Garth Lagerwey
Coaching staff
Head coach Brian Schmetzer
Assistant coach Ante Razov
Assistant coach Djimi Traoré
Goalkeeper coach Tom Dutra
Head athletic trainer Chris Cornish
Head Scout Kurt Schmid

Honors

The team's first three Open Cup trophies (2009, 2010, 2011)

Records

Interactive chart

Major League Soccer Season Records
Major League Soccer Season Records
►

Year-by-year

Year MLS Regular season Position MLS Cup
Playoffs		 Additional
Honors		 U.S.
Open Cup		 Champions
League
P W L D GF GA Pts Conf. Overall
2009 30 12 7 11 38 29 47 3rd 4th Conference Semi-finals N/A Champions DNQ
2010 30 14 10 6 39 35 48 4th 6th Conference Semi-finals N/A Champions Group Stage
2011 34 18 7 9 56 37 63 2nd 2nd Conference Semi-finals Cascadia Cup Champions Quarter Finals
2012 34 15 8 11 51 33 56 3rd 7th Conference Finals N/A Runners-Up Semi-finals
2013 34 15 12 7 42 42 52 4th 6th Conference Semi-finals N/A 3R DNQ
2014 34 20 10 4 65 50 64 1st 1st Conference Finals N/A Champions DNQ
2015 34 15 13 6 44 36 51 4th 6th Conference Semi-finals Cascadia Cup 4R Quarter Finals
2016 34 14 14 6 44 43 48 4th 7th TBD N/A Quarter Finals TBD

All-time top 10 goalscorers

As of October 1, 2016 [158]
# Name Career Goals [159]
1 Colombia Fredy Montero 2009–2014 60
2 Nigeria Obafemi Martins 2013–2016 43
3 United States Clint Dempsey 2013– 40
4 United States Lamar Neagle 2009, 2011
2013–2015		 31
5 United States Eddie Johnson 2012–2013 29
6 United States Brad Evans 2009– 26
7 Cuba Osvaldo Alonso 2009– 20
8 Democratic Republic of the Congo Steve Zakuani 2009–2013 19
9 United States Nate Jaqua 2009–2011 18
10 Uruguay Álvaro Fernández 2010–2012
2016–		 17

Bold signifies current Sounders player.

Leading scorers by season

Year
Player Goals
2009 Colombia Fredy Montero 12
2010 Colombia Fredy Montero
Democratic Republic of the Congo Steve Zakuani		 10
2011 Colombia Fredy Montero 12
2012 United States Eddie Johnson 14
2013 United States Eddie Johnson 9
2014 Nigeria Obafemi Martins 17
2015 Nigeria Obafemi Martins 15
2016 United States Jordan Morris 14

Seattle Sounders Football Academy

Seattle Sounders Football Academy is an academy team of the Seattle Sounders. The current Youth Academy team manager is Dick McCormick, who was appointed in 2010 after working with the Crossfire Premier Soccer Club in Redmond, Washington following his retirement from playing in 2004.[160] His assistants are Sean Henderson and Bill Crook, who are both former Seattle Sounders players.[161] The technical director is Darren Sawatzky, a former Colorado Rapids and Seattle Sounders.[162]

History

Beginning (2010–2012)

In October 2010, the Seattle Sounders FC Academy was founded. The 2010 U-17 Sounders were part of the SUM U-17 Cup, a tournament with all the sixteen reserve Major League Soccer teams. They were grouped with the reserve teams of FC Dallas, Columbus Crew, and Philadelphia Union. Following a successful first season, 10 players committed to play soccer in college.[163]

Homegrown Players (2013–present)

The Homegrown Player Rule (HGP) program allows MLS teams to sign local players from their own development academies directly to MLS first team rosters.[164]

At the start of the 2013 season, DeAndre Yedlin became the first Sounders Academy player to sign a HGP contract.[165] In his first professional season with Seattle, Yedlin was part of the United States squad for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the MLS squad for the 2013 MLS All-Star Game. Yedlin appeared in all three of the U-20's games and played 24 minutes against A.S. Roma in the All-Star Game.

In 2014, Aaron Kovar and Sean Okoli followed Yedlin in becoming the next Academy players to sign with the full team.[166] Yedlin was called up to the United States squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making him the first HGP to have been called up to a World Cup roster. Yedlin was once again named to the MLS squad for the 2014 MLS All-Star Game.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Expandable to 69,000.[1][2]

References

  1. ↑ "Facilities – Seattle Sounders Football Club". Seattle Sounders FC. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  2. ↑ "CenturyLink Field capacity expanded for Clint Dempsey's home opener – Sounder At Heart". Sounderatheart.com. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  3. ↑ Pentz, Matt (November 12, 2015). "Adrian Hanauer is the new majority owner of the Seattle Sounders". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Farrey, Tom (June 15, 1994). "Seattle Misses First Mls Cut—But Bid Isn't Dead". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  5. 1 2 Farrey, Tom (January 28, 1994). "Big Soccer Surprise: 38,000 To See Match". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  6. ↑ Farrey, Tom (February 4, 1994). "Key Need For Soccer: A Stadium". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Soccer Ticket Pledges Exceed 1,300". The Seattle Times. June 4, 1994. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  8. ↑ Farrey, Tom (February 24, 1994). "Soccer League Rejects Sounders' Plan; Two Will Compete To Sell Season Tickets". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  9. ↑ Farrey, Tom (July 17, 1994). "Seattle Gets Boost In Bid For Team—Husky Stadium Might Be Mls Site". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Major League Soccer Postponed Until 1996". The Seattle Times. November 16, 1994. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Pro Soccer To Become Reality In March Of '96". Deseret News. June 7, 1995. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  12. ↑ Almond, Elliott (May 11, 1996). "Want A Stadium For Football? Try A Little Soccer". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  13. 1 2 Sherwin, Bob (May 10, 2000). "MLS team in Seattle no sure bet". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Garber says MLS plans to add teams". The Seattle Times. October 19, 2002. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  15. ↑ Romero, José Miguel (July 15, 2004). "Seattle at "top of list" for MLS team in 2006". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  16. ↑ Massey, Matt (April 16, 2005). "Seattle's chances for MLS team take a hit". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  17. ↑ Mahoney, Ridge (July 28, 2009). "Sounders bring MLS success in Seattle". USA Today. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  18. ↑ Smith, Craig (October 11, 2007). "Gooooal? City may soon have franchise". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  19. ↑ Stone, Larry (November 10, 2007). "Big-time soccer coming in 2009". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
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  21. ↑ Moroney, Laurence (November 13, 2007). "MLS announces expansion in Seattle". Major League Soccer. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
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  29. ↑ Mayers, Joshua (July 20, 2011). "Manchester United schools Sounders FC 7–0 before record crowd". Seattle Times. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  30. 1 2 "Seattle Sounders FC Become Second MLS Expansion Team to Claim U.S. Open Cup Crown". United States Soccer Federation. September 2, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
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  38. ↑ Winner, Andrew (October 17, 2010). "Fans motivate Seattle to 2–1 win over Chivas". Retrieved October 18, 2010.
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  41. ↑ Goff, Steven (October 6, 2010). "Nyassi is nice: Seattle Sounders defeat Columbus Crew, 2–1, to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
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  147. ↑ "Radio Programming". Seattle Sounders FC. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  148. ↑ Pentz, Matt (February 10, 2016). "Seattle Sounders unveil new play-by-play announcers, release regional broadcast details". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  149. ↑ Brewer, Jerry (July 22, 2008). "Sounders find voice: Kevin Calabro". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 22, 2008.
  150. ↑ Romero, José Miguel (April 27, 2009). "Games through June 28 sold out, and if Sounders FC wins tomorrow..". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  151. ↑ Romero, José Miguel (February 9, 2010). "BBC vet Arlo White, 36, to succeed Kevin Calabro as the Sounders play-by-play broadcaster". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  152. ↑ Mayers, Joshua (January 10, 2012). "Sounders hire announcers Ross Fletcher, Kasey Keller". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  153. ↑ Pentz, Matt (October 22, 2015). "Seattle Sounders broadcaster Ross Fletcher to leave club at the end of this season". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  154. ↑ Oshan, Jeremiah (February 12, 2016). "Trying to understand the frustration around Sounders new announcers". Sounder At Heart. SB Nation. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  155. 1 2 Smith, Chris (August 19, 2015). "Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Teams". Forbes. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  156. ↑ "First Team Roster". Seattle Sounders FC. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  157. ↑ "Sounders FC Front Office". Seattle Sounders FC. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  158. ↑ http://www.mlssoccer.com/stats/season?franchise=3500&year=2016&season_type=REG&group=goals&op=Search&form_build_id=form-qH1yMXeRy1Pq4hbm3osXcX4a-Zp38sFQ8KeZC76PNgQ&form_id=mp7_stats_hub_build_filter_form
  159. ↑ Includes Major League Soccer, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League
  160. ↑ http://www.soundersfc.com/News/Articles/2010/02-February/Dick-McCormick-Hired.aspx Sounders FC Names Dick McCormick as Academy Manager/Head Coach
  161. ↑ http://www.soundersfc.com/News/Articles/2010/03-March/Crook-and-Henderson-named-Academy-Assistant-Coaches.aspx Sean Henderson and Bill Crook
  162. ↑ http://www.soundersfc.com/Youth/Development-Program/YDP-Staff.aspx Darren Sawatzky
  163. ↑ url=http://www.soundersfc.com/post/2011/02/03/10-sounders-fc-academy-players-commit-colleges 2010 commitments
  164. ↑ http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2013-01-16/mls-draft-2013-fc-dallas-new-england-revolution-la-galaxy-schellas-hyndman-gyasi MLS Draft 2013: Homegrown player initiative rises as draft declines
  165. ↑ http://www.soundersfc.com/news/articles/2013/01-january/yedlin-press-release.aspx Sounders FC Signs First Homegrown Player
  166. ↑ http://www.soundersfc.com/post/2014/01/09/sounders-fc-signs-aaron-kovar-and-sean-okoli Sounders FC signs Aaron Kovar and Sean Okoli

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