Seattle expansion in 2009

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... 78&cc=5901

Looks like the announcement will be made this week to officially name Seattle the next expansion team in the MLS after San Jose get their Earthquakes back.

I am curious what will happen to the current USL team, the Sounders. Will the new MLS team just be another reincarnation of it? Or will the Seattle area get to keep both.

I am actually not surprised to see Cleveland's own Drew Carey become a minority owner in the team. Anyone who knows American soccer knows that Carey has been a HUGE supporter for some time now. He is always popping up at U.S. soccer functions and charities. I still remember the Beckham premier game when they were trying to interview Carey and he kept missing the question because he was watching the match. lol.

Though I do not like the idea of using Qwest Field as the home stadium. While it may have been designed with soccer in mind, the stadium is too big and will mimic home games like DC and New England. Hopefully they are expected to build a proper Soccer-specific field in the near future.

 

Well, the 'Qwestion' on the stadium is whether it's more like RFK or more like Gillette.

As to the Sounders.... it would be a puzzle to me if they werent given an option, since it's their marketing and success that led to it.

 

I could see them keeping the Sounders name and logo in Seattle, but I can't see them trying to keep both teams there. You may be able to support one team well, but two? That's a bit of a stretch for American soccer fans. This isn't LA having both the Galaxy and Chivas.

 

I wasnt referring to having both teams active... though I guess I should have clarified that.
It simply never entered my mind, Sounders being a well run org and too smart to try that, IMO.

 

Drew as a fan and owner -- I'm jealous

I don't really have an MLS team, but already, if Seattle is good enough for one Cleveland Guy, they are looking mighty good for this one too. (and 'Fog, sorry, the Crew have always been a nonstarter -- they never have done it for me and never will)

 

I CERTAINLY understand that... had the same feeling recently myself.

And I certainly understand picking someone else 'far away'... both you and Carey having been burnt by the Browns so many times.

But >>>IF<< the Crew ever find the magic, I reserve the right to call you out on even the slightest hint of 'bandwaggoning'

 

YES YES YES!!! I am Uber Stoked! I have been waiting for this, but I was really hoping it was going to come with an announcement of a stadium being built and not the stinking Quest field.

I hope they are not the sounders, and I really hope that they go with some different color combo than the current sounders. Looks like I will know Today!

 

The chances of the new team getting a stadium has about much chance as a winter time drought in Seattle. A Seattle instituition (Sonics) are moving to Oklahoma City because a new arena can't get built. Qwest Field has amazing acoutics and will be set-up for 24k for The Sounders (can't imagine a Seattle team being called anything else).

 

I was a little hurt to see Carey being a minority owner in Seattle's expansion team. There's a movement here in Cleveland, although you'd never know it unless you really looked, to get and expansion MLS team. I wonder why Carey isnt backing that movement. He's the hometown hero, I'm sure his backing would help the cause quite a bit.

 

The prime mover for Cleveland franchise died. PLUS every place picked for a stadium met stiff NIMBY or anti-tax opposition.

Betcha Carey talked to Randy Lerner about it.. so guess what Lerner thinks about it.

 

glad to see another expansion franchise in MLS. Now the League will be uneven again for the 2009 season. Could this mean that one more franchise will be added and will open in '09 as well?

 

I think Cleveland (or should I say the burbs) still has hope. This was reported today

Maybe we need Kevin Costner instead of Drew Carey. But see, Carey should be here helping out if he loves soccer and Cleveland so much.

 

In the press conference for the seattle team it sounded like they would be adding 2 in 2009 and 2 in 2010

 

Jens; did they mention anything about the team name, colors, etc..?

 

No - you can make suggestions and they say they should be making those decisions over the next few months, but they said that the name will be of an International Style, and that it will reflect the world-wide game.

I am not sure what that means, but to me that means you are talking Seattle Football Club or Seattle United or something similar. I am not sure about the way the teams were named in MLS and why we have to have mascots in our names here in the US. Will be interesting to see what they come up with.

The thing that I am sad about as far as Quest is #1 the field turf, and #2 the fact that we have to go and watch games being played amongst the football lines. I hate that for some reason. I want to see a big beautiful clean pitch, not something broke up into 5 yard lines.

The funny thing is that they stadium was finally passed by the people when they added the fact that the stadium would be grass and that it was going to be a venue for professional or international soccer.

Start a petition to rip out the field turf and put in the grass.

 

One note - they put in grass for the Real vs DC Game a few years ago. I doubt they are doing that for the MLS tho...

 

Real has done that every year, mostly in an effort to get higher profile teams to come play here. Boca Juniors wouldn't have come to play in Salt Lake if they had to play on field turf, and Everton probably would not have either. Two years ago, it was done for Real Madrid, and the first year it was done for the World Cup Qualifier against Costa Rica. When they do it they try to keep the grass down for a couple of weeks before they have to tear it out. I don't know if that's a possibilty w/ Seattle or not, but I do know it's pretty costly to do it. As far as a name...I'm thinking maybe it will be something like Sounders FC...or maybe Seattle Athletic or something like that.

 

Apparently they got deposits for 3,000 season tickets on the first day. Not to bad eh?

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... 27&cc=5901

 

Montreal earmarked for expansion in 3 years. Also an almost identical story to the Cleveland one appeared in the Vancouver Sun. We are "almost" close to an agreement on building a new stadium here and the MLS said ....Build a stadium and you will almost definately get a franchise.... But negotiations have stalled on its precise location. so.......
How many in total can the MLS have?
and

Is the MLS promising future franchises to anyone and everyone?