newsletter, Ride of the Valkyries - A Seattle Reign blog, #TheFuture: Sounders 2, the Academy and Sounders U23s, Sounders vs. Rapids: community player ratings form. [92] He left the club in November 2022 and was replaced by Craig Waibel, another former member of Real Salt Lake's staff. [96] Paraguayan international Nelson Haedo Valdez was signed as the club's newest designated player, and was joined by fellow international signings Andreas Ivanschitz and Romn Torres in August 2015;[97] Erik Friberg also returned to the club after his stint in Europe. [9], 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. [74], The Sounders began the MLS season with a run of five matches without a win, the worst start in the team's history, due to injuries to key players. [61] In Champions League group play, the team advanced to the knockout round with four straight wins, each including a goal from Sammy Ochoa. [122] The season began with only five wins in the first 17 matches, but was followed by a 13-match unbeaten streak and additional wins to clinch a second-place spot in the Western Conference. Who was the guy Drew Carey introduced as a new owner at the March to the Match the other day? [170], On November 22, 2022, Lagerwey departed the club after a seven-year tenure to assume the role of President and CEO at Atlanta United FC. Speaking of stadiums, was there really anything to the possibility that new owners might try to move the team? How much of the Seattle Sounders does Drew Carey own? After losing 10 in the away leg and conceding an away goal in the return leg, the Sounders scored three unanswered goals in the second half to win 31 and advance to the semifinals. The new projects would replace the fossil-fueled . [278], A 2015 study by Forbes ranked the Sounders number one in the league in terms of annual revenues ($50million) and operating income ($10million). These sorts of results are notoriously unreliable, and are probably overstating Roths worth given that hes going through a divorce that will probably cut his wealth in half. 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. The Seattle Sounders missed the MLS . On October 25, 2014, the final game of the 2014 regular season, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 20 to secure and win their first Supporters' Shield. That group has expanded its percentage of the interest in the team from 35% to a number which has yet to be disclosed. Braudilio Rodrigues joins Defiance after putting up rather ridiculous numbers in NCAA DII. In the ensuing penalty shootout, Portland won 42; the home leg is considered to be one of the best playoff matches in league history due to its dramatic finish. [126] Seattle lost 20 to Toronto, who clinched the first domestic treble in MLS history. [76] As players returned to the team, Seattle improved to a six-win, four-loss record in 14 matches by late June. Well, kinda. 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. [249] Schmid later served as the Galaxy's head coach from 2017 to 2018, shortly after his departure from the Sounders. [120], The Sounders began their title defense with the signings of two academy graduates and several veteran players from MLS and abroad. [164] The two teams drew 22 and returned to Seattle, where the Sounders won 30 in front of 68,741, setting a competition attendance record. The Sacramento Kings could soon be the Seattle SuperSonics. [242] The Cascadia Cup was contested without Seattle for two seasons after the Sounders entered MLS in 2009, but Portland and Vancouver were awarded expansion teams that began play in 2011. [218] The Sounders set their attendance record with MLS Cup 2019, which was played in front of 69,274 at Lumen Fieldsurpassing all other sporting events in the stadium's history. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Wilson will make an. 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 121123. [13] 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 $10million. Members may also be elected to the Sounders FC Alliance Council by receiving at least 25 nominations from other members on an annual basis. Myerson seemed to raise that specter in a blog post about the process behind assembling the group of owners. Grammy award winning singer Ciara and rap star Macklemore of "Thrift Shop" fame have joined Seattle Sounders' new ownership group. Nathanson is a former Fox Sports executive who oversaw their investment in things like the World Cup and is on the board of directors for FanDuel, the gambling company. [36] The first match of the season was played at Qwest Field, with Seattle hosting a new MLS expansion team, the Philadelphia Union. Other investors are also coming aboard while current majority owner Adrian Hanauer is increasing his investment stake in the club. Sounders FC Ownership Club Roster Technical Staff Schedule Standings Stats Tacoma Defiance Ownership Front Office Employment Facilities Kit Adrian Hanauer Majority Owner Jody Allen Owner Drew Carey Owner Peter Tomozawa Owner & President of Business Operations New Sounders FC Partners Owners Tod & Tara Leiweke Owners What does this news mean to the league, its fans and the Kings' franchise? [111] Despite the sluggish start as well as the loss of midfielder Clint Dempsey, who was forced in August to stop playing after evaluations for an irregular heartbeat,[112] the Sounders rose from ninth place to fourth place in the Western Conference and qualified for the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, with eight wins, two losses, and four draws. Remarking that the announcement of the new ownership structure of the organization was bittersweet, Hanauer recalled his first meeting with now-departed investor/operator Joe Roth at the MLS All-Star game in Colorado, where Roth said he wanted to bring a MLS franchise to Seattle. [90], 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 have not confirmed how Roths shares were divvied up, but Hanauer did say he and Carey both increased their percentages. Do you want to stay up to date of all the news about Basketball - Milwaukee Bucks? While the Sounders may not suddenly have a lot more money, the new owners bring a host of new ideas and connections. . By late August, Martins had recovered and led the team to an eight-match unbeaten streak to secure a playoff spot, finishing fourth in the Western Conference. Someone really good at math must be able to figure out what the Sounders are worth, right? For other similarly named teams, see, "The Sounders" redirects here. [243][244], The fan-created Heritage Cup competition with the San Jose Earthquakes began in the 2009 MLS season. [222][223] In 2012, an updated FieldTurf surface was installed and certified by FIFA with a 2-star quality rating, the highest possible rating. [22] 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. Should we be worried about the Sounders spending less? [221], While the Sounders currently play on FieldTurf, Lumen Field has previously had temporary natural grass installed for international soccer events. [86] The August 25, 2013, home match against the Portland Timbers drew a crowd of 67,385, the second-largest standalone attendance in league history. The deal put the team's value at $700 million, by far the most for a franchise. [186], The team's 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 $20million. [205] Because of this relationship, the Sounders made use of Lumen Field without paying rent. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. [178] 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. To some degree, we simply have to take Hanauer at his word. The jersey is primarily red with a stylized dragon on the front and includes yellow and black accents as well as the symbols of Jeet Kune Do and Lee's signature. Hanauer made a big point of saying how the new owners never talked about things like prospective return on investment, and were far more focused on being part of an exciting project. The new center is scheduled to open in 2024 at the former Longacres horse racetrack and office park in Renton and will feature 300,000 square feet (28,000m2) of office space, four training fields, and a public clubhouse. Alejandro Bedoya. Beyond that, I was assured that the combined wealth of this group far surpasses Roths, so concerns about the team being under-capitalized are probably unfounded. ", "Sounders FC pulls off historic win in Mexico, beating Monterrey, 10", "Sounders FC routed, 61, by Santos Laguna", "Sounders lose 21 in group finale but advance to CONCACAF quarterfinals", "Sounders FC's win streak comes to end with 10 loss to Real Salt Lake", "Sporting Kansas City, Seattle Sounders FC Advance to 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final", "Sounders' quest for fourth U.S. Open Cup ends in penalty-kick loss", "CCL: Estrada, Ochoa prove a dynamite duo for Sounders", "Sounders beat Real Salt Lake 10, advance in playoffs for first time", "Sounders FC comes up short against Galaxy", "Sounders will get to work shaping 2013 roster", "Sounders forward Eddie Johnson named MLS Comeback Player of the Year", "Sounders FC Signs First Homegrown Player", "Obafemi Martins relieved to complete Seattle transfer", "Sounders officially loan Montero to Colombian champion Millonarios", "Portuguese club Sporting CP complete transfer of former Seattle Sounders forward Fredy Montero", "Traor screamer helps Sounders to historic comeback against Tigres", "Seattle Sounders eliminated from CONCACAF Champions League by Santos Laguna", "Attendance numbers continue to impress for Sounders", "Sounders hope history of rebounds repeats itself", "Sounders left speechless with recent tough losses", "Sounders hoping to continue turnaround at Real Salt Lake", "Shocking transfer has Dempsey headed to Seattle Sounders", "Supporters' Shield well within Sounders' reach in final stretch", "Sounders clinch a playoff berth thanks to help from Galaxy", "Sounders' season of title hopes ends in playoff defeat to Portland", "Seattle breaks attendance record for fifth straight season", "Another massive crowd expected at CenturyLink Field on Friday", "Eddie Johnson gives Sounders 10 win over Timbers", "How Sigi Schmid saved his job and moved the Sounders forward", "Tottenham confirm signing of DeAndre Yedlin on four-year contract", "Pappa's brace carries Sounders to Supporters' Shield win over Galaxy", "2014 in Review: Seattle Sounders enjoy historic season, but fall just short of reaching MLS Cup", "As expected, Garth Lagerwey named GM of Seattle Sounders", "2015 in Review: Sounders FC began season with a bang", "Seattle Sounders meltdown vs. Portland Timbers: What's next for Clint Dempsey? Are the Sounders trying to trade Xavier Arreaga? No. Hanauer said. But the working plan, he said, is for the Sounders to continue to field a team in Seattle in 2008. [207] For Sounders matches, the field was called "The Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field" as part of the sponsorship deal with Microsoft from 2009 to 2018. A recently discovered SEC filing suggests the new group of owners bought their shares for $58.6 million, but it was unclear what percentage of ownership that covered. Hanauer said he and Roth, after discussing an exit strategy for the California movie producer, decided that it was important that local investors be brought in if possible. [304], On radio, Sounders matches are called in English on 950 KJR AM by Matt Johnson with analysis from Wade Webber, Danny Jackson, and Pete Fewing. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). He wants to win as bad as anyone. . [163] The team played MLS Cup 2021 champions New York City FC in the semifinals, winning 31 at home in the first leg and drawing 11 in the second leg to advance 42 on aggregate. The expanded ownership group will have an executive board to decide on club matters. Odds & lines subject to change. For other uses, see, This table of the last few Sounders seasons is an excerpt from, Schmetzer era and first MLS Cup (20162018), Second MLS Cup title and pandemic (20192021), Champions League title and Club World Cup (20222023), Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 00:20, History of professional soccer in Seattle, American Professional Soccer League (APSL) Sounders, List of Seattle Sounders FC records and statistics, List of Seattle Sounders FC seasons Seasons, "Seattle Misses First MLS Cut But Bid Isn't Dead", "Big Soccer Surprise: 38,000 To See Match", "Soccer League Rejects Sounders' Plan; Two Will Compete To Sell Season Tickets", "Seattle Gets Boost in Bid For Team Husky Stadium Might Be MLS Site", "Major League Soccer Postponed Until 1996", "U.S. [72] Seattle once again played Santos Laguna in the semifinal, but failed to advance after losing 10 at home and drawing 11 in Torren. 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. Seattle has been among the league's most successful teams, winning the U.S. Open Cup four times, the Supporters' Shield in 2014, and the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019. [309] In 2012, White was hired by NBC Sports Network to be the voice of their soccer coverage. [156] The Sounders retained the Cascadia Cup with a 211 record, including a 62 away victory over the Portland Timbers. [231], Carey also requested that the Sounders have their own marching band, the first of its kind in MLS. 2018 (Seattle) : In 2018, Lodeiro not only set Sounders FC's single-season record with 16 assists, but also became the club's all-time leader with 36 in his Seattle career, surpassing Mauro. [69] Longtime forward Fredy Montero left Seattle on loan to Colombian club Millonarios F.C. [44], The Sounders began the 2011 season by hosting the opening match of the MLS season for the third straight year, losing 10 to the Los Angeles Galaxy. The money these new owners spent to buy into the Sounders effectively went to Roth, who likely saw his investment multiply at least 10-fold. We are currently going through a feasibility study on training facilities. [234] The March to the Match, in which fans march from Occidental Park to Lumen Field before each home match, has been accompanied by the Sound Wave. Wasnt Roth the guy with all the big ideas? [3] By the June 3, 1994, deadline for MLS team bids, Seattle organizers had secured fewer than 1,500 such assurances. The league-wide deal replaces existing television and streaming contracts, including local partnerships for the Sounders and national broadcasts on linear and cable television. Ciara and Wilson are part of the ownership group of the champion Seattle Sounders soccer team, and she also serves on the board of the Why Not You Foundation, created by her husband. [239] The North End Faithful sit in the north end of the stadium beneath the "Hawks Nest" in sections 100 and 144152. The San Antonio Spurs may be looking to move veteran center Jakob Poeltl but he's not the only useful piece they could offer a playoff team. Hanauer half-jokingly suggested some more owners may be announced. "[179] The NASL team was originally named in a public contest, with "Sounders" announced as the winner on January 22, 1974. Operationally, Hanauer continues to own his share through Hanauer Futbl LLC established in 2007 which includes Hanauer, Paul Berry and Lenore Hanauer, the family matriarch. I dont think thats the kind of announcement he was speaking about, though. [55] The club finished second in its group and advanced to the quarterfinals, losing 73 on aggregate to eventual runners-up Santos Laguna after taking a 21 lead at home and losing 61 in Mexico. [70][71] The Sounders began the 2013 season with the knockout round of the 201213 Champions League, facing Mexican club Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals. [193][194], The Sounders contracted talent firm WME-IMG to explore new jersey sponsorship and other advertising opportunities in 2017, shortly before the expiration of the Microsoft contract. The total share of ownership stake of the 12 new owners totals $58.6 million, according to a recent SEC filing, but it's unclear how much of the percentage of the total ownership stake that. [290], In January 2012, the Sounders announced a partnership for the Tacoma Tide, an amateur team in the USL Premier Development League, to rebrand as Seattle Sounders FC U-23 and appoint Darren Sawatzky as head coach. 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.