Seattle is a City That Truly Supports Thier Club

Imagine a place where thousands upon thousands are packing an NFL sized stadium for a soccer match week after week. That on the weekends an entire city is put on hold as they watch their club, hoping that they can get a victory. Imagine fans in a large parade to the stadium, all holding up scarfs resembling their team's colors. Imagine a town that eats, sleeps, and dreams, soccer. Right now your probably imagining a city in either England or Spain, however the correct answer lies in the American Northwest.

I am talking about the Seattle Sounders, the expansion franchise that is shattering the mark in attendance, and overall club support by a long shot. Every time the Sounders are at home Qwest Field is packed as fans shout chants across the stadium to the fans on the other side. The Sounders management has created the perfect soccer atmosphere in a city that already calls themselves the loudest fans in the NFL. Seattle fans are taking that '12th Man' mentality and are applying to the soccer pitch, as they put a noticeable impression on the road team visiting the stadium. Heck, when you watch them on ESPN you can clearly hear the chants of over 30,000 people, and it gives you goosebumps. And to think that Sounder's management was worried they could not fill their original 24,000 they have assigned for seating sections for soccer games.

Seattle is destroying everybody else in the attendance mark this year, as their average of over 31,000 fans is well above most MLS stadiums seating capacity. Most MLS clubs would be happy to get 20,000 in the seats, (Toronto you are excused since you always sell out at 20,008-which is not bad), however in Seattle getting 32,000 in Qwest Field is just the norm. Not only is the attendance impressive, but the atmosphere around the club is. Once in a while an MLS team will pack their stadiums due to a big rivalry match-up, or playoffs are on the line. In the past couple of weeks attendance has been up, and attendances tend to shoot up during the playoffs. However Seattle has managed to pack the house for every game, and it is that kind of success the MLS needs to look towards as an example.

The key to the Sounder's success has been the clubs ability to create a soccer environment in Seattle. There always a good soccer culture in the Northwest, thus the three-way rivalry in the USL between Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver was such a success. With Portland and Vancouver to get teams in 2011, the success of Soccer in the Northwest is bound to grow. Ever since the days of the old NASL, soccer has been in the mindset of people in the Northwest. That and people in the Northwest have always been ahead in terms of trends in America (Grunge Music, Over-Priced Coffee, Microsoft) it is only natural that soccer joins that list of this people in the Seattle-area like before everybody else does. The MLS did their homework on the Seattle-area, and are now being rewarded for with with great attendances. This should be a good future lesson for the league when they consider future expansion. If owners want to bring a soccer team to their town they better convince the MLS that their town has the culture to support a club, otherwise, you can just watch on TV.

Last but not least to this success story in Seattle is the part that matters most, that whole thing that happens on the field. The Sounders are the second expansion team in league to qualify for the playoffs in their inaugural year, the Chicago Fire were the first expansion team to do so in 1998, when they won the US and MLS Cups. The Sounders finished third in the West with a (12-7-11) record, and a (9-3-3) home record thanks to the tremendous support from their fans. The Sounders have already won the US Open Cup by beating DC United 2-1 at RFK Stadium. Leaving the Sounders only four more games away from duplicating the Fire's accomplishment in their first year as a club.

With the almost perfect combination of outstanding attendances, a true soccer culture in a city that loves their MLS club, and great play on the field. The Sounders have went three for three in terms of goals for expansion franchises, setting a high bar for Philadelphia for next year. The Sounders have created a true soccer culture in America, a place where when the club plays everything stops. Whether it is the bidding of the management, or just people who were hungry to see some soccer, the Seattle Sounders organization, as they now have become the new standard of expansion franchises in the MLS. Don't believe me, turn into ESPN2 10pm Eastern Tonight, and tell me if you do not get the sudden urge to yell SOUNDERS in reply to the SEATTLE cheer from the thousands that will be in Qwest Field Tonight.