Should we be worried about having too many chefs in the kitchen? [155], Seattle opened the 2021 season with a 13-match unbeaten streak, setting a new MLS record in the process, despite missing Nicolas Lodeiro, Jordan Morris, Stefan Frei, and Raul Ruidiaz to long-term injuries. [152] In the playoffs, the Sounders defeated Los Angeles FC and FC Dallas to host Minnesota United FC in the Western Conference Final. 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 $1million to secure rights to a Seattle franchise for 2006. [66], During the 2013 preseason, the Sounders signed their first homegrown player, right back DeAndre Yedlin,[67] veteran defender Djimi Traor,[68] and forward Obafemi Martins, who paid his release clause to his Spanish club. As a programmer I charge $150/h 40 hour minimum blocks. Griffey, in his first year on the ballot, was elected to the. The Sounders are now the league's most valuable franchise at $175 million, a massive 483% increase over its 2009 sale price. . [295] A beach soccer team, also named the Sounders, was fielded for the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Mundialito de Clubes. Madonna Thunder Hawk, 83, sits in her home near Rapid City, S.D., on Feb. 9, 2023. 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. . [88] Marco Pappa, an experienced MLS player and Guatemalan international, was added to the team. He characterized the percentage equity stake owned by the new group as substantial.. [206] In 2015, the team announced an extension of their lease with First & Goal Inc. for use of Lumen Field that would remain through the 2028 season. She was one of the four women medics during the occupation of Wounded Knee, which started on Feb. 27, 1973 and . [299] Previously, matches aired on KING-TV and KONG from 2009 to 2013. 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. [75] The Sounders failed to advance in the U.S. Open Cup after losing to second-division Tampa Bay Rowdies in the third round, marking the end of the team's seven-year streak of appearances in the later rounds. New members of the Seattle Sounders MLS soccer team ownership group, including former Microsoft executive Terry Myerson, fourth from right, hip-hop artist Macklemore, sixth from right,. [238] Eastside Supporters is a group which can be found in section 150 which they call "The Pod". is banking on more future growth but even at an average growth rate of 16 percent year-over-year, the team will not be worth $7B until 2025 at the . SEATTLE Ever since Don Garber played matchmaker by helping to bring together Adrian Hanauer, Joe Roth, Drew Carey and Paul Allen, the Seattle Sounders have enjoyed a remarkably stable ownership group. [113], At the end of the regular season, Jordan Morris was named the MLS Rookie of the Year after scoring the most goals of any American rookie in MLS (12),[114] and Nicols Lodeiro was named MLS Newcomer of the Year for his 4 goals and 8 assists in 13 appearances. The connection between Seattle's tech industry and the Sounders was never more clear than this past August, when the team announced a revamped ownership group that included an all-star roster. [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. [291] This team would field former academy players during their summers off from university teams. newsletter, Ride of the Valkyries - A Seattle Reign blog, #TheFuture: Sounders 2, the Academy and Sounders U23s, New ownership group opens new chapter for Adrian Hanauer, Sounders, U.S. Soccer Foundations Board of Governors, Peter Tomozawa joins ownership group as new President of Business Operations, renderings apparently commissioned by the Sounders, even if Sounders fans dont get to enjoy all of them, Sounders vs. Rapids: community player ratings form. [69] Longtime forward Fredy Montero left Seattle on loan to Colombian club Millonarios F.C. [120], The Sounders began their title defense with the signings of two academy graduates and several veteran players from MLS and abroad. And in May of 2013 a new ownership group paid $100 million just as. [136] Defender Chad Marshall, who had joined in 2014, announced his retirement from professional soccer on May 22, leaving unexpectedly mid-way through the season. The following season saw capacity gradually increase from 7,000 in March to normal capacity in June, along with required proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to comply with state guidelines. [282] In 2017, the Sounders announced that the team would move to Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, with business operations transferred to the Tacoma Rainiers baseball club, ahead of a planned rebrand and soccer-specific stadium to be built in 2020. [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. [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. Hes only been in the role for a number of months, but that relationship has gotten really strong, Hanauer said. [212] This arrangement ended on April 30, 2014, with the Sounders becoming a fully independent business operation. The Sounders are ranked as one of the most valuable franchises in North America. 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. MLS teams that carry on the names of their NASL predecessors are eligible to compete, but the Timbers and Whitecaps declined to participate. A refurbished Starfire or an entirely new facility could put the Sounders back into the training ground elite. He wants to win as bad as anyone. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. SEATTLE (AP) The Seattle Sounders have expanded their ownership group with the addition of Tod and Tara Leiweke, the team announced Monday. "Ciara and I are fired . [207][226], The team's training facilities and offices are located at the Starfire Sports Complex in nearby Tukwila. 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. But if you were hoping for some ultra deep-pocketed billionaire to seize control of the team and start using it as their personal vanity project, youre probably a bit bummed. Yea, but I saw somewhere that the combined net worth of this group is less than Roths was by himself. [2] 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. [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. Wilson and Ciara are among 11 local families who joined the . [61] In Champions League group play, the team advanced to the knockout round with four straight wins, each including a goal from Sammy Ochoa. 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 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. Three months after Wilson joined the Sounders' ownership in 2019, Seattle defeated Toronto FC 3-1 in the MLS Cup final, claiming their second league title in club history. [145] The Sounders played two regular season matches at home before MLS suspended all activities on March 12, 2020, due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic, which had been affecting the Seattle area for several weeks. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. This marked the first time the club had failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs and ended a 13-year streakthe longest active streak in MLS and second-longest in major North American sports. [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 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. [41] 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 Qwest Field against the Columbus Crew. [259] Retired baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. and his wife, Melissa, also joined the ownership group the following month. The final home match of the 2011 season, coinciding with the retirement of goalkeeper Kasey Keller, drew 64,140 spectators and was the first Sounders regular season match to open the stadium to full capacity. If Hanauer really increased his holdings by 16 percent which would give him a true majority this offering would have placed the Sounders value at about $360 million. The team announced Griffey has purchased a stake in the club that drafted him in 1987 and watched him grow into a . [229], The Sounders FC Alliance was established at the request of minority owner Drew Carey. With the win, the Sounders became the first MLS team to eliminate a Mexican team in the knockout stage of CONCACAF Champions League. [224] If an MLS rule change requires natural grass playing surfaces, the field will be permanently replaced with natural grass. The total ownership stake of the club's 12 owners came out to $58.6 million, according to an SEC filing, though it's unclear what percentage each of the owners holds. With an increase in the size of the ownership group, concerns were raised about the decision-making process among a group that large (nervous laughter permeated the room when Howard Schultzs tenure with the Seattle Supersonics was referenced). What does this mean for spending going forward? [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. [276] Gary Wright was named MLS Executive of the Year in 2009. Satya Nadella made $25.8 million at Microsoft in 2018 and chief financial officer Amy Hood another new Sounders owner made $14.9 million, according to an SEC filing. While there are new people signing the checks, Hanauer clarified that this ownership change does not mean there will be necessarily be an infusion of cash to the team. The new projects would replace the fossil-fueled . [246], 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. We have some exciting announcements to roll out, Hanauer said. [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. The season started with several key wins that saw the team at the top of the Western Conference by June. ", "Sounders opt to sit out Wednesday's match against Galaxy in protest of racial injustice", "Sounders set club record with 7-1 rout of Earthquakes", "Sounders secure No. [298], From 2014 to 2022, television rights in English for regionally-broadcast matches were held by Fox owned-and-operated station KCPQ and sister station KZJO within the Seattle market. .mw-parser-output .citation{word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}^ 1. In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 201011 CONCACAF Champions League. [156] The Sounders retained the Cascadia Cup with a 211 record, including a 62 away victory over the Portland Timbers. What does this news mean to the league, its fans and the Kings' franchise? [285], The Sounders established their affiliated academy team in 2010, and hired manager Dick McCormick and technical director Darren Sawatzky to develop local players. [53] In 2011, Seattle again broke its own league record for average attendance at 38,496. [37] They finished the season with 14 wins, 10 losses, and 6 ties. [89], 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. Hanauer seemed genuinely excited about doing just that, painting a picture of the new owners helping boost revenues by a rather modest sum of $4 million per year, which amortized over five years could pay for a $20 million player investment. Lucky for you, Ive got answers. [15] Paul Allen, whose First and Goal company operated Qwest Field (now Lumen Field), joined the ownership group that same year, making the bid the most promising yet for Seattle. That was important to me and it was important to the league. [235] The club's fight song is "Salute to the Olympians" by Henry Mancini, which had been adopted by the NASL Sounders in 1974 and later used by the USL Sounders. [115] The Sounders advanced from the Knockout Round of the playoffs through a 10 win over Sporting Kansas City, and beat FC Dallas 42 on aggregate to return to the Conference Final. Myerson seemed to raise that specter in a blog post about the process behind assembling the group of owners. Vulcan Sports Group, operated by Jody Allen, the sister of the late Paul Allen, will continue to control a 25% share. [7] 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. [190][191] The second extension came amid rumors that Emirates was interested in a sponsorship as part of their marketing campaign in Seattle. They advanced to the round of 16, where they lost 41 to Los Angeles FC. [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. Drew Carey, Seattle Sounders (initially bought 7.5%) Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images. The match drew an attendance of 69,274, setting records for the team and any sporting event at CenturyLink Field. Griffey joins an ownership group that last year added Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, and hip-hop star Macklemore among a group of local investors. The remaining interest in the Sounders operational rights in Seattle will go to the newly formed Seattle Futbol LLC, comprised of Russell Wilson and Ciara, Macklemore, several current and former Microsoft executives and an assortment of families in the area. [73] The Sounders continued their five-year streak of setting a new MLS average attendance record, reaching 44,038 in 2013. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. We are currently going through a feasibility study on training facilities. Roth definitely deserves some credit for making the Sounders what they are, but Hanauer has and will continue to be the owner who has the most influence over the direction of the team. 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. [31], On October 17, 2009, the Sounders became the third MLS expansion team in league history to qualify for the playoffs in its first season. [293], The Sounders were also affiliated with an amateur women's team, Seattle Sounders Women, that played at Starfire Sports Complex. [231], Carey also requested that the Sounders have their own marching band, the first of its kind in MLS. [148][149], The Sounders cancelled an away match against the LA Galaxy in August to join a multi-sport boycott to protest racial injustice. [307][308] For the 2010 and 2011 seasons, they were replaced by former BBC cricket and general sport commentator Arlo White, who called English-language broadcasts without a partner. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Ciara announced Tuesday that they have joined the MLS Seattle Sounders' ownership group. Seattle. MLSsoccer.coms Matt Doyle says the centerback is being shopped around league. [12] In 2004, MLS commissioner Don Garber indicated that Seattle had been "very close" to receiving the expansion team ultimately awarded to Salt Lake. [137] Despite the loss of these two players, in addition to the suspension of Romn Torres for ten matches for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in August,[138] the Sounders finished 2nd in the Western Conference and 4th in the overall league table. 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