The winless streak ended in a match on July 7, which saw the return of Steve Zakuani from rehabilitation, against the Colorado Rapids. [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. Eleven families with connections to the Seattle area have teamed up to form a new ownership group for the Sounders soccer club, and they include some big names. While the Sounders may not suddenly have a lot more money, the new owners bring a host of new ideas and connections. Given the rather unprecedented nature of all this, you probably have a lot of questions. As the majority owner, Hanauer was clear that the buck will stop with him. [152] In the playoffs, the Sounders defeated Los Angeles FC and FC Dallas to host Minnesota United FC in the Western Conference Final. The club lost the first leg 30 in Salt Lake, and could only net two goals in the second leg at home. The majority owner is the Sounders FC organization, with the non-profit Sounders Community Trust owning minority share of 20%. 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. [65] The top scorer in league play was 28-year-old striker Eddie Johnson, who scored 14 goals in his first season with the club; he earned Comeback Player of the Year honors for his performance, which came after an unsuccessful stint with multiple European clubs. [273], 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. [108][109] The same day, the club announced their signing of Uruguayan midfielder Nicols Lodeiro on a designated player contract,[110] as well as the return of former designated player lvaro Fernndez. The Associated Press Previous In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 201011 CONCACAF Champions League. [227] Smaller than Lumen Field, Starfire is also used to host U.S. Open Cup matches. As Hanauer said during the press conference, there is no new pot of money, so we should not expect any massive changes in direction. [52], Sounders midfielder Mauro Rosales was recognized by the league as the 2011 Newcomer of the Year. [31] They did so by defeating D.C. United 21 on the road at RFK Stadium. [259] Retired baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. and his wife, Melissa, also joined the ownership group the following month. [82] Seattle fell 21 to the Timbers in the home leg and were defeated 32 in Portland, knocking the Sounders out in a performance that failed to live up to expectations. Led by Majority Owner. SEATTLE -- Amid reports of a pending change in ownership, the Seattle Sounders Tuesday won the rights to play indoor soccer next winter in the new Tacoma Dome. [241] The trophy is exchanged by the three teams' supporters groups and is based on the results of certain regular season matches. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated Mon., Feb. 27, 2023 at 12:47 p.m.. A Tesla store in Colma, California, this month. And that number is down by 3 percentage points just since. Oops. 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. Tod Leiweke is the CEO of the Seattle Kraken,. 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. [62] The Sounders finished third in the Western Conference and qualified for the playoffs, where they advanced out of the first round for the first time in the team's history. During the Round of 16, Jordan Morris injured his ACL and was deemed unfit to play for the rest of the season. The new projects would replace the fossil-fueled . She was one of the four women medics during the occupation of Wounded Knee, which started on Feb. 27, 1973 and . Wasnt Roth the guy with all the big ideas? [292] This branding agreement was terminated by the Sounders in January 2020. [63] In the Conference Championship, Seattle fell 30 to Los Angeles in the first leg and came within one goal of tying the series on aggregate, winning the second leg 21 but losing 42 on aggregate after conceding an away goal. Wilson and Ciara are among 11 local families who joined the . Yeah, quality sleuthing by GeekWire on that one. MLS has 24 participating teams spread across the US and. [12] In 2004, MLS commissioner Don Garber indicated that Seattle had been "very close" to receiving the expansion team ultimately awarded to Salt Lake. Michael Hassan. Kaye and Smith had built a radio network, Kaye-Smith Enterprises. [229], The Sounders FC Alliance was established at the request of minority owner Drew Carey. Vulcan Sports Group, operated by Jody Allen, the sister of the late Paul Allen, will continue to control a 25% share. Ciara's husband Russell Wilson, the 2014 Super Bowl winning. Seattle. [134][135], The 2019 season began with the loss of team captain and inaugural season player Osvaldo Alonso, who was released into free agency and signed with Minnesota United FC before the season began. [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. Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, United States. Adrian Hanauer sat at a table alone at the Seattle Sounders headquarters, addressing the media and waxing nostalgic on the first 10-plus years of his time with the MLS version of the team. [156] The Sounders retained the Cascadia Cup with a 211 record, including a 62 away victory over the Portland Timbers. ", "MLS hits Clint Dempsey with a 3-game suspension for ripping ref's notebook", "Seattle Sounders, LA Galaxy through to CCL knockout round", "Sounders to sport new look against Orlando", "Sounders happy with immediate impact from Erik Friberg", "Sounders exorcise playoff demons, move past Galaxy in thrilling knockout round victory", "FC Dallas oust Sounders on penalties to reach West final", "2015 MLS Year in Review: Seattle Sounders", "Adrian Hanauer is the new majority owner of the Seattle Sounders", "MLS sets new attendance records, Seattle hold highest average in league", "Obafemi Martins leaves MLS for Chinese Super League", "Seattle Sounders officially unveil Jordan Morris as Homegrown Player signing", "Seattle running out of patience with Schmid and floundering Sounders", "Sounders limited to one shot in 30 loss at Sporting Kansas City", "Sounders part ways with longtime coach Sigi Schmid", "Little choice for Seattle Sounders to oust Sigi Schmid, change course", "Sounders sign Uruguayan attacking midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro to Designated Player contract", "New signings Nicolas Lodeiro and Alvaro Fernandez both available for Sounders against Galaxy on Sunday", "Sounders forward Clint Dempsey ruled out for the remainder of this season", "Sounders remove interim tag, hire coach Brian Schmetzer on a full-time basis", "Sounders forward Jordan Morris named MLS Rookie of the Year", "Sounders midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro named MLS Newcomer of the Year", "Seattle Sounders 1, Sporting KC 0 | 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs Match Recap", "FC Dallas 2, Seattle Sounders 1 | 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs Match Recap", "Seattle Sounders reach first MLS Cup with win over Colorado Rapids", "Seattle Sounders defeat Toronto FC in shootout to win MLS Cup 2016", "There's never been a comeback like the Seattle Sounders' in MLS", "3 biggest reasons the Sounders are back in the MLS Cup", "Clint Dempsey scores in return to lineup, but Sounders drop season opener", "Sounders enter first-place showdown with Sporting KC healthy and riding 7-game unbeaten streak", "Sounders' 13-match unbeaten streak comes to end with 20 loss to Real Salt Lake", "Defending MLS champion Seattle Sounders claim No. The Sounders are ranked as one of the most valuable franchises in North America. The Sounders entered in the second round against Egypt's Al Ahly, the runners-up in the 202122 CAF Champions League, and lost 10 to a late goal. [293], The Sounders were also affiliated with an amateur women's team, Seattle Sounders Women, that played at Starfire Sports Complex. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Its players have included former US international Clint Dempsey, top goal scorer Fredy Montero, as well as long-time captain Osvaldo Alonso, and current captain Nicols Lodeiro. All this . [257] Peter Tomozawa and Donna LeDuc joined the new minority ownership group shortly afterwards, with Tomozawa taking over as president of business operations. [240], The SeattlePortland and SeattleVancouver rivalries formed among the respective NASL teams in the mid-1970s and carried on through to the USL and MLS. 1. [296][297], Beginning with the 2023 season, all MLS matches will be streamed worldwide by Apple on MLS Season Pass with most matches behind a paywall and some available for free. Along with several organized groups, a 53-member marching band called "Sound Wave" supports the club at each home match. [228] Plans for a new training facility, named the Sounders FC Center at Longacres, were announced in February 2022. [35], Before the first match of the Sounders' second season, the club increased the number of season ticket holders to 32,000. As a programmer I charge $150/h 40 hour minimum blocks. PEORIA, Ariz. - He came to Seattle in 2016 as a mystery man, hand-picked by new general manager Jerry Dipoto as the latest candidate to try to lead the Mariners out of their playoff desert . Membership benefits include voting privileges, an invitation to the annual meeting and other team perks. In other words, he does not have to clear every signing with a bunch of different people. [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. [24] Sigi Schmid was introduced as the club's first head coach on December 16, 2008, after leaving the Columbus Crew following their MLS Cup victory.[25]. Myerson seemed to raise that specter in a blog post about the process behind assembling the group of owners. This replaced a previous syndication deal with Root Sports Northwest. The rapper and Seahawks quarterback are part of this new ownership group, but they each own a relatively small share. newsletter, Ride of the Valkyries - A Seattle Reign blog, #TheFuture: Sounders 2, the Academy and Sounders U23s, Sounders vs. Rapids: community player ratings form. [203][204] Former Sounders minority owner, the late Paul Allen, was also the owner of the Seahawks, who have a 30-year lease on CenturyLink Field. [265][266], Garth Lagerwey was hired from Real Salt Lake in January 2015 as the club's general manager and President of Soccer, replacing Adrian Hanauer. A twice weekly roundup of Seattle Sounders and OL Reign news from Sounder at Heart, By submitting your email, you agree to our, A Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign Blog, Everything you needed to know about changes to Sounders ownership. Guadalajara. The club's majority owner is Adrian Hanauer, and its minority owners are the estate of Paul Allen, Drew Carey, and 14 families from the Seattle area. Wilson will make an. The team announced Griffey has purchased a stake in the club that drafted him in 1987 and watched him grow into a . [258] In October 2020, Seattle Kraken team president Tod Leiweke and his wife, Tara, were announced as additional part-owners of the team. 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. 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. According to Robin Waite, a member of the Sounders' ownership group, no decision has been made. [93] 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. The Sounders tied the Galaxy on aggregate score but lost on the away goals rule after losing 10 away and winning 21 at home. 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. That was David Nathanson, who also happens to be a minority owner of Seattles NHL team along with Hanauer. A twice weekly roundup of Seattle Sounders and OL Reign news from Sounder at Heart, By submitting your email, you agree to our, A Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign Blog, New ownership group opens new chapter for Adrian Hanauer, Sounders. Its been speculated that Hanauer may have actually moved to acquire 50+1 percent of the pie, which would make it impossible for anyone to seize control of the team without going through him. Who was the guy Drew Carey introduced as a new owner at the March to the Match the other day? Hanauer, however, suggested that was never a particularly acute concern. In the Champions League, Seattle progressed through the preliminary round, beating Isidro Metapn 21 on aggregate, but was eliminated in the group stage. With the current valuation, Carey's. [34] 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. MLSsoccer.coms Matt Doyle says the centerback is being shopped around league. 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. English television broadcasts were called by Keith Costigan alongside former Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller for color commentary and former Sounders midfielder Steve Zakuani for analysis. [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. [37] They finished the season with 14 wins, 10 losses, and 6 ties. ", "Sounders FC, LA Galaxy to add another chapter to postseason history", "Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid molded modern MLS coaching landscape", "Sigi Schmid returns to pitch, coaches Galaxy to scoreless draw against Sounders", "Carey signs on to invest in Seattle expansion team", "Seattle Reign moving to Cheney Stadium, and the S2 team is changing its name", "Reign FC Has Entered into Exclusive Negotiations to Sell the Club to OL Groupe", "Sounders FC nearly completes independent business transition from Seahawks", "Sounders FC opens new chapter in club history, as 11 families with deep Seattle roots join Rave Green Ownership group", "Russell Wilson, Ciara, Macklemore, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and more join Sounders ownership", "Sounders announce Peter Tomozawa as president of business operations", "Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke and his wife, Tara, join Sounders ownership group", "Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. to join Seattle Sounders ownership group", "Sounders waste no more time, make Schmetzer permanent head coach", "Sounders announce Freddy Juarez as new assistant coach", "Former Sounders player Andy Rose 'over the moon' to now be a Sounders assistant coach", "Sounders notebook: Brian Schmetzer looking to fill coaching vacancies soon; Nouhou returns to training", "Seattle Hires Henderson as Technical Director", "Sounders formally announce Craig Waibel as new VP and sporting director", "Notebook: Sounders' brass address Providence criticism; Bruce Lee kit sales reach $50,000", "New Sounders President of Business Operations Hugh Weber to lead club's growth strategy", "Peter Tomozawa moves from Sounders executive to SEA 2026 CEO", "Sounders named pro sports team of the year", "Seattle Sounders FC recognized as the 2010 professional sports team of the year", "Leiweke named PSBJ Executive of the Year", "Sounders' Gary Wright named Seattle sports executive of year", "Keller, Polk, Vandersloot win Seattle Sports Star of Year awards", "Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Teams", "Seattle Sounders become North America's 1st carbon-neutral pro soccer team", "Sounders FC Unveils Second Team Sounders FC 2", "Sounders FC 2 debuts with thrilling 42 victory over Sacramento Republic FC", "Sounders and Rainiers baseball team reach deal on soccer-specific stadium in Tacoma to host USL team", "Sounders 2 coming to Tacoma 2 years early and to Cheney Stadium", "Sounders' second-division squad rebrands as Tacoma Defiance", "Sounders FC Youth Academy Teams to Join U.S. Soccer Development", "Acadmey Snapshot: Young Seattle Sounders thriving in early USSDA season", "Seattle Sounders extend their youth network with more affiliations", "Seattle Sounders FC agrees to youth affiliation with Central California Aztecs", "Seattle Sounders sign Henry Wingo and Seyi Adekoya as Homegrown Players", "Sounders FC Aligns With U-23 PDL Franchise", "Jordan Morris returns, active for Sounders U-23", "U.S. goes for Olympic gold as women's pro soccer fails to catch on at home", "Sounders FC to field team at Beach Soccer Club World Cup", "Major League Soccer package on Apple TV to launch on Feb. 1", "Sounders moving local broadcasts to Fox's Q13", "Sounders FC announces new broadcast talent, regional broadcast details", "Sounders FC announces complete regional broadcast lineup for 2019", "YouTube TV Nabs Exclusive Streaming Rights to Seattle Sounders Games, Its Second MLS Deal", "Amazon Prime will stream select Sounders matches", "Seattle Sounders unveil new play-by-play announcers, release regional broadcast details", "Games through June 28 sold out, and if Sounders FC wins tomorrow", "BBC vet Arlo White, 36, to succeed Kevin Calabro as the Sounders play-by-play broadcaster", "Sounders hire announcers Ross Fletcher, Kasey Keller", "Seattle Sounders broadcaster Ross Fletcher to leave club at the end of this season", "Trying to understand the frustration around Sounders new announcers", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seattle_Sounders_FC&oldid=1141999953, July 26, 2016 November 1, 2016 (interim), Sporting director and vice president of soccer, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 00:20. Major Link Soccer: Alexia Putellas grabs player of the year, Vlatko is paid much less than Berhalter and MLS week 1 is officially in the books, Sign up for the Wilson and Ciara. The Sounders advanced to their first Champions League final and faced Mexican club UNAM, who hosted the first leg. [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. [116][117] The Sounders then defeated the Colorado Rapids 31 on aggregate in the final, clinching a spot in their first-ever MLS Cup. 24 The ownership group was led by entertainer Danny Kaye, who provided most of the initial financing, and Lester Smith. Here's a look at the new jerseys", "SBJ Unpacks: Sounders land Providence as new jersey sponsor", "Sounders partnership with Providence draws ire of fans", "MLS awards Seattle expansion team for 2009", "Seahawks owner believes stadium will help drive team to higher level", "Seahawks Sign Lease For 30 Years at New Stadium", "Splashy Sounders set to kick off in Seattle", "Sounders announce CenturyLink Field lease extension through 2028 season", "Microsoft launches deal with MLS, Sounders FC", "Sounders, Emerald Queen Casino announce naming-rights deal for Lumen Field pitch", "Qwest seating increased for hot-selling Sounders", "Keeping Sounders FC together is key to long-range success", "Hawks Nest will be open in '12, season tickets on sale Thurs", "Seattle Sounders agree to 10-year extension that keeps them at CenturyLink Field through 2028", "Sounders don't disappoint record crowd, beating Portland 3-0", "Dempsey's Arrival Has Sounders Crowd at Fever Pitch", "Minor controversy aside, Sounders still packed CenturyLink, drew huge TV numbers and won the MLS Cup", "With state mask mandate lifting, Saturday marks a new normal for Sounders and Seattle sports", "Sounders get close, but not in the back of the net in loss to rival Timbers", "Qwest Field pulls off quick turnaround between Sounders FC and Seahawks games", "CenturyLink turf passes FIFA 2-Star testing", "Seahawks, Sounders announce new FieldTurf installation at CenturyLink Field", "Sounders FC developing headquarters, practice facility at Starfire", "Colorado coach miffed at Sounders' playing facility", "Sounders FC unveils plans for new training facility and team headquarters at Longacres in Renton", "Sounders FC Announce Results of Landmark General Manager Vote | Seattle Sounders FC", "The Sounders and Gorilla FC: New club, old sport", "Cascadia Cup representatives say Sounders-Timbers match on May 13 won't count in competition standings", "Sounders FC get a rival Portland awarded MLS franchise", "Earthquakes have 5-year deal with 49ers to play at Levi's", "Feature: What is the Heritage Cup between the Quakes & Sounders FC? 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. [167] The club resumed league play, where they had fallen to 13th place in the Western Conference, and used rotated lineups to balance a congested schedule; by early July, they had improved to fourth in the West. What does this mean for spending going forward? [59] Seattle reached the U.S. Open Cup Final for the fourth consecutive year, becoming the first team to do so since 1937,[60] but lost to Sporting Kansas City in a penalty shootout after a 11 draw. [100][101] In November 2015, Adrian Hanauer was made majority owner of the club, succeeding Joe Roth. [251] Hanauer and his mother Lenore Hanauer also became minority owners of Tacoma-based Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League in January 2019, though there was no affiliation between the two clubs;[252] their involvement with that club ended when OL Groupe purchased majority ownership of it the following year. No longer dealing with Roths sometimes controversial nature will probably mean less headaches for Hanauer, but now there are more voices in his head. After joking that he has to give Brian Schmetzers phone number to 11 more families, Hanauer insisted he has retained the final say on all ownership decisions. [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. [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. They advanced to the round of 16, where they lost 41 to Los Angeles FC. In the playoffs, the Sounders were eliminated in the conference semifinals by the Los Angeles Galaxy on a 31 aggregate score. A source said that an estimated team valuation of about $350 million was in the ballpark. Its unclear if Hanauer is the outright majority owner (i.e., 50%+1) at this point, and given these changes, he indicated there will be some organizational initiatives to provide for input from the new ownership group. 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. If you knew exactly what percentage was purchased, you wouldnt even have to be that good at math! 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. [119] The team's performance was called a "cinderella season" and hailed as one of the most dramatic MLS seasons to date. 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. Season ticket holders become automatic members, while non-season ticket holders may buy into the Alliance for a fee. The trophies along the way, the fact that this team has has the best record, the most consistent winning record of any team over the ten years, and ultimately winning that MLS Cup in 2016 was something that Ill never forget, Hanauer said. Its also true that at least publicly, Roth was the guy making fan-friendly pronouncements like well never get outbid for a U.S. Open Cup final again. While Hanauers statements are often shades of gray, Roths were usually black or white. [28] 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,[29] a record which was later broken when they hosted Manchester United in front of 67,052 fans,[30] and later in the 2019 MLS Cup against Toronto FC with 69,274 in attendance.