Seattle Sounders: The best home fans in MLS
LA Galaxy left the Qwest Field at Seattle as playoff winners after Edson Buddle scored a fantastic goal but once again, everyone was talking about the wonderful atmosphere at Qwest Field which is home to MLS outfit Seattle Sounders.
Starbucks was the 'thing' Seattle gave to the world but now the city is in the picture again, this time for footballing reasons as the franchise is bringing the citizens closer to the game. No other MLS franchise is even close to this achievement.
In their first two seasons at MLS, the Sounders have broken all MLS attendance records. The figures are heading in the right direction after the 2009 season saw an average attendance of 30,942 and this average was exceeded in 2010 when the average rose to
a staggering 36,173. Only 2 MLS sides, LA Galaxy and Toronto FC were able to attract an average of 20,000 fans for 2010.
Perhaps this phenomenon owes to the desire of the city and its people to be different. Seattle was incepted in the MLS in 2007 and the owners promised of introducing a new concept in the MLS that will engage the fans to the game even more. The best thing
about this whole new concept was that the season ticket holders at Seattle were made members of the club through voting rights and many fan groups were motivated and encouraged to make a unique atmosphere around the Qwest Field.
Drew Carey, who is a part owner and US game show host, made a pretty intriguing suggestion that involved a marching band that would lead the way to the stadium from Pioneer Square, placed in the centre of Seattle’s very own sports district. The location
of Qwest Field at an urban locality has also helped the locals embrace the club and becoming very involved in the ‘Sounders Community’.
Seattle Sounders share their stadium with Seattle Seahawks and the capacity for NFL is 67,00 but it is decreased when the Sounders play their home games as the vacant sections of the stadium are replaced by tarpaulins which make an even more intimidating
atmosphere around the Qwest Field. In the start, the capacity was limited to 24,500 but owing to the clubs’ progress and the fan involvement and following, the capacity was later revised to 35,700 for the 2010 season.
The Sounders FC Alliance was formed through Drew Carey and the members of the community have the power to vote on removing the General Manager bar other team decisions. Those fans who are season ticket holders are automatically made members of the Alliance
while the non- ticket holders can buy the membership.
Apart from the Alliance, Seattle Sounders has 5 other supporter groups who all sit in different sections of the stadium. One group, Immortal Fury was formed in the fashion of ‘torcidas’, a South American fan base and they focus on bringing the club colors
to the south end of Qwest Field and also displaying different national flags to reflect on the cultural diversity in Seattle.
This crowd’s seriousness and exuberance prompted David Beckham and Thierry Henry to praise the brilliant atmosphere generated by the Seattle faithful. The former Manchester United man said that playing in front of a capacity crowd at Seattle was just like
facing a European crowd.
Thierry Henry, when he came to play against the Sounders during his time at Barcelona, was also surprised and full of praises and said “When we played in the Rose Bowl [against LA Galaxy] everybody came to see Barcelona. Here they were all cheering for the
Sounders and rightly so.”
Some tickets for the 2011 season have already increased by 25% and it can be a worrying statistic but the owners are hopeful that the trend of ‘sustainable development’ will be kept. This rise in attendance in the MLS crowd especially that of Seattle Sounders
is more of a key to the long-term success of MLS sides than the presence of marquee signings like David Beckham and Thierry Henry. The fans of Seattle Sounders are the proof of this fact.
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