Comments on: How Seattle Got a Team Without Building a Soccer Stadium

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:14:31 +0000

It’s just a shame that the atmosphere is awful. The repeated PA annoucements have driven me away from going back to a game there. I don’t need to know it’s a throw in to the Sounders, or if I want to go to Joe’s Pizza (or wherever) every 10 minutes.

I had free season tickets a few years back, I wanted my money back.

By: Lucas

Lucas — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:05:34 +0000

@Matt: Seattle averaged 3325 attendance last year, good for 8th best in the 12-team USL First Division. They did play some of their games (including one or two US Open Cup games and the league championship game) at a 2000-seat youth rec field, where they will also play all of their games this season after the home opener at qwest vs Portland Timbers. @Lee: You don't notice the upper decks (along with 80% of the lower bowl) aren't full unless you open your eyes. But even a blind man can tell you the atmosphere inside qwest for a sounders game is pure shit.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:14:53 +0000

Ok another Sounders question. I know that Portland had a pretty large, fanatical fan base. What were the attendance numbers for the Sounders?

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:27:31 +0000

Yes, the Sounders play in Qwest.

The acoustics are good, the upper decks are higher up so you don’t really notice they’re not filled, and it’s walking distance from the ferry terminal (yay for me). Combine this with the backing of a pro-soccer billionaire co-owner and Seattle’s soccer fanaticism, and we have a recipe for success, methinks.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:13:22 +0000

Not knowing much about the USL, did the Sounders play in Quest?

By: VictorM

VictorM — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:34:23 +0000

Awarding Seattle a franchise was a no-brainer. Tom has it right.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:37:53 +0000

It’s about maximising revenue (in the way you describe), not really about it being “soccer specific” as such. Given the Allen connection it works in this case at Qwest. MLS cares about the bottom line, as always, but I don’t see anything wrong with that here.

I do hope they paint over the lines, though.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:08:06 +0000

Jon, good question. I know it’s lined as a soccer field when it’s not football season, but once the Seahawks start playing in Sept-Oct or so, are they going to switch it back and forth for each sport switch? My guess would be yes, but I haven’t seen anything definitive on this.

By: jon

jon — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:45:37 +0000

but will there be football lines all over the field?

By: Longshoe

Longshoe — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:25:26 +0000

I saw a Sounders game at Qwest over the summer and was pleasantly surprised at the experience. The sound really carries in that stadium, even with 5-6K people.

I think it’s going to work out great.