The dream scenario would be grass, and its not impossible that down the line there may be some way to solve for that, he said. Roth was initially the majority owner, though he did not own 50+1 percent of the rights to operate the Sounders in Seattle (Hanauer confirmed during the press conference that the initial. in the Chinese Super League,[104] a move that would hamper the Sounders' offense during the season. [13] However, when Seattle was passed over again in 2006, Hanauer announced that he would not be able to secure an expansion team without the help of more investors willing to cover the increasing MLS franchise fees which had grown beyond $10million. 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. Beyond the money, though, Im genuinely excited at the prospect of having owners who are as invested in this team and the community as the fans are. In front of a raucous crowd of almost 69,000 fans at Seattle's Lumen Field, Sounders forward Ral Ruidaz gave the hosts a lead they wouldn't relinquish in the final minute of the first half.. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. US Soccers Professional League Standards require that one person or entity own at least 35% of a team. The Sounders tied the Galaxy on aggregate score but lost on the away goals rule after losing 10 away and winning 21 at home. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated Mon., Feb. 27, 2023 at 12:47 p.m.. A Tesla store in Colma, California, this month. [303] In 2020, the team switched its streaming rights to Amazon Prime Video. Drew Carey, Seattle Sounders (initially bought 7.5%) Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images. [106], During the first half of the 2016 season, the Sounders failed to meet expectations, placing near the bottom of the league with 6 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws. Hanauer even made mentioned of the third rail in American soccer synthetic turf and expressed some muted optimism that some changes to the playing surface could come down the line. Oops. 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. Carey has increased his investment in the team as well, according to Hanauer. Prior to this change, Hanauer said he owned 35 percent, Roth had 32.5 percent, the Paul Allen estate had 25 percent which is now controlled by Allen's sister Jody and operated by Vulcan Sports and Entertainment and Drew Carey had 7.5 percent. [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. The billionaire's entry as a minority partner, put employees from marketing, management and ticket sales departments accustomed to the NFL, for a soccer team that had just joined MLS. [94][95], The injury and suspension of the team's main attacking duo led to poor performances over the summer, with Seattle winning only one match in nine games. We want to make sure that if we invest for the next 20 or 30 or 50 years, were in the right location. Despite the names having been selected through fan research and internal committees, the omission of the traditional Sounders name embittered many in the Seattle community. [162] Seattle then faced Club Len in a rematch of the Leagues Cup Final, winning 30 at home in the first leg and drawing 11 in the second leg to advance to the semifinals. [31] They did so by defeating D.C. United 21 on the road at RFK Stadium. [309] In 2012, White was hired by NBC Sports Network to be the voice of their soccer coverage. 2018 (Seattle) : In 2018, Lodeiro not only set Sounders FC's single-season record with 16 assists, but also became the club's all-time leader with 36 in his Seattle career, surpassing Mauro. Hanauer made a big point of saying how the new owners never talked about things like prospective return on investment, and were far more focused on being part of an exciting project. [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. Sure someone will do it for $20/h, and it will be a mess, if you want a senior developer with a full stack background and 10+ years experience than you are going to be paying a hell of a lot more for the quality of work. Members may also be elected to the Sounders FC Alliance Council by receiving at least 25 nominations from other members on an annual basis. The winless streak ended in a match on July 7, which saw the return of Steve Zakuani from rehabilitation, against the Colorado Rapids. Attendance include statistics from league matches only.^ 2. 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. [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. [218] The Sounders set their attendance record with MLS Cup 2019, which was played in front of 69,274 at Lumen Fieldsurpassing all other sporting events in the stadium's history. [171][172] Prior to his appointment, Waibel was serving as the club's technical director, having replaced former MLS player and Everett native Chris Henderson in January 2021; Henderson had served in the role from January 24, 2009, until he left the club to join Inter Miami CF. [131] The Sounders finished second in the Western Conference with 18 wins, 11 losses, and 5 draws. A recently discovered SEC filing suggests the new group of owners bought their shares for $58.6 million, but it was unclear what percentage of ownership that covered. [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 Sounders recently won their fourth USL championship. When asked about a report last week that Russell Wilson tried to have him and general manager John Schneider fired before the Seattle Seahawks traded the veteran quarterback to the Denver Broncos last March, Carroll maintained support for his former player. The Associated Press Previous [228] Plans for a new training facility, named the Sounders FC Center at Longacres, were announced in February 2022. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 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. [221], While the Sounders currently play on FieldTurf, Lumen Field has previously had temporary natural grass installed for international soccer events. ", "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. He was promoted to interim head coach from his role as assistant coach after Sigi Schmid parted ways with the club on mutual terms in July 2016. In fact, Hanauer said that while there were other groups of non-locals interested in buying Roths stake and possibly even more than that he felt they all shared his vision of what has made the club great. The new center is scheduled to open in 2024 at the former Longacres horse racetrack and office park in Renton and will feature 300,000 square feet (28,000m2) of office space, four training fields, and a public clubhouse. [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. The MLS expansion team Seattle Sounders FC, began its inaugural season in 2009 at the stadium. [264] Tom Dutra was hired in 2008 as the club's goalkeeper coach. [132] Minority owner Paul Allen died from complications related to non-Hodgkin lymphoma on October 15, 2018, leaving his stake in the Sounders to an estate executed by his sister Jody Allen. I heard something about $58.5 million being exchanged. 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. #16 Seattle Mariners Team Value 1 $1.7B Calculated March 2022 Owner (s) John Stanton, Chris Larson Championships 0 Year Purchased 2016, 1992 Price Paid $1.2B, $100M Revenue 2 $313M Operating. [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. Well, kinda. However, Seattle followed the win by losing 8 of its next 14 matches. 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 [160], The team qualified for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League as the best-performing MLS club without their own berth, replacing the slot reserved for the cancelled U.S. Open Cup. [141] The team then won against Real Salt Lake at home and traveled away to play in the Conference Finals against Supporters' Shield winners Los Angeles FC, where they won 31. Gorilla FC is a Sounders supporters group that sits in the south end of Lumen Field in Sections 119 and 120. Jimmy and Dee Haslam have agreed to buy a 25 percent stake in the Milwaukee Bucks from co-owner Marc Lasry at a $3.5 billion valuation of the team, multiple. The first vote on retaining or replacing Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer was scheduled to be held between October to December 2012. [157][158] The team also won twice against Mexican clubs UANL and Santos Laguna in the 2021 Leagues Cup and advanced to the final, where they lost 32 to Club Len in Las Vegas. The new projects would replace the fossil-fueled . Save on toys, clothes, shoes, home dcor, baby, maternity, beauty and more. Avg. . The biggest takeaway: Adrian Hanauer is even more in charge than he was before. [121] Dempsey also returned from his hiatus and scored in his first match before being called up to the U.S. national team for World Cup qualification. [279] The financial success of the team is driven in large part by their high attendance figures and local popularity. SEATTLE As the Seattle Sounders ownership group has grown to more than a dozen families over the past year, the franchise has continued to add more meaningful names to the list of those. By late August, Martins had recovered and led the team to an eight-match unbeaten streak to secure a playoff spot, finishing fourth in the Western Conference. [73] The Sounders continued their five-year streak of setting a new MLS average attendance record, reaching 44,038 in 2013. [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. Kaye and Smith had built a radio network, Kaye-Smith Enterprises. [161] In the round of 16, the Sounders were held to a scoreless draw to F.C. [151] The team clinched their 12th consecutive playoff berth and finished second in the Western Conference. Forbes estimated that the Sounders were worth $310 million in 2018. [40], The Sounders also competed in two additional competitions during the 2010 season the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup. 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. Eric Williams NFC West Reporter Always positive, Pete Carroll took the high road. [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. [48] On April 22, 2011, in a match against the Colorado Rapids, Seattle's star midfielder Steve Zakuani suffered a broken leg in a challenge by the Rapids' Brian Mullan, which ended his season. [92] Seattle was unable to repeat their successes in the 2014 season. 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. [188] Despite hiring a consultant to explore other jersey partnerships in 2012,[189] the Microsoft sponsorship was repeatedly extended with a one-year contract in 2013, for the following season, and 2014, lasting through the end of the 2016 season. However, the club does open the entire stadium for international friendly matches[203][210] and some league matches. [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. [10] Many of the state's voters supported the referendum to construct Seahawks Stadium because it was also expected to be a professional soccer venue. [300] Matches were televised in Spanish on Univision station KUNS, anchored by Jaime Mendez with analysts Diego Arrioja and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and other Seattle tech leaders join new Sounders soccer ownership group by Taylor Soper on August 13, 2019 at 10:04 am August 13, 2019 at 3:58 pm Share 73 Tweet Share . The Sounders are ranked as one of the most valuable franchises in North America. [77] In August 2013, the Sounders completed the signing of U.S. national team captain Clint Dempsey from Tottenham Hotspur for $9million, the largest transfer deal in the league's history, and a record salary of $32million over four years. Hanauer has made it known that to the degree all teams would ideally have their own stadium, he would love to have the Sounders playing in a soccer palace on par with the great teams of the world. [76] As players returned to the team, Seattle improved to a six-win, four-loss record in 14 matches by late June. Griffey, Jr., who spent 13 seasons in Seattle, is the latest to join the ownership of the city's Major League Soccer League franchise. Wilson and Ciara are among 11 local families who joined the . MLS has 24 participating teams spread across the US and. The hard benefits are things like increased revenue opportunities like selling the naming rights or renting the space for tournaments. Hanauer insisted that each of them were already fans of the team and were enthusiastic about playing a role in taking it to new heights. [11], In 2003, Seattle was again listed as a possibility for an MLS expansion team when the ten-team league announced plans to expand into new markets. Are Macklemore and Russell Wilson the new Sounders owners? The club signed a new Designated Player, Peruvian forward Ral Ruidaz, that month and began a long unbeaten streak that resulted in a playoff position in late August. The money these new owners spent to buy into the Sounders effectively went to Roth, who likely saw his investment multiply at least 10-fold. [209], Lumen Field is a 69,000-seat stadium designed for both teams. [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. Turn on push notifications and don't miss anything! [283][284] The team became known as the Tacoma Defiance ahead of the 2019 season. Yeah, quality sleuthing by GeekWire on that one. Independent minority owners include the estate of Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, owned by Jody Allen; and Drew Carey, comedian and game show host. [198] In 2021, the Sounders announced a multi-year partnership with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians to sponsor the right sleeve on kits, with the Emerald Queen Casino on primary kits and the tribe's emblem on secondary kits. Try A Little Soccer", "Seattle at 'top of list' for MLS team in 2006", "Seattle's chances for MLS team take a hit", "Several groups contending for MLS expansion in Seattle", "It's official: Seattle to get MLS team in 2009", "New Soccer Team Stokes Seattle's Passion", "Sigi Schmid becomes Sounders FC's first coach", "Sounders FC fans' passion bowls over commissioner", "Keller ejected as Sounders FC lose for first time", "Messi Leads FC Barcelona to Friendly Win over Sounders FC", "Manchester United schools Sounders FC 70 before record crowd", "Seattle Sounders FC Become Second MLS Expansion Team to Claim U.S. Open Cup Crown", "Sounders Clinch Playoff Berth With 32 Win", "Sounders explain why season tickets capped at 32,000", "Dynamo advance to Western final vs. Galaxy", "Sounders clinch a playoff berth with second-half surge", "Fans motivate Seattle to 21 win over Chivas", "Sounders FC release Chivas USA preview & broadcast info", "Fucito's 2 goals boost Sounders past Marathon, 20", "Nyassi is nice: Seattle Sounders defeat Columbus Crew, 21, to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions", "Nyassi scores twice, Seattle beats Columbus 21", "Seattle claims first berth in 20112012 CCL", "For the third-straight year, Sounders FC to host stand-alone opener to kick off MLS season", "Juninho scores as L.A. beats Seattle 10", "Passionate fans keep Cascadia Cup alive and well", "Fredy Montero scores twice as Seattle claims Cascadia Cup", "Sounders' Zakuani has fractured tibia, fibula", "Give Sounders FC advantage entering Game 1", "Seattle Sounders Win Third Consecutive Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in Front of Record Crowd", "Sounders win, come close, but won't move on in playoffs", "Mauro Rosales named MLS Newcomer of the Year", "Sounders on pace for eighth-largest MLS playoff crowd? 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