Sales on Sounders

January 25th, 2011, One month after Christmas.

Most people think one month after Christmas is too late to open Christmas presents, and far too early for next Christmas.  This Sounders FC fan celebrated Rave Green Christmas 2011 on January 25th.  Obama’s State of the Union speech, given the same evening, was a warm and jolly occasion, but nowhere near the kind of historical, all American present that soccer in the Pacific Northwest gave the same evening.  January 25th twas Christmas in the Pacific Northwest.  All three Pacific Northwest Major Soccer League clubs practiced.  Unwrapping the long-awaited Cascadia Rivalry to the sporting nation of the United States and greater footballing world.  A rivalry between Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Seattle Sounders FC.  A rivalry over 35 years old, but dormant from top flight major league status for over two decades.  Not since Michael Jackson moonwalked us into a Billie Jean dance fever have these three clubs been together in a top-flight level professional league.  That was the NASL, which folded in 1984.  This is the much improved and growing Major League Soccer.  Santa has made his world tour delivering Christmas in January.  The big present under the tree?  Training camp has broken for all three clubs.  There is easily more love for the beautiful game in the Pacific Northwest, than in any other US region.  So delivery of the Cascadia Cup to Major League Soccer and a national spotlight is everything this sporting region has wanted and been waiting for.  There is no denying, this is the year of the rivalry.

Not to overshadow Obama’s State of the Union speech, I thought I’d incorporate some of his key points and put them in a more easily understandable soccer supporter chant translation.  If Obama had consulted the Timbers Army, or Emerald City Supporters, the State of the Union speech would have had a much different tone.  Leaning over the podium, Obama’s “smoked salmon” one-liner would have generated a cooler chill of fear than laughter.  The 2011 Cascadia version of his speech may have gone something like this:

“Who are ya?  Who are ya?  Who are ya?
I scorn, at a congress of no finance reform.
I take no pity for fear of tackling social security.
I burn a flare for every vote against healthcare.
I accept no excuses for indignation, when all I want to hear are solutions for education.”

Then tifo would be raised.  Flags waiving all around.  Colorful smoke engulfing the air with sparkling flares shining through haze.  Ah yes, Christmas in January.  Fortunately, Obama’s State of the Union speech focused on our core values of Healthcare, Education, and mining all our nations cumulative efforts and resources to fuel our country’s greatest potential for returning to diversified prosperity.  Nonetheless, my native grunge for first blood of Cascadia Rivalry is so excited, I happily drifted during his speech to the one I imagined above.  My fellow Americans, passionate Cascadians, and all Major League Soccer supporters, this finest day in the year of our beautiful game, 2011 is the beginning of the Season of the Rivalry.  So, bare your colours, waive your tifo, ignite the flares, light the smoke, drink a pint, and for the love of sport, cry out from your gut . . .

“Take ‘em all, watch ‘em fall,
Put ‘em up against a wall
and shoot ‘em.
Short-n-tall, watch ‘em fall,
Come on Boys take ‘em all.”

Major League Soccer has come to a crossroads never imagined by its 1996 founders.  The previous attempt at professional soccer in the US was the NASL (North American Soccer League), which lasted from 1968-1985.  Like Major League Soccer today, most of the NASL teams never passed 15,000 in average season attendance.  Not a problem for our Cascadia fellows.  The NASL Sounders often topped 20,000.  My

North American Soccer League - 1968-1985

first professional soccer match was in the Kingdome in 1983.  The Sounders hosted rival Vancouver with an attendance over 21,000.  Not much influence from the NASL remains with our regions teams or soccer in America today.  Only a few team names and use of a penalty shootout to decide certain matches has survived.  Decline from over expansion, 24 teams at its height, was a major contributing problem.  Worse was the complete under valued use of domestic college draftees and overpaid international veterans nearing retirement.  Whereas Major League Soccer after starting in 1996 remained cautious and protective in expanding.  The double expansion of Portland and Vancouver in 2011 is a big step for the league which has pushed expansion annually since 2006.  What is different this time?  Major League Soccer has taken a big step in requiring domestic or “homegrown” players.  International or high-priced “Designated Players” are limited to 3.  The league owns all player contracts and uses a salary cap.  What separates the league more now is an increased effort to develop relationships with advertisers and sport broadcasting networks.  Especially local/Regional TV/Radio stations.  Major League Soccer has also become one of the more popular sport attractions on all social networks.  All that said, with 18 clubs, the league still has many teams consistently below an average attendance of 15,000.  Solution?  The league needs an intense colorful rivalry with all matches sold-out.   How about a threesome?  This seasons Cascadia couldn’t come at a better time for Major League Soccer.  Portland and Seattle began their derbys in 1975, so the matches wont feel like they are new or made for TV.  They will be the authentic real deal.  An example for all existing and future MLS franchises to see what American Soccer Derbys look like.  The success of the Cascadia Cup could be the open door to the leagues bright future.

Preseason Cascadia Summit, March 4-6 2011.

In case anyone needed proof of the intensity of this 3-way rivalry, the offseason has supplied plenty.  Kasey Keller joined the Sounders in 2009, signing a 2 year contract.  Before playing a single match for Sounders FC he said he wanted to add a third season before retiring to take part in the Cascadia Rivalry.  Sounders FC ownership made that priority one this off season.  At the end of last season Portland Timbers supporters purchased ad space on a Seattle billboard advertising their teams expansion.  The most significant evidence of multi-team rivalry intensity and influence on Major League Soccer was from supporter negotiations for away match ticket allotment to traveling supporter groups.  Initially the allotment was set at 150.  Supporter groups for all 3 clubs joined forces and pushed up the allotment to 500.  Even with that increase, most supporters wont be satisfied until that number is likely increased to 1,000 next year.  All the blogs, forums, tweets and social network posts must have caught the attention of the league.  This preseason, from March 4-6, the three Cascadia Rivals face off in a weekend Cascadia Summit.  Tickets went on sale 2/1/2011 and sold-out the same day.  Preseason!  In addition to each team facing the other, there is a Coaches and Supporters meeting on the last day of the summit.  I believe this is one of the more intriguing preseason sport spectacles I’ve heard of.  It is also an opportunity for the league to figure out how to feature fully sold-out matches with 90 minute pint drinking, and loud chanting supporters.  Welcome to soccer in America.  Welcome to Cascadia, the season of the rivalry.

2010 prematch tifo vs LA Galaxy with Emerald City Supporters.

Something Old, Something New:  A few NASL notes:

When Sounders FC joined Major League Soccer in 2009 a new competition started.  The Heritage Cup.  No new matches were added.  Regular season results are used.  The Heritage Cup is played by former NASL teams.  For 2009 and 2010 the two competing teams were the San Jose Earthquakes and Sounders FC.  San Jose won in 2009, and Seattle in 2010.  Starting this year the Heritage Cup will be between all four former NASL teams, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Sounders FC.  The Heritage Cup will gain a little more attention this year, but nowhere near the media spotlight of the Cascadia Cup.  San Jose already participates in the California Classico with LA Galaxy.  As I write this, rumor has it the most famous NASL team, which featured Pele, the New York Cosmos are making a bid to become the 20th MLS team.