History The origin of Seattle Sounders Football Club
The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began play in 2009 as an MLS expansion team. The Sounders are the third Seattle soccer club to share the Sounders name being part of a legacy which traces back to the original team of the NASL in 1974.
The club's majority owner is Adrian Hanauer, and its minority owners are Joe Roth, Paul Allen and Drew Carey. Former USL Sounderscoach and assistant coach Brian Schmetzertook over as interim head coach in July 2016 after the departure of Sigi Schmid; Schmetzer was made permanent head coach in November.
The Sounders play their home matches at CenturyLink Field. Along with several organized groups, a 53-member marching band called 'Sound Wave' supports the club at each home match. Seattle competes with rival MLS clubs Portland and Vancouver for the Cascadia Cup.
The Sounders played its inaugural match on March 19, 2009, winning 3–0 over the New York Red Bulls. Seattle has set MLS records for average attendance, led the league in season ticket sales, qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of its first eight seasons, and played for the MLS Cup for the first time following the 2016 season.
The Sounders have led MLS attendance since their inaugural season, consistently drawing an average of 50–65% more than the next highest-drawing team in the league, LA Galaxy. The club's announced attendance average was 43,144 in 2012. The team's players have included U.S. men's national soccer team captain Clint Dempsey, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C.forward Obafemi Martins, U-23 product and current Newcastle United F.C. player DeAndre Yedlin, striker Fredy Montero, and Osvaldo Alonso.
The Sounders won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup three times in a row (2009–2011) and reached a fourth consecutive Open Cup final appearance in 2012. In 2014, Seattle won their fourth U.S. Open Cup title. The Sounders won the Supporters' Shield 2014, also completing their double. In 2016, Seattle won their first MLS Cup. The Sounders have competed in the CONCACAF Champions League four times (with a fifth appearance due in 2017), but have not advanced further than the semi-final round.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC HISTORY
Even before the first cities in the United States were chosen to host Major League Soccerteams, Seattle was considered a viable location for a professional team. In 1994, as the U.S. was preparing to host the FIFA World Cup, more than 30 cities were pursuing the rights to an MLS team, Seattle being among them. However, despite the strong soccer fan base in Seattle, the absence of a soccer-only stadium was a drawback to establishing an MLS team.
Cities seeking consideration for an inaugural MLS team were also expected to secure 10,000 assurances from fans for season tickets. By the June 3, 1994 deadline for MLS team bids, Seattle organizers had secured fewer than 1,500 such assurances. These low numbers were a result of competition between the ticket campaign for the MLS expansion team and for the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) Sounders expansion team.
In a June 14, 1994 announcement, Seattle was not included among the first seven cities to be awarded an MLS team. Five more teams were to be announced later in the year, and to improve their chances this time, Seattle MLS organizers began working with the University of Washington to secure use of Husky Stadium as an interim stadium while they pursued the construction of a permanent soccer-specific facility.
In November 1994, the start of the first MLS season was postponed until 1996, and it was noted that the absence of an "adequate grass-field facility" in the area and the presence of the new APSL Seattle Sounders team had thwarted Seattle's MLS bid. In the end, Seattle was not among the cities chosen to establish a team during the first season of MLS.
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. Many of the state's voters supported the referendum to construct Seahawks Stadium because it was also expected to be a professional soccer venue.
While the stadium problem was being resolved, a new issue emerged. 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.
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. In 2004, MLS commissioner Don Garber indicated that Seattle had been "very close" to receiving the expansion team ultimately awarded to Salt Lake.
Adrian Hanauer, then-owner of the United Soccer League's (USL) Sounders (formerly the APSL Sounders), was in discussions with MLS about an estimated payment of $1 million to secure rights to a Seattle franchise for 2006. 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 $10 million.
MLS EXPANSION ARRIVES
In 2007, Hanauer teamed up with Hollywood producer Joe Roth to make another bid for MLS expansion into Seattle, at a cost of $30 million. Paul Allen, whose First and Goal company operated Qwest Field (now CenturyLink Field), joined the ownership group that same year, making the bid the most promising yet for Seattle.
During the first week of November 2007, rumors began to build that MLS would be announcing an expansion into Seattle the following week, and that the ownership group had taken on a fourth member, TV personality Drew Carey. In a press conference on November 13, 2007, it was announced that Seattle had been awarded an expansion team.
The announcement marked the return of top-levelsoccer to Seattle for the first time since the dissolution of its North American Soccer League (NASL) team in 1983. The announcement also meant that the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division would play its final season the year before the new MLS franchise was formed. "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 "FC" in the team moniker stands for Football Club, but the team name is officially "Seattle Sounders FC".
INAUGURAL SEASON
Seattle Sounders FC, the league's 15th team, began play in the 2009 season. All 22,000 season ticket packages offered by the club for its inaugural season were sold, giving them the most season ticket holders in MLS. The club played its first home match on March 19, 2009 in front of a sold-out crowd of 32,523, defeating the New York Red Bulls 3–0.
During the pre-match ceremonies, the first Golden Scarf was awarded to MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Seattle was the first MLS expansion team to win its first three matches, and they did so with a shutout in each. The club set a state record for attendance at a soccer match on August 5, 2009, when 66,848 attended a friendly matchwith FC Barcelona, a record which was later broken when they hosted Manchester United in front of 67,052 fans.
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. They did so by defeating D.C. United 2–1 on the road at RFK Stadium. In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.
On October 17, 2009, the Sounders became the third MLS expansion team in league history to qualify for the playoffs in its first season. They clinched a playoff berth with a come-from-behind victory over the Kansas City Wizards 3–2 at Kansas City. Seattle finished the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 draws.
The club set a new MLS record for average attendance with 30,943 fans per match. Its inaugural season came to an end in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs with a loss in the conference semi-finals to the Houston Dynamo by a 1–0 aggregate score in a two-legged series. 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.
EARLY YEARS (2010–2013)
Before the first match of the Sounders' second season, the club increased the number of season ticket holders to 32,000. The first match of the season was played at CenturyLink Field, with Seattle hosting a new MLS expansion team, the Philadelphia Union. The Sounders won 2–0 on goals from Brad Evans and Fredy Montero. However, Seattle followed the win by losing 8 of its next 14 matches.
In the latter half of the regular season, Seattle reversed its fortune. The team won 10 of its last 15 matches, and clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive year with a 2–1 win on October 10, 2010 at Kansas City. They finished the season with 14 wins, 10 losses, and 6 ties.
In the playoffs, the Sounders were eliminated in the conference semi-finals by the Los Angeles Galaxy on a 3–1 aggregate score. The club broke its own single-season attendance record, averaging 36,173 fans per match, and again sold out every league match.
The Sounders also competed in two additional competitions during the 2010 season the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup. In the Champions League, Seattle progressed through the preliminary round, beating Isidro Metapán 2–1 on aggregate, but was eliminated in the group stage.
In the U.S. Open Cup, Seattle won matches at Portland and at home against the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA before reaching the final, which they hosted at CenturyLink Field against the Columbus Crew. On October 5, 2010, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup final, 2–1, becoming the first team since 1983 to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions. The final was played in front of a U.S. Open Cup record crowd of 31,311, and the victory ensured Seattle's return to the Champions League in 2011.
The Sounders began the 2011 season by hosting the opening match of the MLS season for the third straight year. The club hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy, and lost 1–0. 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.
Despite setbacks and a slow start to the season (the club won just 3 of its first 10 matches), the Sounders went on to finish the season with the second-best record in the league at 18 wins, 9 draws, 7 losses, and qualified for the playoffs for a third consecutive year. On October 4, 2011, Seattle won its third consecutive U.S. Open Cup, becoming the first club to do so in 42 years, as they defeated the Chicago Fire 2–0 in front of another tournament record crowd of 35,615 at CenturyLink Field. In the MLS playoffs, Seattle lost its Western Conference semi-final series 3–2 on aggregate to Real Salt Lake. The club dug itself a hole by losing 3–0 in Salt Lake, and could only net two goals in the second leg at home.
Sounders midfielder Mauro Rosales was recognized by the league as the 2011 Newcomer of the Year. In 2011, Seattle again broke its own league record for average attendance at 38,496. On October 15, 2011, the club hosted the third-largest crowd ever for a single MLS match, as 64,140 attended the final regular season home match.
In the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, the club finished second in its group and advanced to the knockout round, which was played starting in March 2012. In champions league group play, Seattle became only the second MLS team in history to win a competitive match in Mexico, defeating CF Monterrey 1–0 on August 23, 2011.
During the 2012 season, the Sounders finished third in the conference, seventh overall in MLS, were finalists once again in the U.S. Open Cup, reached the quarter finals in the CONCACAF Champions League and runners-up in both the Cascadia Cup and Heritage Cup. The top scorer in league play was 28-year-old striker Eddie Johnson, who scored 14 goals.
In 2013, the Sounders completed the largest transfer deal ever in the history of MLS, paying $9 million to Tottenham Hotspur for Clint Dempsey, captain of the U.S. national teamand considered one of the best American players to date. The Sounders agreed to pay Dempsey the fourth-largest salary to date in MLS, approximately $5 million per year until 2016.
Seattle Sounders continued breaking the MLS attendance record for the fourth and fifth consecutive year in 2012 and 2013 with the average crowd of 43,144 and 44,038 respectively.
FIRST SUPPORTERS SHIELD (2014)
After a disappointing 2013 season, the Sounders replaced starting goalkeeper Michael Gspurning with Toronto's Stefan Frei. Several veteran players, including Eddie Johnson, Patrick Ianni, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Mauro Rosales, and Steve Zakuani, left the club as part of a major restructure; Brad Evans was named as club captain.
Marco Pappa, an experienced MLS player and Guatemalan international, was added to the team. Homegrown player DeAndre Yedlin was transferred overseas to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season.
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. On October 25, 2014, the final game of the 2014 regular season, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 2–0 to secure and win their first Supporters' Shield.
Entering the playoffs as the top seed, Seattle defeated FC Dallas on the away goals rule and advanced to the Western Conference Championship to face the LA Galaxy once again. The Sounders lost on aggregate scoreand the away goals rule after losing 1–0 away and winning 2–1 at home. LA would go on to win the MLS Cup.
2015 SEASON
Former Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey was hired by the club in January 2015, replacing Adrian Hanauer.
Seattle was unable to repeat their successes in the 2014 season. The season started successfully, with several key wins that saw the team at the top of the Western Conference by June. 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 injury and suspension of the team's main attacking duo led to a death spiral during the summer, with Seattle winning only one match in nine games. By late August, Martins had recovered and led the team to an 8-match unbeaten streak to secure a playoff spot, finishing 4th in the Western Conference. The Sounders had also successfully topped their group in the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps and Club Deportivo Olimpia, with two wins, one draw, and one loss.
Paraguayan international Nelson Haedo Valdez was signed as the club's newest designated player, and was joined by fellow international signings Andreas Ivanschitz and Román Torres in August 2015; Erik Friberg also returned to the club after his stint in Europe.
During the playoff's opening knockout round, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 3–2, ending a "curse" for the club, who had lost to LA in each of the three previous playoff matchups. The playoff run would end in the next round, the Western Conference semi-finals against FC Dallas, during a penalty shootout after both teams were tied on aggregate score after extra time in Frisco, Texas.
In November 2015, Adrian Hanauer was made majority owner of the club, succeeding Joe Roth. The club set a new attendance record during the 2015 season, with an average attendance of 44,247.
FIRST MLS CUP (2016)
Prior to the 2016 season, Obafemi Martins abruptly left the club to sign with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C. in the Chinese Super League, a move that would hamper the Sounders' offense during the season. The move was mitigated somewhat by the signing of homegrown product Jordan Morris. GM Lagerwey also traded Marco Pappa and Lamar Neagle to other clubs in the offseason.
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. After a 3–0 loss on July 24 to Sporting Kansas City, in which the Sounders had only one shot, Schmid left the club on mutual terms.
Long-time assistant coach Brian Schmetzerwas promoted to interim head coach. The same day, the club announced their signing of Uruguayan midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro on a designated player contract, as well as the return of former designated player Álvaro Fernández.
Despite the sluggish start as well as the loss of midfielder Clint Dempsey, who was forced in August to stop playing after evaluations for an irregular heartbeat, the Sounders turned their season around with 8 wins, 2 losses, and 4 draws. In the process, they came back from 9th to 4th in the Western Conference and qualified for the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs. Schmetzer was named as permanent head coach as a result.
At the regular season's end, Jordan Morris was named the MLS Rookie of the Year after scoring the most goals of any American rookie in MLS (12), and Nicolás Lodeiro was named MLS Newcomer of the Year for his 4 goals and 8 assists in 13 appearances.
During the Knockout Round of the playoffs, the Sounders drew Sporting Kansas City. Both teams were held scoreless until Nelson Valdez, who had not scored all year, made the go-ahead goal at the 88th minute.
The Sounders then faced the 2016 Supporters' Shield and U.S. Open Cup winners FC Dallas in the Conference Semi-final, a rematch of the year before. The Sounders defeated FC Dallas 3–0 at home and 4–2 on aggregate, advancing to the Western Conference Final. The Sounders then defeated the Colorado Rapids 3–1 on aggregate, with Jordan Morris scoring the final goal of the season, finally breaking through to go to their first-ever MLS Cup.
On December 10, 2016, the Sounders defeated Toronto FC 5–4 in a penalty shootout, to win MLS Cup 2016, their first MLS championship in franchise history, without even registering a single shot on goal. With the Sounder's slow season start and midseason turmoil, the team's turnaround from bottom of the league to eventual champions is considered one of the most dramatic comebacks in MLS history.
MAIN STADIUM
Seattle Sounders FC plays home matches at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, also home to the Seattle Seahawks. Sounders minority owner Paul Allen is also the owner of the Seahawks, who have a 30-year lease on CenturyLink Field. Because of this relationship, the Sounders makes use of CenturyLink Field without paying rent.
For Sounders matches, the field is called "The Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field" as part of the sponsorship deal with Microsoft.
CenturyLink Field is a 69,000-seat stadium designed for both teams. The Sounders artificially limit the stadium's capacity for MLS matches, with certain seating sections covered with tarpaulins to provide "a more intimate atmosphere." However, the club does open the entire stadium for international friendly matches, and some league matches.
The team's original business plan expected only 12,000 tickets per game. Based on high initial demand, capacity for the stadium was limited to 24,500 for the beginning of the inaugural 2009 season. However, due to continued high demand, capacity has been increased multiple times, to 38,500 for the 2012 season and to 39,115 for 2015 season.
On October 7, 2012, a record was established when a crowd of 66,452 attended a Sounders 3–0 win over the rival Portland Timbers: the second-highest to-date in MLS. The Sounders then beat their own record on August 25, 2013 again against the Timbers with 67,385 in attendance for Clint Dempsey's home debut, a 1–0 win for the Sounders.
While the Sounders currently play on FieldTurf, CenturyLink Field has previously had temporary natural grass installed for international soccer events. In 2012, an updated FieldTurf surface was installed and certified by FIFA with a 2-star quality rating, the highest possible rating. If an MLS rule change requires natural grass playing surfaces, the field will be permanently replaced with natural grass.
The team's training facilities and offices are located at the Starfire Sports Complex in nearby Tukwila. Smaller than CenturyLink Field, Starfire is also used to host U.S. Open Cup matches. Sounders representatives have said they prefer the more intimate atmosphere for smaller cup matches.
The club's majority owner is Adrian Hanauer, and its minority owners are Joe Roth, Paul Allen and Drew Carey. Former USL Sounderscoach and assistant coach Brian Schmetzertook over as interim head coach in July 2016 after the departure of Sigi Schmid; Schmetzer was made permanent head coach in November.
The Sounders play their home matches at CenturyLink Field. Along with several organized groups, a 53-member marching band called 'Sound Wave' supports the club at each home match. Seattle competes with rival MLS clubs Portland and Vancouver for the Cascadia Cup.
The Sounders played its inaugural match on March 19, 2009, winning 3–0 over the New York Red Bulls. Seattle has set MLS records for average attendance, led the league in season ticket sales, qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of its first eight seasons, and played for the MLS Cup for the first time following the 2016 season.
The Sounders have led MLS attendance since their inaugural season, consistently drawing an average of 50–65% more than the next highest-drawing team in the league, LA Galaxy. The club's announced attendance average was 43,144 in 2012. The team's players have included U.S. men's national soccer team captain Clint Dempsey, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C.forward Obafemi Martins, U-23 product and current Newcastle United F.C. player DeAndre Yedlin, striker Fredy Montero, and Osvaldo Alonso.
The Sounders won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup three times in a row (2009–2011) and reached a fourth consecutive Open Cup final appearance in 2012. In 2014, Seattle won their fourth U.S. Open Cup title. The Sounders won the Supporters' Shield 2014, also completing their double. In 2016, Seattle won their first MLS Cup. The Sounders have competed in the CONCACAF Champions League four times (with a fifth appearance due in 2017), but have not advanced further than the semi-final round.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC HISTORY
Even before the first cities in the United States were chosen to host Major League Soccerteams, Seattle was considered a viable location for a professional team. In 1994, as the U.S. was preparing to host the FIFA World Cup, more than 30 cities were pursuing the rights to an MLS team, Seattle being among them. However, despite the strong soccer fan base in Seattle, the absence of a soccer-only stadium was a drawback to establishing an MLS team.
Cities seeking consideration for an inaugural MLS team were also expected to secure 10,000 assurances from fans for season tickets. By the June 3, 1994 deadline for MLS team bids, Seattle organizers had secured fewer than 1,500 such assurances. These low numbers were a result of competition between the ticket campaign for the MLS expansion team and for the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) Sounders expansion team.
In a June 14, 1994 announcement, Seattle was not included among the first seven cities to be awarded an MLS team. Five more teams were to be announced later in the year, and to improve their chances this time, Seattle MLS organizers began working with the University of Washington to secure use of Husky Stadium as an interim stadium while they pursued the construction of a permanent soccer-specific facility.
In November 1994, the start of the first MLS season was postponed until 1996, and it was noted that the absence of an "adequate grass-field facility" in the area and the presence of the new APSL Seattle Sounders team had thwarted Seattle's MLS bid. In the end, Seattle was not among the cities chosen to establish a team during the first season of MLS.
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. Many of the state's voters supported the referendum to construct Seahawks Stadium because it was also expected to be a professional soccer venue.
While the stadium problem was being resolved, a new issue emerged. 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.
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. In 2004, MLS commissioner Don Garber indicated that Seattle had been "very close" to receiving the expansion team ultimately awarded to Salt Lake.
Adrian Hanauer, then-owner of the United Soccer League's (USL) Sounders (formerly the APSL Sounders), was in discussions with MLS about an estimated payment of $1 million to secure rights to a Seattle franchise for 2006. 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 $10 million.
MLS EXPANSION ARRIVES
In 2007, Hanauer teamed up with Hollywood producer Joe Roth to make another bid for MLS expansion into Seattle, at a cost of $30 million. Paul Allen, whose First and Goal company operated Qwest Field (now CenturyLink Field), joined the ownership group that same year, making the bid the most promising yet for Seattle.
During the first week of November 2007, rumors began to build that MLS would be announcing an expansion into Seattle the following week, and that the ownership group had taken on a fourth member, TV personality Drew Carey. In a press conference on November 13, 2007, it was announced that Seattle had been awarded an expansion team.
The announcement marked the return of top-levelsoccer to Seattle for the first time since the dissolution of its North American Soccer League (NASL) team in 1983. The announcement also meant that the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division would play its final season the year before the new MLS franchise was formed. "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 "FC" in the team moniker stands for Football Club, but the team name is officially "Seattle Sounders FC".
INAUGURAL SEASON
Seattle Sounders FC, the league's 15th team, began play in the 2009 season. All 22,000 season ticket packages offered by the club for its inaugural season were sold, giving them the most season ticket holders in MLS. The club played its first home match on March 19, 2009 in front of a sold-out crowd of 32,523, defeating the New York Red Bulls 3–0.
During the pre-match ceremonies, the first Golden Scarf was awarded to MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Seattle was the first MLS expansion team to win its first three matches, and they did so with a shutout in each. The club set a state record for attendance at a soccer match on August 5, 2009, when 66,848 attended a friendly matchwith FC Barcelona, a record which was later broken when they hosted Manchester United in front of 67,052 fans.
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. They did so by defeating D.C. United 2–1 on the road at RFK Stadium. In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.
On October 17, 2009, the Sounders became the third MLS expansion team in league history to qualify for the playoffs in its first season. They clinched a playoff berth with a come-from-behind victory over the Kansas City Wizards 3–2 at Kansas City. Seattle finished the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 draws.
The club set a new MLS record for average attendance with 30,943 fans per match. Its inaugural season came to an end in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs with a loss in the conference semi-finals to the Houston Dynamo by a 1–0 aggregate score in a two-legged series. 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.
EARLY YEARS (2010–2013)
Before the first match of the Sounders' second season, the club increased the number of season ticket holders to 32,000. The first match of the season was played at CenturyLink Field, with Seattle hosting a new MLS expansion team, the Philadelphia Union. The Sounders won 2–0 on goals from Brad Evans and Fredy Montero. However, Seattle followed the win by losing 8 of its next 14 matches.
In the latter half of the regular season, Seattle reversed its fortune. The team won 10 of its last 15 matches, and clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive year with a 2–1 win on October 10, 2010 at Kansas City. They finished the season with 14 wins, 10 losses, and 6 ties.
In the playoffs, the Sounders were eliminated in the conference semi-finals by the Los Angeles Galaxy on a 3–1 aggregate score. The club broke its own single-season attendance record, averaging 36,173 fans per match, and again sold out every league match.
The Sounders also competed in two additional competitions during the 2010 season the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup. In the Champions League, Seattle progressed through the preliminary round, beating Isidro Metapán 2–1 on aggregate, but was eliminated in the group stage.
In the U.S. Open Cup, Seattle won matches at Portland and at home against the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA before reaching the final, which they hosted at CenturyLink Field against the Columbus Crew. On October 5, 2010, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup final, 2–1, becoming the first team since 1983 to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions. The final was played in front of a U.S. Open Cup record crowd of 31,311, and the victory ensured Seattle's return to the Champions League in 2011.
The Sounders began the 2011 season by hosting the opening match of the MLS season for the third straight year. The club hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy, and lost 1–0. 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.
Despite setbacks and a slow start to the season (the club won just 3 of its first 10 matches), the Sounders went on to finish the season with the second-best record in the league at 18 wins, 9 draws, 7 losses, and qualified for the playoffs for a third consecutive year. On October 4, 2011, Seattle won its third consecutive U.S. Open Cup, becoming the first club to do so in 42 years, as they defeated the Chicago Fire 2–0 in front of another tournament record crowd of 35,615 at CenturyLink Field. In the MLS playoffs, Seattle lost its Western Conference semi-final series 3–2 on aggregate to Real Salt Lake. The club dug itself a hole by losing 3–0 in Salt Lake, and could only net two goals in the second leg at home.
Sounders midfielder Mauro Rosales was recognized by the league as the 2011 Newcomer of the Year. In 2011, Seattle again broke its own league record for average attendance at 38,496. On October 15, 2011, the club hosted the third-largest crowd ever for a single MLS match, as 64,140 attended the final regular season home match.
In the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, the club finished second in its group and advanced to the knockout round, which was played starting in March 2012. In champions league group play, Seattle became only the second MLS team in history to win a competitive match in Mexico, defeating CF Monterrey 1–0 on August 23, 2011.
During the 2012 season, the Sounders finished third in the conference, seventh overall in MLS, were finalists once again in the U.S. Open Cup, reached the quarter finals in the CONCACAF Champions League and runners-up in both the Cascadia Cup and Heritage Cup. The top scorer in league play was 28-year-old striker Eddie Johnson, who scored 14 goals.
In 2013, the Sounders completed the largest transfer deal ever in the history of MLS, paying $9 million to Tottenham Hotspur for Clint Dempsey, captain of the U.S. national teamand considered one of the best American players to date. The Sounders agreed to pay Dempsey the fourth-largest salary to date in MLS, approximately $5 million per year until 2016.
Seattle Sounders continued breaking the MLS attendance record for the fourth and fifth consecutive year in 2012 and 2013 with the average crowd of 43,144 and 44,038 respectively.
FIRST SUPPORTERS SHIELD (2014)
After a disappointing 2013 season, the Sounders replaced starting goalkeeper Michael Gspurning with Toronto's Stefan Frei. Several veteran players, including Eddie Johnson, Patrick Ianni, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Mauro Rosales, and Steve Zakuani, left the club as part of a major restructure; Brad Evans was named as club captain.
Marco Pappa, an experienced MLS player and Guatemalan international, was added to the team. Homegrown player DeAndre Yedlin was transferred overseas to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season.
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. On October 25, 2014, the final game of the 2014 regular season, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 2–0 to secure and win their first Supporters' Shield.
Entering the playoffs as the top seed, Seattle defeated FC Dallas on the away goals rule and advanced to the Western Conference Championship to face the LA Galaxy once again. The Sounders lost on aggregate scoreand the away goals rule after losing 1–0 away and winning 2–1 at home. LA would go on to win the MLS Cup.
2015 SEASON
Former Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey was hired by the club in January 2015, replacing Adrian Hanauer.
Seattle was unable to repeat their successes in the 2014 season. The season started successfully, with several key wins that saw the team at the top of the Western Conference by June. 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 injury and suspension of the team's main attacking duo led to a death spiral during the summer, with Seattle winning only one match in nine games. By late August, Martins had recovered and led the team to an 8-match unbeaten streak to secure a playoff spot, finishing 4th in the Western Conference. The Sounders had also successfully topped their group in the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps and Club Deportivo Olimpia, with two wins, one draw, and one loss.
Paraguayan international Nelson Haedo Valdez was signed as the club's newest designated player, and was joined by fellow international signings Andreas Ivanschitz and Román Torres in August 2015; Erik Friberg also returned to the club after his stint in Europe.
During the playoff's opening knockout round, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 3–2, ending a "curse" for the club, who had lost to LA in each of the three previous playoff matchups. The playoff run would end in the next round, the Western Conference semi-finals against FC Dallas, during a penalty shootout after both teams were tied on aggregate score after extra time in Frisco, Texas.
In November 2015, Adrian Hanauer was made majority owner of the club, succeeding Joe Roth. The club set a new attendance record during the 2015 season, with an average attendance of 44,247.
FIRST MLS CUP (2016)
Prior to the 2016 season, Obafemi Martins abruptly left the club to sign with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C. in the Chinese Super League, a move that would hamper the Sounders' offense during the season. The move was mitigated somewhat by the signing of homegrown product Jordan Morris. GM Lagerwey also traded Marco Pappa and Lamar Neagle to other clubs in the offseason.
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. After a 3–0 loss on July 24 to Sporting Kansas City, in which the Sounders had only one shot, Schmid left the club on mutual terms.
Long-time assistant coach Brian Schmetzerwas promoted to interim head coach. The same day, the club announced their signing of Uruguayan midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro on a designated player contract, as well as the return of former designated player Álvaro Fernández.
Despite the sluggish start as well as the loss of midfielder Clint Dempsey, who was forced in August to stop playing after evaluations for an irregular heartbeat, the Sounders turned their season around with 8 wins, 2 losses, and 4 draws. In the process, they came back from 9th to 4th in the Western Conference and qualified for the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs. Schmetzer was named as permanent head coach as a result.
At the regular season's end, Jordan Morris was named the MLS Rookie of the Year after scoring the most goals of any American rookie in MLS (12), and Nicolás Lodeiro was named MLS Newcomer of the Year for his 4 goals and 8 assists in 13 appearances.
During the Knockout Round of the playoffs, the Sounders drew Sporting Kansas City. Both teams were held scoreless until Nelson Valdez, who had not scored all year, made the go-ahead goal at the 88th minute.
The Sounders then faced the 2016 Supporters' Shield and U.S. Open Cup winners FC Dallas in the Conference Semi-final, a rematch of the year before. The Sounders defeated FC Dallas 3–0 at home and 4–2 on aggregate, advancing to the Western Conference Final. The Sounders then defeated the Colorado Rapids 3–1 on aggregate, with Jordan Morris scoring the final goal of the season, finally breaking through to go to their first-ever MLS Cup.
On December 10, 2016, the Sounders defeated Toronto FC 5–4 in a penalty shootout, to win MLS Cup 2016, their first MLS championship in franchise history, without even registering a single shot on goal. With the Sounder's slow season start and midseason turmoil, the team's turnaround from bottom of the league to eventual champions is considered one of the most dramatic comebacks in MLS history.
MAIN STADIUM
Seattle Sounders FC plays home matches at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, also home to the Seattle Seahawks. Sounders minority owner Paul Allen is also the owner of the Seahawks, who have a 30-year lease on CenturyLink Field. Because of this relationship, the Sounders makes use of CenturyLink Field without paying rent.
For Sounders matches, the field is called "The Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field" as part of the sponsorship deal with Microsoft.
CenturyLink Field is a 69,000-seat stadium designed for both teams. The Sounders artificially limit the stadium's capacity for MLS matches, with certain seating sections covered with tarpaulins to provide "a more intimate atmosphere." However, the club does open the entire stadium for international friendly matches, and some league matches.
The team's original business plan expected only 12,000 tickets per game. Based on high initial demand, capacity for the stadium was limited to 24,500 for the beginning of the inaugural 2009 season. However, due to continued high demand, capacity has been increased multiple times, to 38,500 for the 2012 season and to 39,115 for 2015 season.
On October 7, 2012, a record was established when a crowd of 66,452 attended a Sounders 3–0 win over the rival Portland Timbers: the second-highest to-date in MLS. The Sounders then beat their own record on August 25, 2013 again against the Timbers with 67,385 in attendance for Clint Dempsey's home debut, a 1–0 win for the Sounders.
While the Sounders currently play on FieldTurf, CenturyLink Field has previously had temporary natural grass installed for international soccer events. In 2012, an updated FieldTurf surface was installed and certified by FIFA with a 2-star quality rating, the highest possible rating. If an MLS rule change requires natural grass playing surfaces, the field will be permanently replaced with natural grass.
The team's training facilities and offices are located at the Starfire Sports Complex in nearby Tukwila. Smaller than CenturyLink Field, Starfire is also used to host U.S. Open Cup matches. Sounders representatives have said they prefer the more intimate atmosphere for smaller cup matches.
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