Sounders rewarded for “changing the blueprint”

Most of you will know by now that the Sounders, or more accurately Quest Field, have been awaraded the 14th MLS Cup on November 22. While this is fantastic news for Seattle soccer fans, who are hoping to see their beloved team make the final in their first season, some questions have been raised. Adam Spangler notes that the announcement of where a championship game will be held in MLS occurs in the same year, while the host city of the Super Bowl gets announced and has work started 3,4, or even 5 years in advance.

Meanwhile, Andrea Canales (http://goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2009/03/12/1152121/canales-daily-seattle-site-creates-bad-precedent) warns MLS that playing a final on the turf of an American football stadium sets a bad precedent. Funny you mention that Andrea.

In what could be taken as a response from MLS, commissioner Don Garber (http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2009/03/13/1154111/garber-soccer-continues-to-surprise-people-in-this-country) has talked about how Seattle has overtaken Toronto as the model way to enter MLS and “changed the blueprint”

You have to wonder though, as I’m sure many Seattle fans are, when exactly a soccer specific stadium can get started. Because there’s one major difference between the supporters of Toronto and those of Seattle: they had their own stadium to make noisy, intimidate opponents, and more. Sounders fans will have to make do with a football stadium that even a huge banner at the top seats can’t create as intimate an environment. Mind you, that’s not to say Sounders fans can’t make noise, because I sure as hell am looking forward to opening day that gets closer and closer.

Other than that, Seattle fell to the Rapids 1-0 in a closed door exhibition game (http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/sounders/2009/03/12/rapids_1_sounders_fc_0.html)

Nothing to look at here: Seattle went 7-3-1 in all their exhibition games according to Jose Romero, and there’s nothing left to do but start getting pumped up against a New York squad that has much to prove going into their new season. Plus, Montero will be there (http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/sounders/2009/03/12/hanauer_addresses_monteros_dep.html).

Come on you Sounders!