Sounders FC v. Chelsea FC, July 18, 2009 Seattle WA, USA

[tobiasgoldman]

who would have thought that soccer attracted such following in the States! is this just because of Chelsea?

[sounderfan]

@tobiasgoldman No, Sounders FC have over 31,000 season ticket holders for league games, too.

[tobiasgoldman]

@sounderfan

too bad about Freddie Ljungberg ehh? he's past his peak though. hopefully you can get good players from Europe and the world who aren't past their peak in the future.

[tobiasgoldman]

@sounderfan

is that fan base exceptionally large in the States, or do most teams enjoy such a following?

[sounderfan]

@tobiasgoldman Exceptionally large. Seattle have 31,000 season ticket holders, Toronto have 20,000....then it drops to 16,000 for the new Vancouver side and 12,000 for the new Portland Side. Seattle averaged 35,500 fans per home match in 2010. The league average was 16,500.

[tobiasgoldman]

@sounderfan

it surprises me that New York Red Bulls and LA Galaxy wouldn't have more fans, considering the population of those cities, and their big name signings :)

[sounderfan]

@tobiasgoldman

Galaxy were second in league with 21k avrage in 2010. New York were 5th at 18k.

[tobiasgoldman]

@sounderfan

gotcha. what explains the big following in Seattle?

[sounderfan]

@tobiasgoldman History of team dates back to 1974, European influenced population, downtown stadium with public transit, highest per capita soccer playing population in USA, well-marketed club, all 34 matches live on local free TV...and on and on the list goes.

[tobiasgoldman]

@sounderfan

Interesting. shouldn't the Latino influence in places like LA have an influence too?

the prices are also a factor but if the interest is high enough it doesn't matter, like in England where the working class has been priced out and the PL clubs (most of them at least) still fill their stadiums. hooliganism has gone down because of that...

[OrvidMunchen]

@sounderfan , I would say that Seattle Sounders has been one of the biggest success of MLS. Seattle has been ranked among the top 50 most attended Soccer club in th world. I hope MLS would find places like Seattle and make their league popular. I also think Toronto, Philadelphia, Vancouver and Portland have been good pickings too.

[NickBigsmoke]

@tobiasgoldman also the fact that the sonics were stolen from us and the years following them leaving left a very sour taste in our mouth. Regardless of having the loudest NFL stadium, Seattle was a basketball city. So the Sounders arriving just gave us all an opportunity to rename our city a soccer city.

[deluxemaster1]

this year no one can beat chelsea

[jamesaddiction73]

Congratulations Sounderfan, there's a lot of fan in Seattle, and I'm glad because Soccer is growing in USA. Someday MLS teams will be better and play with Euro teams with minimal difference. I Think you're gone in the rigth way. Go ahead. Greetings from Colombia.

[harjo1992]

Sounders till i die.

[CluetoCalo]

Not a shame to lose to Chelsea 80% of european clubs would lose as well. Respect to sounders!

[harjo1992]

thanks. 2-0 isn't that bad. Especially when we had shots on goal.

[soundersnation]

What a scene this game was! It was pretty frustrating that the Sounders couldn't find the net with all the chances they had... and WTF was with Keller? Talk about mailing it in! Entertaining though, could've easily been 4-1. Best crowd in MLS? Sit down Toronto lol its not even close. Has any MLS team ever brought 65,000+ to a game before?

[nisto95]

To a friendly? Then yes.

[poiu77]

@soundersnation

i swear more fans turned out for seatle when barcelona came?

[ejyounggun08]

its pretty stupid when these european clubs come to usa and either they always beat an mls club or they completely demolish them. it'd help if the mls clubs if the so-called "fans" actually supported their mls club through thick and thin. not just for the mls matches. "oh i love new york red bulls" then you play some one like Atletico Madrid and you all of a sudden are a die hard Atletico supporter, even though you only know 3 players and you support them instead of your towns club....its bs.

[unak78]

LA drew with Milan on Sunday. Besides, looks like most of these fans were in green.

Your statement fails like something fierce!

[ejyounggun08]

i have mad respect for Seattle as a whole. there's always an exception to anything and Seattle is just that. LA & NY fans are the most fake. they always back the opposing side when someone "big" comes to play them on their pre-season tours.

[unak78]

EPIC fail!

[facupchampions2009]

Seattle Sounders -

thanks for a very good game and 0-2 against chelsea is not that bad. Chelsea is one of the best teams in the world!

Chelsea till i die!!

[almostskater946]

at 204 im in the section that the refs were runing to. section 109

[neeraash]

oh my god! i cnt say hw happy i am! wow 1st game and 1st win! cmon BLUES

[ejyounggun08]

its pre-season. stfu.

[pradeepchanumolu]

chelsea rocks mannn!!!!!!!!1

[tone717cr]

Damn its nothing like this with the San Jose Earthquakes.

[motormouth1111]

I WAS THERE~!~~!!@~! SOUTH END