Seattle Sounders Stadium

[BLG]

The Seahawks have their stadium with the plastic grass. I keep reading possibilities of the Sounders getting a facility. There were some great links to Seattle newspaper stories in the past. Can anyone add to those?

[SeattleFan]

First and Goal website (http://a-league.com/supporters_links.shtml)

Some recent news articles:
http://www.eastsidejournal.com/sited/story/html/98420
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/78286_sounders12.shtml
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/134491961_sounders12.html

[skinut]

It's the same stadium as the Seahawks will use. The Sounders will open the place later this month.

It has Fieldturf and lower bowl capacity is about 30K.

[BLG]

Gotta love this:

... Shawn Springs of the Seahawks was leading a youth group on a stadium tour. While at the south end of the field, a ball rolled toward him. He dribbled it back up toward the Sounders' practice and kicked it back into play -- but declined an invitation to join the team. ``You don't get paid enough, and you run too much,'' he said with a big grin.

[splinterhead]

What is the Sounders' average attendance? Is it possible for an A-League team to afford rent in a brand new NFL stadium? Is anyone going to the game against the Whitecaps? Will MLS notice if they can pull it off?

[bright]

Originally posted by splinterhead
What is the Sounders' average attendance? Is it possible for an A-League team to afford rent in a brand new NFL stadium? Is anyone going to the game against the Whitecaps? Will MLS notice if they can pull it off?

The average attendance is around 2,000. :( If you saw the Sounders play at home against Calgary on Fox Sports World this weekend, you will have noticed that Memorial Stadium has a narrow astro-turf field with permanent football lines. Just this season have I convinced myself that I should attend more than a couple games despite the ugly ugly ugly pinball-variety of soccer that takes place on that ugly ugly ugly field. I think a lot of fans stay away (as I did for many seasons) because of the current field even though Memorial Stadium itself is in a great location in Seattle Center right under the Space Needle.

The Sounders might be able to get a break in rent at the new stadium from Paul Allen, but who knows. I highly doubt that they can afford to rent the stadium out at normal prices. I have heard that the Sounders are planning to use the big stadium for playoff games.

Does anyone have an information on how much Memorial Stadium currently costs to rent? And maybe some idea of how much the new stadium may cost to rent? It would be nice to do some kind of cost analysis. Even though the new stadium is huge, the quality of the playing surface would be a huge upgrade and I would encourage the move out of Memorial because of that ... if it is affordable.

I am going to the game against the Whitecaps at the new stadium. I am not sure how much of an attendance boost will take place. I bet it will be more than 2,000 people, though. :)

- Paul

[Mark Coker]

I heard third-hand that they've sold over 13k for the opening match at Seahacks Stadium, and expect it to break 20k.

[dawgcatching]

We get 3 times the fans. Go Timbers!

[NNCRed]

Originally posted by dawgcatching
We get 3 times the fans. Go Timbers!

And you win fook all.

[FootyMundo]

I watched that Sounders Calgary game. First of all, just how bad is Calgary. They looked just putrid. Second, how wide is the field at Memorial and why not turn it into a grass pitch? Yes, yes, I know that costs money - but several A-League teams have great fields. MN's stadium is in an awful location, but the turf on the field is absolutely superb. Memorial Stadium could be a sweet venue if there was real grass there.

[pugetsoundmls]

Cup has not run over for Sounders-Seattle P.I. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/vecsey/77760_vecs09.shtml)

Soccer on rise in Seattle-Seattle P.I. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/76256_stadium27.shtml)

Bring your A-game-Tacoma News Tribune (http://www.tribnet.com/sports/story/1431936p-1550382c.html)

Sounders' exec says club headed for better times-Puget Sound Business Journal (http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2002/07/01/story8.html) (May require free registration)

Sounders will open football stadium-Seattle Times (http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=soun17&date=20020517&query=sounders) (Italics mine)

Turf battle ends as stadium board approves FieldTurf-Seattle P.I. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/40640_turf28.shtml) (dated article)

[Mark Coker]

Originally posted by FootyMundo
why not turn [Memorial Stadium] into a grass pitch?...Memorial Stadium could be a sweet venue if there was real grass there.

1. The stadium is owned by the Seattle School District. The Sounders merely get to write them checks for its use. And supposedly it's one of the more oppressive rents in the league.

2. And yes Memorial would be sweet. In a perfect world, the Sounders would buy the stadium and turn it into a great facility. It would have both a good size and a good location.

[GR8ftblr]

I vot the Portland Timbers fore MLS! Yea, like I really wanna see a 3/4 empty stadium in Seattle and field turf.....see Cardinal Stadium....

[GMan Eric]

Originally posted by FootyMundo
I watched that Sounders Calgary game. First of all, just how bad is Calgary. They looked just putrid. Second, how wide is the field at Memorial and why not turn it into a grass pitch? Yes, yes, I know that costs money - but several A-League teams have great fields. MN's stadium is in an awful location, but the turf on the field is absolutely superb. Memorial Stadium could be a sweet venue if there was real grass there.

Calgary is BAD. One win in like 18 matches.

Seattle School District were supposed to have put in FieldTurf this year, but backed out at the last minute (postponing it till next year). This is why Sounders played 12 of their first 15 on the road and why no home games from mid-may until the end of June.

[GMan Eric]

Originally posted by dawgcatching
We get 3 times the fans. Go Timbers!

3 times the fans disguised as comp's, giveaways and no-shows reported as actual attendance.

Oh, and like all Portland teams, you always win *************** all :D

[GMan Eric]

Originally posted by GR8ftblr
Yea, like I really wanna see a 3/4 empty stadium in Seattle and field turf.....see Cardinal Stadium....

Sounds an awful lot like PGE park with the 3/4 empty seats and the "other" kind of fakegrass

[Delta Blues]

Originally posted by GR8ftblr
I vot the Portland Timbers fore MLS! Yea, like I really wanna see a 3/4 empty stadium in Seattle and field turf.....see Cardinal Stadium....

How many more of you are going to post about FieldTurf without having a fricking clue as to what it is? Believe me, FieldTurf blows away the crap at Philly, Naperville & PGE which are completely different and inferior products.

Go to http://www.fieldturf.com

[GR8ftblr]

Actually, I have played on field turf. It does play much better than traditional turf. It has a much truer bounce and feel. You can also wear regular studs on it. But, bottom line is, why play on turf when the climate will tolerate grass? Why play in a huge football stadium when this is not the direction mls is headed? Turf will never be better than a quality grass pitch!

[Paul Schmidt]

Some would say that grass in Seattle (and Portland, for that matter) is just a precursor to mud. Well, bollocks to that, as if anyone ever tried...

What I'm hearing from other places, and seeing around the Northwest where already installed, is a different matter. To make a stadium viable, you need dates. FieldTurf eventually gets matted down, and eventually plays too hard. My understanding (the rumor mill, something definitely worth questioning) is that long-term reports reaching USSF are not that favorable. Furthermore, if you're sharing with gridball, the lines don't wash off. Whomever here has been selling FieldTurf should be wary.

You know, the Timbers may win **** all, play on crap (if slightly better than Memorial), and have had padded crowds the first year, but we still draw paid crowds at more than double your take. We appreciate your modesty.

[pugetsoundmls]

Originally posted by Paul Schmidt
Furthermore, if you're sharing with gridball, the lines don't wash off. Whomever here has been selling FieldTurf should be wary.

Actually, as Delta posted many times on this thread pre-crash, the FieldTurf in Seattle does allow for the washing off, and repainting, of lines. Frankly, there may not be many soccer games in there so it probably won't matter.

While its been great seeing various Sounders on the local news the past week or so with regard to the Open Cup and the opening of the stadium, they really could have done a better job of plugging soccer's case. I've only seen Sawatzky say that artificial turf of any kind basically sucks and that grass needs to be in any soccer stadium. Granted, I figure the players are basically just doing what they're told. Be positive about the stadium, thankful, happy to be a part of it, etc.

Another article about the Sounders, Seahawks Stadium and MLS.

Soccer makes its pitch-Seattle P.I. (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/79196_socc19.shtml)