Sounders To Surrender Home Field in 1st Rd, Even If they Earn It

Ciscokid · 09 Oct 2009, 04:09 PM

So, my playoff notice said the first round game for Seattle would be played between Oct 29 and Nov 1. I called to ask what the schedule will be if Sounders earn Home Field advantage in 1st round and was told we will play 1st game at home regardless of position.

This appears to be due to a conflict with the Seahawks game on Nov 8th, but I have to admit this has me pretty irritated if it's true. If the Seahawks game is an issue, simply play the game on Thursday Nov 5th.

If the first game can be scheduled as early as Oct 29 or 30, then that gives teams 5-6 days of rest and gives grounds crew more than 2 days to change the field...something they were able to do earlier this year.

Maybe we won't earn the advantage or even make the playoffs (unlikely), but if we do, it seems extremely unfair to fans and team to give up a potential OT and PKs at home. It just marginalizes us and our team and forces Adrian to once again be an apologist for the NFL. Bleah.

And since the game would sellout if played on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. I can't see that Thursday would be an issue.

Has anyone else heard anything about this situation or spoken with a Sounder's Rep?

Yoshou · 09 Oct 2009, 04:29 PM

Am I wrong in thinking that it is actually an advantage to have the first game in a home and home series at your home? I would much rather go into the second game with a one or two point lead than going into a second game with a one or two point deficit.

CACuzcatlan · 09 Oct 2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoshou

Am I wrong in thinking that it is actually an advantage to have the first game in a home and home series at your home? I would much rather go into the second game with a one or two point lead than going into a second game with a one or two point deficit.

I think looking at the stats from past years, it may be better to play the first leg at home. The advantage of a second leg home is OT and penalties as Ciscokid mentioned

Ciscokid · 09 Oct 2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoshou

Am I wrong in thinking that it is actually an advantage to have the first game in a home and home series at your home? I would much rather go into the second game with a one or two point lead than going into a second game with a one or two point deficit.

I can see tactical reasons you might want to arrange it that way and if that were the reasoning by the Sounders I wouldn't object too much although I wouldn't agree with that strategy.

However, you are depriving your fans of either celebrating a series win at home or saluting the team for a great season if they don't persevere. And if the reason is because of the Seahawks then I'm pissed about it, that's all.

I guess the bottom line is, if it's true, that we are treated like 2nd class fans. We will organizationally give up an earned advantage to keep our stadium partners happy. If that's the deal then I think fans will probably not raise a big stink this season but in seasons to come...?

bright · 09 Oct 2009, 05:16 PM

By 2020, we will have a pretty sweet light rail network up to Lynnwood, out to Redmond, and down to Des Moines. We'll have a street car network in place before then that will extend to Ballard, Fremont, U-District, Capitol Hill, and Leschi. The parking and freeway issues at Memorial Stadium won't be a concern at that point, and the monorail already goes right to the stadium from Westlake Center. So maybe it is time to start looking into Memorial Stadium again.

Keep the memorial intact and move the stadium footprint out towards 5th Avenue opening up more green space within Seattle Center. KCTS could air documentaries on the Sounders during their pledge drives, EMP would have a special section devoted to Roger Levesque, and we'd be back at our birth place under the very symbol featured in our badge.

Yoshou · 09 Oct 2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ciscokid

I can see tactical reasons you might want to arrange it that way and if that were the reasoning by the Sounders I wouldn't object too much although I wouldn't agree with that strategy.

However, you are depriving your fans of either celebrating a series win at home or saluting the team for a great season if they don't persevere. And if the reason is because of the Seahawks then I'm pissed about it, that's all.

I guess the bottom line is, if it's true, that we are treated like 2nd class fans. We will organizationally give up an earned advantage to keep our stadium partners happy. If that's the deal then I think fans will probably not raise a big stink this season but in seasons to come...?

I doubt the team is worried about not selling out the stadium, but more that the league is worried about screwing over their television partner by switching up the dates on them. This isn't about the Sounders being treated like second class citizens in Qwest Field, but rather a fourth or fifth class league worried about screwing over their TV contracts and not being used to a team as well supported as the Sounders making it into the playoffs. For other MLS teams, mid-week games are poorly attended in comparison to weekend games. Seattle and TFC are the only teams that don't show a drop off.

So getting your knickers in a twist and blaming this on a decision by First and Goal, or the Seahawks is probably misplaced. I'd wager it is more of a league decision than a First and Goal decision. Even if this weren't a decision by the league, it isn't a factor of being second class citizens in comparison to the Seahawks. It's about giving the Seahawks as much respect as they've given us by not making them play on a field with soccer lines on it.

Seattle fans didn't have a problem congratulating their team after the away USOC victory, I doubt they'd have a problem congratulating their team following a first round playoff victory, or a well fought loss.

DarthGreedo · 09 Oct 2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bright

By 2020, we will have a pretty sweet light rail network up to Lynnwood, out to Redmond, and down to Des Moines. We'll have a street car network in place before then that will extend to Ballard, Fremont, U-District, Capitol Hill, and Leschi. The parking and freeway issues at Memorial Stadium won't be a concern at that point, and the monorail already goes right to the stadium from Westlake Center. So maybe it is time to start looking into Memorial Stadium again.

Keep the memorial intact and move the stadium footprint out towards 5th Avenue opening up more green space within Seattle Center. KCTS could air documentaries on the Sounders during their pledge drives, EMP would have a special section devoted to Roger Levesque, and we'd be back at our birth place under the very symbol featured in our badge.

And the Sounders will given up there place in the top clubs worldwide in attendence for a small taste of Nostalgia...

Yoshou · 09 Oct 2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthGreedo

And the Sounders will given up there place in the top clubs worldwide in attendence for a small taste of Nostalgia...

I believe he means tear down Memorial Stadium and replace it with a SSS that still contains the memorial that the stadium is named after. Not actually playing in Memorial Stadium.

DarthGreedo · 09 Oct 2009, 05:47 PM

I know, but i've heard these wishes before. Tear down memorial stadium, build a 30,000 capacity SSS, no more qwest, happy days are here again... Personally i don't want to be another MLS team setting the bar low and building a small stadium. Qwest was voted on to be a soccer stadium as well as a football stadium. It is one of the most beautiful soccer stadiums in the world and can already hold 67,000 people! Why would anyone want to give that up? My dream is for them to play in front of 67,000 people every game and become one of the biggest clubs in the world, not to play in front of 30,000 and be the biggest club in America, just for the sake of having their own stadium

However, thats not what this thread is about. Sorry to get off track.