The current group of owners seeking a Seattle MLS franchise are lead by Adrian Hanauer, a local business owner who is part of the Hanauer clan which owns/ runs the Pacific Coast Feather Co.: http://www.pacificcoast.com/ The Hanauers have owned this Co. for many decades and have built their fortune off of it. Adrian Hanauer currently acts as a partner (owner) and GM of the Seattle Sounders of the A-League. He has run the Sounders since 2001. During his tenure the team has increased its sponsorship base 500%, its attendance 85% and the club have managed to move to Qwest Field after playing years in decrepit Memorial Stadium. The Sounders have also created a radio broadcast deal for all 28 matches, home AND away. More on Hanauer: http://www.soccer365.com/_365_Interviews/page_123_73940.shtml http://www.kcts.org/productions/seriousmoney/archive/episode_242.htm (INCLUDES LINK TO A VIDEO of HANUAER talking about the SOUNDERS) http://www.artificialturf.org/display.cfm?newsID=239 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001968568_mlsseattle30.html http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001978919_mls14.html http://www.mi-reporter.com/sited/story/html/107214
It would seem the best way to insure Seattle MLS success would be to enlist Paul Allen, owner of the Seahawks and Qwest Field, as an owner of the soccer team. Hanauer has stated many times that Paul Allen is not interested. Still, the delays on bidding for a 2005 team at times sounded like delays based on bringing in a huge-money contributor who had lots of complicated legal issues to overcome. Since Paul Allen has not publicly denied an interest in Seattle pro soccer at Qwest Field, the rumors about his possible involvement will likely continue. Some History: http://seattlepitch.tripod.com/news/stadium5.html http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/79196_socc19.shtml https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116939 http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/sports/sside31.shtml https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=260 http://boston.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2002/07/22/focus4.html
Hanauer's vision is a departure from the 2001 dreams of the Sounders and MLS: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2000/09/04/story2.html This dream ended, and Farnsworth surrendered his position on the club to Hanauer in late 2001.
More on the Hanauers How Amazon.com survived, thrived and turned a profit PILLOW FIGHT: How a domestic rival knocked the stuffing out of Pillowtex. (The author is writing a book about the Hanauers.) Economy fouls Pacific Coast Feather's competition
Re: More on the Hanauers Shoot, I thought this was going to be about the pillow fight promotion in Rochester
Outrage of the week Everyone's favorite MLS non-investor, Paul Allen, is claiming credit for the survival of the Sounders. Now Allen has sent a memo to state legislative leaders suggesting that if they force him to obey state law and publicly report the team's profit and loss statement, the existence of the Seahawks in Seattle is at risk. Allen, the memo states, would never have bought the team had he known the stadium legislation specifically required him to report the team's finances. And if he hadn't bought the team? "The state would have lost the Seahawks to California, King County would have been burdened with Kingdome debt with no revenue sources to repay it, and the many tenants of the facility - the Seattle Sounders, the Home Show, the Boat Show, NCAA football teams, Major League Lacrosse, and high school sports - would have had no facility in which to play."
Re: Outrage of the week Seems Allen is more interested in his human bottle-rocket (SpaceShipOne) project than anything sportswise. Wonder how big a cut of the 10 million X Prize he'll pocket? The Sounders have as much chance tapping into that money as the do the state tax collectors. Nada. Hanauer better keep saving Subway stamps.
Thought this should be brought up in light of the latest scuttlebutt. Cup has not run over for Sounders; Seattle P-I; Tuesday, July 9, 2002 The 14-2 Sounders, bobbing along on the passion of a few, just below the radar of too many, have leaned heavily on the kindness of a few well-heeled soccer enthusiasts. Besides Oki (who has moved on to new enterprises) and Farnsworth, others paying to keep the Sounders afloat are Paul Barry, who owns Europe Express; Robin Waite of Inovest Properties; former Microsoft executive Josef Vascovitz; and Rick Cantu, whose Redapt is a business technology company. Paul Barry is also an investor in Cambridge United. U's Net » Features » On The Spot Archives » EXTRA with Paul Barry; July 18, 2000 Barry backing Hon takeover; Cambridge Evening News; February 3, 2005
Great links as always, Geoduck. Paul Barry. Hmmm. Could be a "Paul" helping Seattle to MLS after all...
Has Seattle "solved" the ownership issue yet? This 2003 article points out that 2 out of 3...aint good enough... http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/123900_mlsmoment28.html
The stadium issue is probably going to be more of an issue going forward than the ownership. Have a feeling the Hanauers can sort the ownership group (and may have already), but the stadium issues with MLS are another matter altogether.
MLS expansion fee is doubling http://www.mlsdiscussions.com/showthread.php?t=684 Do you think the Hanauers & co. would be willing to pay $20 million to get into MLS?
Re: MLS expansion fee is doubling No. This is why relocation looks so good right now. And target #1 are the KC Wizards. You know, I'm not sure I'd even *want* Hanauer to blow 20 million on a franchise fee...unless it could be 500,000 over 40 years...
https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2020...d-tara-leiweke-join-sounders-ownership-group/ Tod, Tara Leiweke join Sounders ownership group Oct 5, 2020
Meh. Another minority owner and Tod is going to be hyperfocused on the Kraken.. It's a shame, really. The Sounders could do with a shake-up on the business side of the operation. They've largely stagnated since the business side broke from the Seahawks and the drop in capacity next season is reflective of that...
https://sports.yahoo.com/ken-griffey-jr-joins-ownership-group-seattle-sounders-204733020--mls.html Ken Griffey Jr. joins ownership group for Seattle Sounders