Vancouver, Portland so close to MLS their fans can taste it (Seattle Soccer Examiner) You might think Sounders FC would want the whole region to themselves like the Mariners have for pro baseball and the Seahawks have with the NFL. Soccer, though, is a tribal game that thrives on rivalries ("derbies") and the ability of fans to travel to away matches in support of their clubs. Village against village.The entry of either Vancouver or Portland or both would be a boon for Sounders FC fans, too. Close rivals and a return of the historical derbies that began in the 1970's when all three clubs played in the old North American Soccer League.