Satya Nadella made $25.8 million at Microsoft in 2018 and chief financial officer Amy Hood another new Sounders owner made $14.9 million, according to an SEC filing. All right, level with me Is this change good? A stake of 3% to 5% in the Seattle Sounders was sold in an unannounced deal a couple of months ago, valuing the MLS team at $680 million, Forbes has learned from a person with knowledge of the . Avg. [24] Sigi Schmid was introduced as the club's first head coach on December 16, 2008, after leaving the Columbus Crew following their MLS Cup victory.[25]. Hanauer even made mentioned of the third rail in American soccer synthetic turf and expressed some muted optimism that some changes to the playing surface could come down the line. [283][284] The team became known as the Tacoma Defiance ahead of the 2019 season. By late August, Martins had recovered and led the team to an eight-match unbeaten streak to secure a playoff spot, finishing fourth in the Western Conference. Led by Majority Owner. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. The Sounders have not confirmed how Roths shares were divvied up, but Hanauer did say he and Carey both increased their percentages. But if you were hoping for some ultra deep-pocketed billionaire to seize control of the team and start using it as their personal vanity project, youre probably a bit bummed. Sunday, Feb 26, 2023, 10:19 PM. Starting with the NASL and then the USL 1st Division, we now have the chance to create a separate and distinct identity with the new MLS team. [203] However, owing to continued high demand, capacity has been increased multiple times,[210][213] to 38,500 for the 2012 season[214] and to 39,115 for the 2015 season and 37,722 in 2019. There are a whole lot of positives. After joking that he has to give Brian Schmetzers phone number to 11 more families, Hanauer insisted he has retained the final say on all ownership decisions. [144], Seattle opened the 2020 season with the CONCACAF Champions League, where they lost in the round of 16 to C.D. [131] The Sounders finished second in the Western Conference with 18 wins, 11 losses, and 5 draws. Its players have included former US international Clint Dempsey, top goal scorer Fredy Montero, as well as long-time captain Osvaldo Alonso, and current captain Nicols Lodeiro. As Marc Stein reported, the Maloofs have agreed to sell 65 percent of the Kings to a Seattle group led by Chris Hansen. [26] During the pre-match ceremonies, the first Golden Scarf was awarded to MLS Commissioner Don Garber. With 14 wins in the final 16 matches of the season, the Sounders completed the best half season in league history. The club set a new MLS record for average attendance with 30,943 fans per match. In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 201011 CONCACAF Champions League. Please enter a valid email and try again. [186], The team's ownership revealed the first Sounders jersey on May 28, 2008, and announced Microsoft as the team's sponsor in a five-year deal worth approximately $20million. Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, United States. See which MLS players are injured today and get the latest MLS Soccer injury news with our injury report for every team in the league. [65] The top scorer in league play was 28-year-old striker Eddie Johnson, who scored 14 goals in his first season with the club; he earned Comeback Player of the Year honors for his performance, which came after an unsuccessful stint with multiple European clubs. Operationally, Hanauer continues to own his share through Hanauer Futbl LLC established in 2007 which includes Hanauer, Paul Berry and Lenore Hanauer, the family matriarch. That group has expanded its percentage of the interest in the team from 35% to a number which has yet to be disclosed. [217] The record was surpassed during the following year's home match against the Portland Timbers in August with 67,385 in attendance. Wilson will make an. [41] In the U.S. Open Cup, Seattle won matches at Portland and at home against the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA before reaching the final, which they hosted at Qwest Field against the Columbus Crew. More likely, hes teasing a training grounds announcement. They were the first professional soccer team in North America to make a commitment to carbon neutraltiy. Wasnt Roth the guy with all the big ideas? [54] In the 201112 CONCACAF Champions League, Seattle became only the second MLS team in history to win a competitive match in Mexico, defeating CF Monterrey 10 on August 23, 2011. [42] The final was played in front of a U.S. Open Cup record crowd of 31,311,[43] and the victory ensured Seattle's return to the Champions League in 2011. There were other interested groups, Hanauer said. [122] The season began with only five wins in the first 17 matches, but was followed by a 13-match unbeaten streak and additional wins to clinch a second-place spot in the Western Conference. [84] The higher attendances were helped by the opening of additional sections in the Hawks' Nest,[85] as well as the opening of the upper deck of CenturyLink Field for select regular matches. Griffey's 22-year Major League Baseball career included 13 seasons in Seattle. The billionaire's entry as a minority partner, put employees from marketing, management and ticket sales departments accustomed to the NFL, for a soccer team that had just joined MLS. Seattle. In fact, Hanauer said that while there were other groups of non-locals interested in buying Roths stake and possibly even more than that he felt they all shared his vision of what has made the club great. "Ciara and I are fired . Wilson and Ciara are among 11 local families who joined the . Were putting an executive committee together that includes some of these owners and a broader group to explore how wecan leverage their knowledge and make them part of decision-making going forward, Hanauer said. [7] In November 1994, the start of the first MLS season was postponed until 1996, and it was noted that the absence of an "adequate grass-field facility" in the area and the presence of the new APSL Seattle Sounders team had thwarted Seattle's MLS bid. [228] Plans for a new training facility, named the Sounders FC Center at Longacres, were announced in February 2022. With the win, the Sounders became the first MLS team to eliminate a Mexican team in the knockout stage of CONCACAF Champions League. The team set a new MLS record for average attendance in each of its first five seasons. News of Roths decision to step back meant that other interested groups from outside the area were looking to pursue the Sounders, which could have led to an uncertain future. [154] The Sounders faced the Columbus Crew in the 2020 MLS Cup final and lost 30 in front of 1,500 spectators at Mapfre Stadium on December 12the latest calendar date to host a league match. Along with several organized groups, a 53-member marching band called "Sound Wave" supports the club at each home match. I am the majority owner and retain control, Hanauer said. [178] Upon announcing the name of the club, Hanauer acknowledged the significance of keeping with tradition: "The team playing at the highest level in our region has always been called Sounders. "Seattle Sounders" redirects here. But beyond that investment, Hanauer teased some exciting announcements to come in the summer. Griffey joins an ownership group that last year added Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, and hip-hop star Macklemore among a group of local investors. [145] The Sounders played two regular season matches at home before MLS suspended all activities on March 12, 2020, due to the worsening COVID-19 pandemic, which had been affecting the Seattle area for several weeks. [134][135], The 2019 season began with the loss of team captain and inaugural season player Osvaldo Alonso, who was released into free agency and signed with Minnesota United FC before the season began. [93] During a 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match against the Portland Timbers on June 16, however, Obafemi Martins left the game with a groin injury and Clint Dempsey was suspended after tearing a referee's pocketbook, though he would be called away for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. [77] In August 2013, the Sounders completed the signing of U.S. national team captain Clint Dempsey from Tottenham Hotspur for $9million, the largest transfer deal in the league's history, and a record salary of $32million over four years. The final home match of the 2011 season, coinciding with the retirement of goalkeeper Kasey Keller, drew 64,140 spectators and was the first Sounders regular season match to open the stadium to full capacity. They then extended that win streak to nine games as they beat Vancouver 21 on September 15, before eventually losing to the Philadelphia Union on September 19. What does this mean for spending going forward? The Sounders are ranked as one of the most valuable franchises in North America. With the current valuation, Carey's. But even when Roth was the majority owner, he never wrote checks for more than his 35 percent ownership share and Hanauer has always been the guy making the big day-to-day business decisions. SEATTLE As the Seattle Sounders ownership group has grown to more than a dozen families over the past year, the franchise has continued to add more meaningful names to the list of those. [168] Further injuries and players missing due to national team call-ups and suspensions caused the team to lose most of their matches over the following two months. To some degree, we simply have to take Hanauer at his word. A source said that an estimated team valuation of about $350 million was in the ballpark. Its unclear if Hanauer is the outright majority owner (i.e., 50%+1) at this point, and given these changes, he indicated there will be some organizational initiatives to provide for input from the new ownership group. [172] The team began their 2023 preseason in Seattle before a training camp in Marbella, Spain, to prepare for the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco. There is no new pot of money, Hanauer said. [209], Lumen Field is a 69,000-seat stadium designed for both teams. Independent minority owners include the estate of Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, owned by Jody Allen; and Drew Carey, comedian and game show host. This question was raised during the press conference, explicitly referencing the ownership group that Howard Schultz put together when he bought the SuperSonics. The Sounders are a phoenix club, carrying the same name as the original Sounders franchise that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1983. [180], The Sounders have usually played in a rave green primary jersey with varying colors and designs for their secondary and third kits. This replaced a previous syndication deal with Root Sports Northwest. [256][257] Myerson arranged for the investment through his connections and negotiations that took 15 months to complete. Gambling problem? [36] The first match of the season was played at Qwest Field, with Seattle hosting a new MLS expansion team, the Philadelphia Union. [229], The Sounders FC Alliance was established at the request of minority owner Drew Carey. US Soccers Professional League Standards require that one person or entity own at least 35% of a team. [260], Brian Schmetzer is the Sounders' current head coach. The total share of ownership stake of the 12 new owners totals $58.6 million, according to a recent SEC filing, but it's unclear how much of the percentage of the total ownership stake that. [44], The Sounders began the 2011 season by hosting the opening match of the MLS season for the third straight year, losing 10 to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Nov. 17 (UPI) --Seattle Mariners legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. has joined the Seattle Sounders' ownership group, the Major League Soccer club announced Tuesday. [267][268] Former Sounders defender Taylor Graham was hired as the club's Vice President of Business Operations in 2012,[269] replacing longtime Seattle Seahawks executive Gary Wright. Schmetzer was named as permanent head coach as a result. [32] Seattle finished the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 draws. Hanauer insisted that each of them were already fans of the team and were enthusiastic about playing a role in taking it to new heights. Given the rather unprecedented nature of all this, you probably have a lot of questions. The trophies along the way, the fact that this team has has the best record, the most consistent winning record of any team over the ten years, and ultimately winning that MLS Cup in 2016 was something that Ill never forget, Hanauer said. Jimmy and Dee Haslam have agreed to buy a 25 percent stake in the Milwaukee Bucks from co-owner Marc Lasry at a $3.5 billion valuation of the team, multiple. Ciara's husband Russell Wilson, the 2014 Super Bowl winning. The Sounders were the first MLS team to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup. We are confident that any scheduling issues can be mitigated over the course of time.. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Lets just say the money is the same. [159] Seattle maintained their first-place position in the Western Conference despite several losses in the summer, but fell into a winless streak over the final six matches of the season to finish second in the West. [61] In Champions League group play, the team advanced to the knockout round with four straight wins, each including a goal from Sammy Ochoa. [202], Seattle Sounders FC plays home matches at Lumen Field in Seattle, also home to the Seattle Seahawks. The ownership group is made up of 30 investors who bought out Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan's 20% stake in 2020. [254], Joe Roth was the majority owner from 2007 to 2015, when he ceded the role to Hanauer, who was replaced as general manager earlier that year. Pro Soccer To Become Reality in March Of '96", "Want A Stadium For Football? Do you want to stay up to date of all the news about Basketball - Milwaukee Bucks? [8] In the end, Seattle was not among the cities chosen to establish a team during the first season of MLS. The team won 10 of its last 15 matches, and clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive year with a 21 win on October 10, 2010, at Kansas City. In the ensuing penalty shootout, Portland won 42; the home leg is considered to be one of the best playoff matches in league history due to its dramatic finish. Something went wrong. [49] Despite setbacks and a slow start to the season (the club won just 3 of its first 10 matches), the Sounders went on to finish the season with the second-best record in the league at 18 wins, 9 draws, 7 losses, and qualified for the playoffs for a third consecutive year. [118] On December 10, 2016, the Sounders defeated Toronto FC 54 in a penalty shootout, to win MLS Cup 2016, their first MLS championship in franchise history, going the whole match without a shot on goal. The initial list of possibilities Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance deliberately did not include Seattle Sounders in order to provide a fresh start. [216] The following season had three full-capacity matches, including a fixture against the Portland Timbers in October with 66,452 spectators, the second-largest stand-alone attendance in MLS history. But how exactly did so many people come. [242] The Cascadia Cup was contested without Seattle for two seasons after the Sounders entered MLS in 2009, but Portland and Vancouver were awarded expansion teams that began play in 2011. T-4. The total ownership stake of the club's 12 owners came out to $58.6 million, according to an SEC filing, though it's unclear what percentage each of the owners holds. A twice weekly roundup of Seattle Sounders and OL Reign news from Sounder at Heart, By submitting your email, you agree to our, A Seattle Sounders and Seattle Reign Blog, Everything you needed to know about changes to Sounders ownership. [119] The team's performance was called a "cinderella season" and hailed as one of the most dramatic MLS seasons to date. [132] Minority owner Paul Allen died from complications related to non-Hodgkin lymphoma on October 15, 2018, leaving his stake in the Sounders to an estate executed by his sister Jody Allen. 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