Sounders FC Are Seattle's Underrated Gem
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Seattle doesn’t have much to brag about. It rains nine months out of the year. The Mariners are one of the worst teams in the majors. The Seahawks are anything if not inconsistent. And while the city's WNBA team, the Storm, did win their second national title, it was to little fanfare.
What Seattle does seem to care about, however, is their U.S. Open Cup champs: the Seattle Sounders FC.
That’s soccer, for you Americans out there.
The team, which is in fourth place in the Western division, is in just its second year as an MLS expansion team but sells out every game at Qwest field. Did I mention they also sold the most tickets in the league last year? They were the first ever expansion team to win the U.S. Open Cup tournament in its first year. And last week they made it a two-peat.
While their popularity is steadily rising, the Sounders have barely put Seattle on the national sports radar.
Seattle fans go ga-ga over their green and blue gods but just about no one outside of the Pacific Northwest cares.
Will they ever? Not likely. At least not until soccer rises on the radar among more American fans.
But that’s okay, Seattle has always been an underrated gem and is happy to keep it’s cloud-covered glory hidden, especially if that glory includes a winning soccer team.
To reach staff writer Ruth Frantz, click here.
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