Reports out of Seattle are that billionaire Paul Allen has signed on to be apart of the expansion effort to get a club in the MLS now. Allen joins USL-1 champions Seattle Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer and movie-studio executive Joe Roth as a group that is looking to bring a club to Seattle in as early as 2009.
Allen’s First and Goal and Vulcan Sports and Entertainment groups confirmed today that the Seattle club would not be playing in a soccer-specific stadium when the club enters into the MLS but would play in Qwest Field, the current home of the Sounders.
Most feel this could be a big mistake by any city looking to get into the MLS and it could hurt their chances of getting an expansion bid from the league. However, this club would be able to make money as they would be kind of like the New England Revolution in that they won’t be paying rent to the stadium that they are in since their owners have control of the stadium.
Though Qwest is much larger than most MLS stadiums with a capacity of 72,000, the stadium’s lower bowl has about 30,000 seats in a much more intimate atmosphere that would make it suitable for the typical MLS crowd. And from what I understand it is actually a decent soccer venue.
I still hope that down the line this club, if it does become a MLS club, gets their own stadium. I hate the football lines on the field as much as anyone else does, not to mention the wacky scheduling that goes along with sharing a stadium with a NFL team. Still, getting a club in Seattle looks to be on the go here and is still looking good in getting a bid from the league.
Your thoughts on this update? Good or bad for Seattle and the MLS?
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