Freddie Ljungberg and Osvaldo Alonso were huge additions to Seattle and to MLS this year. (Getty Images)

Everyone knew going into the 2009 season that the new kids on the block would make a splash. Just the kind of splash the league needed in some folks eyes. The Seattle Sounders FC came into the year not as a typical expansion club. No this group broke the mold for expansion clubs by being able to sign players from their old USL club and by going out of their way to sign quality veteran players to play even before the expansion draft last November.

Yes, these Sounders made a splash on and off the field as well. Minority owner Drew Carey hyped up his club in every way possible on TV or the radio or in newspapers. For once it looked like a club just got “it” for getting people’s attention in a city.

And it worked too as Seattle became one of the most successful expansion teams in Major League Soccer history. No they didn’t end up winning it all like the 1998 expansion Chicago Fire but they did definitely bring in a new era of how to do things both on and off the field.

Seattle started off strong in 2009 with big wins at home in front of massively packed crowds that the league had never seen on a consistent basis before. Guys like Newcomer of the Year Fredy Montero and Nate Jaqua proved to be solid up top while former USL guys like Osvaldo Alonso and Sebastian Le Toux proved they had what it takes to be big time MLS players.

Then there was the DP, the designated player from Sweden Freddie Ljungberg. The Swede proved to a load of folks around the league that he still had some gas left in the tank and that the wouldn’t be a Denilson-type of DP.

The club was tough to figure out for others as they went on to win their first US Open Cup in DC back in September, securing a spot in next year’s CONCACAF Champions League. Let’s just hope this year’s bunch will be one that they can build on for years to come.

What Went Right In 2009:
As mentioned above on and off the field there was plenty to smile about in Seattle this year. Montero was a beast to handle. Veterans like Ljungberg and Kasey Keller were great when needed. New faces like Jhon Kennedy Hurtado made big impacts and Sigi Schmid continues to be the Sigi Schmid we all know. Winning the Open Cup was also a big step for this club as well. They proved late in the year when it mattered most that they could get the job done away from home. Oh and lastly, the fans in Seattle were amazing this year…no getting around it they were just amazing.

What Went Wrong In 2009:
The play on the field wasn’t always so rosy. May was a dry spell that saw the club not win a single game (though they didn’t lose a game either). They struggled at home against clubs they should have beaten and the defense was clearly the weakest link on the field at times. Until late in the year they struggled on the road and looked like they may even fall out of playoff contention. But getting in the playoffs they struggled offensively to beat Houston.

What’s Next:
I think next is just the start of what could be a good run for this club. The foundation is there and we know the veterans that are coming back. I believe the transfer talks surrounding Montero will continue to be there but he will return in 2010. I think they need to get some depth right away on defense and find some extra quality in the midfield. Lastly getting Montero some support up top wouldn’t hurt at all. There is work to be done but to be honest it won’t be as hard as other clubs out there.

We certainly still care about and support FCD. As you can tell we have a major lack of support from local soccer fans. While we have (and are working on) programs that cater to the soccer fan, we also need promotions that reach the masses. Drew Carey has name recognition to the masses and may even be here this weekend. Although we open ourselves up for question when promoting non-fcd items, the glasses provide Seattle no advantage to the game and it will get make more locals aware of the FCD game.

The line in bold says it all. First of all the club sent this out due to people questioning why they were the club is promoting tomorrow’s game around Drew Carey and Seattle Sounders FC are coming to town instead of one of their own guys. Hell they are even offering free glasses to the first 10k and a round of Plinko at halftime.

Also I believe one of the supporter’s groups is doing a silent protest at tomorrow’s game as well. I kind of wish all supporter’s groups would follow suit because it would really show the front office how bad they are right now.

This shows the club continues to drop the ball at marketing this club and reaching out to the actual soccer fans in the area. They figure adding more boucy tents at the stage area for the little ones and giving out more stupid things at the gate draws the real fans. Well it doesn’t. I would be shocked if they get an attendance figure tomorrow over 7,000.

He was also on The Herd on ESPN Radio today. Good interview by the way too.

And on MLSnet.

Editors note: This is the first post by new WVH contributor Geoff Reid. Geoff will now be writing columns and other bits of news. Today he writes about the success of the new MLS franchise in Seattle.

Seattle Sounders FC haven’t even kicked a ball yet, at least not officially. Yet they can already be classed as a success story off the pitch. On the pitch is something completely different, which we will find out in the coming months starting next week. There is already a rivalry brewing with the defending champion Columbus Crew and we all know that it stems from former Crew manager Sigi Schmid ending his tenure in Ohio and swapping it for the Pacific northwest.

We will soon see how good the Sounders are on the pitch, however, off the pitch they have done everything right up to this point. Everyone in the league should take notice of what’s been done from a business side including future expansion teams. I live almost a stone throw away from where the new club in Philadelphia (Chester, PA to be exact), and they haven’t done a lot wrong so far but they can also learn from Seattle.

So what has the Sounders done so far that’s made them so successful up to this point?

• The strong ownership group. One of the blueprints that MLS commissioner Don Garber has set in stone since he took the job from Doug Logan in 1999. The combination of a Hollywood film producer, a co-founder of a billion dollar corporation like Microsoft, a comedian/game show host/super fan, and lastly the previous USL Sounders owner who knows the game in the local area and who’s input will be vital has the recipe for a good foundation.
• The relationship with the Seahawks. A word of advice to teams that still share stadiums with NFL clubs, this is how you do it. I know right now there aren’t many teams that do this anymore (Revolution, Red Bulls and the Dynamo share with the University of Houston) and eventually all clubs will play in their own specifically built stadiums. However, it makes me wonder why the MetroStars and now the Red Bulls didn’t create this sort of a relationship with the New York Giants to begin with? The Seahawks treat the Sounders as family and sharing offices and training facilities proves that. The fact that no NFL lines will be on the pitch at Quest Field during Sounders games says a lot. It also makes me think since the Revolution and Patriots are both owned by the same people, so why can’t they do the same thing and get rid of the NFL lines during Revs games at Gillette Stadium?
• The 20,000+ season ticket holders. This is the most amazing statistic of all. The fact that the club had to expand the capacity from 24,500 to 27,000+ is fantastic. How have the Sounders managed to do this? Several reasons really. Firstly Drew Carey’s idea that came all the way from Catalonia in creating the Seattle FC Alliance where fans can vote on a general manager once every four years. What a way to separate yourselves from the rest of the league and be unique. Carey’s other idea to have a marching band at home games is also unique in itself. Right there he created traditions that are American and international. Also the Sounders name has meaning in the area since the 1970’s just as the Whitecaps, Timbers and Earthquakes do in Vancouver, Portland and San Jose respectively.
• The marketing campaigns have been quite brilliant. Adding Chelsea into the season ticket package was fantastic, however, the one thing that stood out for me was the whole scarf idea. Often word of mouth is the best form of advertising. Lets also not forget the reality TV show where the winner had the chance to earn a roster spot. This is not uncommon for teams in all sports to do this, but it never gets old.
• Securing shirt sponsorship. This was fantastic not only because XBOX 360 is a well known brand, but the deal itself being $20m over four years. Certainly in these tough economic times securing any sponsorship would be a success, let alone one this big.

This has all happened before first kick which is astonishing. A few MLS originals should look at what’s been done in Seattle and in their respective ways start afresh with new ideas. I look at the New York Red Bulls currently and I’m hoping with their great end of season run last year maybe they can finally get some credibility with Red Bull Arena opening next year (which I fully believe will instantly help them draw better crowds).

I also look at FC Dallas who have their own stadium already. Find someway to get fans more involved with the team which will generate enthusiasm which will lead to a bigger, more loyal and passionate fan base. The Dynamo don’t have the pleasure of their own stadium and they still draw well.

Then I look at the Colorado Rapids and it is pleasing to see they were one of the 10 clubs to increase in ticket sales demand for this season. They have a beautiful stadium, I just wish the team would be just as good and in return get the average attendance up.

I am certainly not a Sounders fan. I am not a fan of any particular team in MLS, just a fan of the game in general and therefore support the league 100 percent. What the Sounders have done is understand their local demographics. Toronto did the same when they entered the league. Now other teams have done the same in their respective areas. Real Salt Lake has done tremendous off the pitch for a club that only made the playoffs for the first time last season. DC United, Chicago, Houston and San Jose have built up solid fan bases by creating winning traditions respectively and now we should see Columbus do the same.

Now it’s up to the Sounders to do the business on the pitch.