History of professional soccer in Seattle

Upon the incarnation of Major League Soccer, the Seattle metro area was shortlisted for a potentially candidate to host an inaugural MLS club.[6] However, when it came time have a petition to sign with the league, the Seattle organizers only managed to secure 1,300 assurances.[7] The low numbers were at first claimed to be the result between a ticket campaign between bringing an MLS expansion club to Seattle, and tickets for the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) Sounders.[8]

Failing to reach the minimum 10,000-signatures, Seattle was consequently excluded among the first seven cities to be awarded an MLS club.[9] However, in spite of this, the league announced that five more teams were to be announced later that year, with the chance to improve their chances. Subsequently, Seattle MLS organizers began working with the University of Washington to secure use of Husky Stadium as a tentative stadium while they pursued the construction of a permanent soccer-specific stadium.[10]

In November 1994, the inaugural MLS season was postponed to 1996. It was then noted that the absence of an "adequate grass-field facility" in the region, as well as the presence of the new APSL Seattle Sounders team had thwarted Seattle's MLS franchise bid.[11] In the end, Seattle was not among the cities chosen to establish a team during the first season of the MLS.[12]

Upon completion in 2002, Qwest Field was also designed for soccer, providing separate amenities for soccer teams.[13][14]

During the debutant MLS season; Paul Allen, the owner of the NFL franchise, worked with the city to build a new football stadium for his team (today CenturyLink Field). With the possibility of an MLS expansion team that could be a co-tenant the facility helped drive public support for the stadium effort.[15] Many state voters supported the referendum to construct the Seahawks Stadium, because it was expected to double as a professional soccer venue.[16] While the stadium problem was being resolved, a new issue arrose. By 2000, MLS was veered away from league-operated clubs, towards investor-operated franchises. As result, wealthy individuals would need to step forward for Seattle to obtain an MLS franchise.[16]

In the early 2000s, MLS announced their intention to have their first expansion since 1998. In 2002, Seattle was once-again listed as a possible market for an MLS expansion team.[17] But in 2004, the two franchises were award to Salt Lake City, and a second franchise to the Los Angeles area, these teams later becoming known as Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA, respectively. MLS commissioner Don Garber indicated that Seattle had been "very close" to receiving the expansion team, and ended up being third on the list. Adrian Hanauer, then-owner of the United Soccer League's (USL) Sounders (formerly the APSL Sounders), was in discussions with MLS about an estimated payment of $1 million to purchase an MLS franchise, that could be placed in the Seattle area in time for the 2006 season.[18]

When Seattle was passed over again during the 2006 season (the franchise was awarded to Houston), Hanauer announced that he would not be able to secure an expansion team without the help of more investors willing to help cover the increasing MLS franchise fees which had grown beyond $10 million by the mid-2000s.[19]

Prior to the beginning of the 2002 campaign, the Sounders were coming off a dismal performance the previous season. With the firing of Englishmen Bernie James the Sounders were in need of hiring a new head coach. Hanauer called on Brian Schmetzer, who last coached the indoor club, the Seattle SeaDogs, and asked him if he was interested in the job. Schmetzer agreed and took the job that season. Schmetzer's highlights of his six-year tenure include Pacific Division titles in his inaugural season and the following season. In 2004, during his third year of coaching, he led the Sounders to the A-League championship game where the team ultimately lost to the Montreal Impact. The next year, in the Sounders debut in the USL First Division, Schmetzer led the club again to the finals, where they successfully defeated the Richmond Kickers in penalties.

Schmetzer was a finalist for the 2007 coach of the year award. Although the team had started the season 1–3–4, they went on to claim the Commissioner's Cup for the league's best regular season record. The team also had a 15-game unbeaten run that included MLS opponents in the U.S. Open Cup. The Sounders went on to beat the Atlanta Silverbacks 4–0 to win the postseason championship.[20]

The Sounders' 2002 season was easily the strongest season for the USL team and arguably the strongest year of all Sounders franchises. In Brian Schmetzer's inaugural campaign as Sounders manager, Schmetzer led the club to 23 victories in 28 matches.[21] In 2002, the Sounders only lost one regular season match and had four draws.[21] The record results in 107 points for the season, and easily obtaining the Commissioner's Cup by 22 points.[21]

By earning the Commissioner's Cup, and winning the Pacific Division regular season title, the Sounders earned a direct bye to the Western Conference semifinals (or the quarterfinals) against their Cascadian rivals, the Vancouver Whitecaps.[21] The first leg in Seattle was a solid start for the Sounders, as they cruised to a 2–0 win.[21] The second leg, however, was a disaster. The match ended in a blowout 6–2 defeat. The defeat resulted in a 6–4 aggregate loss putting a shocking, abrupt end to the Sounders phenomenal season.[21]

Emerald City Supporters display at the 2008 home opener.

Starting with the 2005 USL Division One season, the Sounders made it a top priority to win the USL postseason championship, especially following their shortcomings in 2004, with a defeat against Montreal Impact. During their 2005 campaign, Sounders goalie Preston Burpo, was second in the league in goals against average, averaging .85 goals a match.[22] That season, defender Taylor Graham won the league's "Defender of the Year" award[22] as well and was named to the "USL First Division Best XI" that year, too.[22] In 2005, the Sounders finished in fourth place,[22] and went on to win the championship against the Richmond Kickers in penalty kicks.[22]

The following year, 2006, proved to be a rough year for the defending champions, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs, and finished in seventh place in the league table. In the midst of their dismal season, striker Cam Weaver netted 18 goals for the club, as well as an additional three assists scoring 39 individual points in the USL First Division. He finished the season with the second highest number of points behind Miami FC's Romario. Weaver was also named the USL First Division's "Rookie of the Year". Weaver received some minor international recognition, and subsequently signed with second division-Norwegian club FK Haugesund. In 2014 he returned to Seattle and played one year for the MLS-side Seattle Sounders.[23]

Although 2007 was highlighted by the announcement of Seattle being award an MLS expansion franchise, the Sounders had a successful USL season, which proved to be their best in club history. First, the Sounders won the Commissioner's Cup, which is an award given the league champion with the best season record, of 16–6–6. They went on to win the postseason USL Cup, by thrashing Atlanta 4–0. In the 2007 U.S. Open Cup, the Sounders made a semifinal run, before losing to FC Dallas 2–1 in extra time. In the Open Cup quarterfinals, the Sounders thrashed MLS-side Colorado Rapids, 5–0, thus making it the largest margin of victory a USL club has ever had over an MLS club in any competition. Beforehand in the early rounds, the Sounders played Chivas USA, Portland Timbers and Banat Arsenal.[24]

With the announcement of the MLS franchise, the USL team would play their last season in 2008.[25] Midfielders Roger Levesque and Zach Scott would transition from the USL to the MLS Sounders after a two-month trial period.[26] Schmetzer was a candidate for the head coach position for the MLS Sounders, but the job eventually went to Sigi Schmid, who had previously coached the Los Angeles Galaxy and Columbus Crew. Schmetzer took the role as the top assistant.[27]

Following the shortcomings in 2006, the next year, Hanauer teamed up with Hollywood producer Joe Roth to make another bid for MLS expansion into Seattle. This time, at a fee of $30 million.[28] Paul Allen, whose First and Goal company operated Qwest Field (formerly Seahawks Stadium), joined the duo later that year, making the fourth bid the most promising yet for the region.[29] During the first week of November 2007, rumors began circulating that MLS would be announcing an expansion franchise into the Seattle market the following week and that the ownership trio had brought on a fourth member: TV personality Drew Carey.[30]

During a press conference on November 13, 2007; it was announced that Seattle had been awarded an expansion club by MLS. The announcement provided a return of top-level soccer to Seattle for the first time since the dissolution of its North American Soccer League (NASL) club in 1983.[31][32]

On April 7, 2008; along with the club's colors, badge design and logo, the Seattle MLS franchise announced their club's name. To decide the name, the organization held an online poll to decide the name. Overwhelmingly, supporters voted to retain the "Sounders" name, alluding to the past Sounders teams.

"Seattle Sounders FC" was announced as the team name on April 7, 2008, along with the team logo, colors, and badge design, in a presentation held at the Space Needle.[33] The "FC" in the team moniker stands for Football Club, but the team name is officially Seattle Sounders FC. The badge design resembles a heraldic shield and consists of two layers which represent "the partnership between the ownership, the community, the players and the fans."[34] The logo incorporates the Space Needle, an internationally recognized Seattle landmark. The official team colors are Sounder Blue, signifying the waters of the Puget Sound; Rave Green, representing the forests of the Pacific Northwest; and Cascade Shale, representing the Cascade Range to the east of Seattle.[34]

Fans chose a name for the team in an online poll held between March 27 and 31, 2008. 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." Despite the names having been selected through fan research and internal committees, the omission of the traditional Sounders name rankled many in the Seattle community.[35][36] In response to the backlash, the team added a fourth "write-in" option for the team name, allowing for any name to be suggested on the ballot.[37] Of the over 14,500 votes received for the new team name, 49% of the votes included some form of the name Sounders.[38] Upon announcing the name, Hanauer acknowledged the significance of keeping with tradition: "The team playing at the highest level in our region has always been called Sounders. 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."[39]

Team ownership revealed the first Sounders FC jersey on May 28, 2008, and announced Microsoft as the team's sponsor in a five-year deal worth approximately $20 million.[40] As part of the agreement, the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live brands appear on the front of Sounders FC's jerseys and throughout the stadium.[41]

New York Red Bulls kick-off to start the 2009 MLS season against Seattle

The Sounders began their inaugural MLS campaign during the 2009 MLS season. Prior to the opening match, the Sounders sold all 22,000 of their season ticket packages.[42] The 22,000 ticket holders, gave the Sounders a record for the most season ticket holders ever in MLS history.[43] They played their first home match on March 19, 2009, to a sold-out crowd of 32,523, defeating the 2008 MLS Cup runners-up, New York Red Bulls, by a 3–0 margin.[44] Seattle was the first MLS expansion team to win their first three games, and they did so with a shutout in each.[45] Fredy Montero scored the first regular season goal in team history, finishing a movement from Sebastien Le Toux and Osvaldo Alonso in the 12th minute. Montero assisted Brad Evans' goal, and also scored the team's third goal. Kasey Keller, a veteran American goalkeeper who had played his entire career abroad, made his MLS debut at 39 years of age, and made two saves to register the team's first regular season shutout.[46]

March 2009 saw Montero winning Player of the Week honors for week 1 and Keller for week 2.[47][48] Montero won Goal of the Week for the first two games and was named the Player of the Month.[49]

After their first two victories at home, Sounders FC played their MLS away fixture against Toronto FC. The Sounders expected a challenging away environment, but were victorious in a 2–0 shutout. Soon after, reports out of Seattle linked Montero to a sexual assault case with an unidentified woman. In a statement made by Sounders publicist, Montero asserted that the allegations stemmed from a disagreement in which he sought to end the relationship.[50] and a police inquiry resulted in no charges being filed. Seattle Sounders FC suffered their first competitive loss at home against the Kansas City Wizards. Kasey Keller was sent off in the 29th minute for a handball outside the 18-yard box, as the Sounders fell 1–0 to the Wizards. The following week they lost at Chivas USA. Chris Eylander was scored on twice while covering the goal during Keller's suspension. The Sounders again failed to score.

The Sounders returned to their winning ways in a 2–0 home win versus the San Jose Earthquakes.

It was announced in early July that the Sounders had signed left-footed Costa Rican defender Leonardo González to help at the left back position. The position had been a weak spot in Seattle's defense and filled by three separate players throughout the season.[51]

On July 11, the Sounders hosted the Houston Dynamo at Qwest Field. Brian Schmetzer filled in for Schmid who was at his son's wedding. Ianni scored his first goal of the season on bicycle kick that would earn him the MLS goal of the Week.[52] On the following Tuesday, the Sounders defeated the Dynamo at Strfire in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Houston led when Jaqua scored in the 89th minute. King scored a goal five minutes into extra time, thus sending the Sounders FC to the Open Cup finals against D.C. United.[53]

On July 18, 2009 the Seattle Sounders lost 0–2 in a friendly with Chelsea. All sections of the stadium were open and sold out with a crowd of 65,289 in attendance. The game was the first with the team for Chelsea's new manager, Carlo Ancelotti, and their new forward Daniel Sturridge.[54]

The club set a state record for attendance at a soccer match on August 5, 2009, when 66,848 attended a friendly match with FC Barcelona.[55]

On September 2, 2009, Sounders FC became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago was first) to win the U.S. Open Cup tournament in their first season.[56] They did so by defeating D.C. United 2–1 on the road at RFK Stadium.[57] In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.[56]

On October 17, 2009, Sounders FC became the second MLS expansion team in league history (again, Chicago had been first) to qualify for the playoffs in their first season. They clinched a playoff berth with a come-from-behind victory over the Kansas City Wizards 3–2 at Kansas City.[58] Seattle finished the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 ties. The club set a new MLS record for average attendance at 30,943 fans per game.[59] Their inaugural season came to an end in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs when they lost in the conference semifinals to the Houston Dynamo with a 1–0 aggregate score in a two-legged series.[60] During the 2009 season, all 15 Sounders FC MLS regular season home matches, their home playoff match, and their 4 home U.S. Open Cup matches (played at Starfire Sports Complex) were sold out.[61]

Sounders FC captain, Kasey Keller and midfielder Osvaldo Alonso hoist the 2009 U.S. Open Cup trophy

During the Sounders FC first season in MLS, the club won their first ever U.S. Open Cup title, including any past Sounders franchise. The team was also the first club in modern Open Cup history to win the tournament after playing through a string of qualification propers to enter at the third round proper.

Prior to their first qualification match against Real Salt Lake, Schmid asserted that the Open Cup was extremely critical to the club and that they were playing to win. One of the reasons the club cited, was the opportunity to qualify into the CONCACAF Champions League upon winning the Open Cup title.[62] Sounders FC played U.S. Open Cup home games at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington. The facility is older and smaller than the club's home stadium for league matches, Qwest Field, but Sounders FC representatives preferred the atmosphere at Starfire for smaller cup matches.[63]

In the first qualification proper, on April 28, 2009; the Sounders defeated Salt Lake 4–1. Sebastian Le Toux scored two goals, and Roger Levesque had three assists in front of a sold-out crowd at Starfire.[64] Sounders FC hosted their second qualification match on May 26, 2009, also at Starfire, this time against the Colorado Rapids. Reserve player Kevin Forrest scored the only goal in the match as Seattle defeated the Rapids 1–0, securing their entry into the third round proper of the official cup competition as one of the eight teams representing MLS.[65]

One of the most unforgettable matches for the Sounders, was the third round proper fixture against their longstanding rivals, the Portland Timbers. Considered their most bitter rival over the past 30 years, it was the first time in four years that any Sounders or Timbers club competed against one another in the Open Cup. Traveling south to Portland, the Sounders claimed it would be one of the toughest matches of the entire tournament. In front of a sold-out crowd on July 1, 2009; the Sounders were able to defeat the Timbers 2–1, thanks to goals from Levesque and Nate Jaqua.[66] The following week, in a quarterfinal match at Starfire, Sounders FC defeated visiting Kansas City 1–0 on a penalty kick in the 89th minute scored by Sebastien Le Toux.[67] Three weeks later, on July 21, Sounders FC won their semifinal match 2–1 over the Houston Dynamo at Starfire. Seattle took the lead for good when Stephen King scored a goal five minutes into extra time, sending Sounders FC to the cup final.[68]

On September 2, 2009, Sounders FC became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago was first) to win the U.S. Open Cup tournament in their first season.[56] They did so by defeating D.C. United 2–1 on the road at RFK Stadium.[57] In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, they qualified for the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League.[56]

The Emerald City Supporters display their tifo before the first game of the 2010 MLS season at Qwest Field between Seattle Sounders FC and the Philadelphia Union.

For the second consecutive year, the Sounders were chosen to host the opening match of the MLS season, which was held on Thursday, March 25 and nationally televised on ESPN2.[69][70] Joe Roth, Sounders FC Majority Owner stated, "Being selected to participate in the first match of the season is a testament to the passion and energy of our fans."[70] Their opponent was the expansion franchise Philadelphia Union, the league's 16th team as they played in their inaugural match.[69] Seattle won the match 2–0 with goals scored by Brad Evans in the 12th minute and Freddy Montero in the 43rd minute. The attendance of 36,241 set a team record for an MLS regular-season or postseason game.[71]

2010 started off rough for the Sounders, first with a home loss to New York Red Bulls on April 2,[72] and subsequently relinquishing a two-goal lead against defending MLS Cup champions, Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto.[73] In spite of knocking off Kansas City's unbeaten streak, the same situation would happen against Dallas, where the Sounders would play to another two-goal draw.

The following week, on April 17, Seattle returned home to face the undefeated Kansas City Wizards. The game appeared to be ending a scoreless tie until late substitute Michael Fucito scored his first career goal in 92nd minute of the match off a throw in from Brad Evans. Sounders FC defeated Kansas City 1–0.[74] The following week, Seattle had two road games in a 4-day period. First they traveled to Frisco, TX to face FC Dallas on April 22. Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero scored for Sounders FC while Jeff Cunningham scored two penalty kicks for Dallas, the second of which coming in extra time on a questionable call. The Dallas game ended in a 2–2 tie.[75] During the second leg of the road trip on April 25, Sounders FC was defeated 2–0 by Toronto FC at BMO Field. Seattle conceded their first ever goal to Toronto when Dwayne De Rosario scored in the 58th minute. He later assisted O'Brian White on a second goal in the 76th minute.[76]

Sounders FC began May with a tie at home against the Columbus Crew. Steve Zakuani scored an early breakaway goal in the 8th minute to take the lead. However, Seattle's stoppage time problems continued as the Crew's Steven Lenhart scored off a header in the first minute of stoppage time before the half. The game ended 1–1.[77]

Keller

Graham

Marshall

Riley

González

Alonso

Seamon

Nyassi

Montero

Zakuani

Levesque

The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League lineup that defeated Isidro Metapán 1–0 at home

The following week, on May 8, Sounders FC hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy. Seattle's continued inability to score and their recent trend of defensive breakdowns culminated in an embarrassing 4–0 loss to the Galaxy. This was Seattle's worst ever defeat at home and it was played in front of a team record attendance for a regular season match of 36,273 fans.[78] Sounders FC newcomer Miguel Montaño made his debut with the club in the defeat to the Galaxy.[79] The day after the lopsided defeat to Los Angeles, Sounders FC owner Adrian Hanauer announced a refund for all 32,000 season ticket holders for the embarrassment and indicated that changes were in the works for the club.[80]

Three days later, May 26, the team participated in their first friendly match of the season, winning it 3–0 in a shutout against Boca Juniors. Roger Levesque, Pat Noonan and Mike Seamon each scored goals, the latter in his debut for the team.[81] The team ended the month with another 1–0 loss on May 29, this one against the Colorado Rapids, on the road; Conor Casey scored the only goal of the match.[82]

Sounders FC regrouped from the difficult loss to LA the next week when they visited the New York Red Bulls. Fredy Montero's absence from the starting lineup was a surprising change in the match. Montero, however, was subbed on late in the game and provided the winning goal in the 85th minute for a 1–0 victory.[83] During the first game of the 2010 Heritage Cup on May 22, the team lost 1–0 to the San Jose Earthquakes at Qwest. Chris Wondolowski scored 11 minutes in the match, lengthening the "scoring drought" for the Sounders FC at home.[84][85]

On November 22, 2010, Seattle made a trade with the Colorado Rapids for defenders Julien Baudet of France and Danny Earls of the Republic of Ireland for Peter Vagenas.[86] Also, the list of the ten protected players for the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft was decided by the club. The draft took place on November 24, 2010 when both the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC sectected ten players from the Major League Soccer teams, including Sanna Nyassi (who was later traded to Colorado) and Nathan Sturgis (who was later traded to Toronto) from Seattle Sounders FC.[87] Vancouver later traded Jamaican international O'Brian White to Seattle.[88]

On December 9, 2010, Swedish club, BK Häcken reported that midfielder, Erik Friberg completed a three-year deal with the Seattle Sounders FC. Seattle has completed a deal bringing him over to the Seattle-based club. They also have announced a contract extension with captain Kasey Keller. On December 15, 2010, the Sounders selected Chris Seitz of the Philadelphia Union in the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft.[89] The goalkeeper was later traded to FC Dallas for a fourth round pick of the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.[90] Defender Tyrone Marshall was also selected in the draft by the Colorado Rapids.[89]

The Sounders also competed in two additional competitions during the 2010 season – the CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup. In the Champions League, Seattle progressed through the preliminary round, beating Isidro Metapán 2–1 on aggregate, but was eliminated in the group stage.[91] 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 CenturyLink Field against the Columbus Crew. On October 5, 2010, Seattle won the U.S. Open Cup final, 2–1, becoming the first team since 1983 to repeat as U.S. Open Cup champions.[92] The final was played in front of a U.S. Open Cup record crowd of 31,311,[93] and the victory ensured Seattle's return to the Champions League in 2011.[94]

Sounders FC players with the '09, '10, and '11 U.S. Open Cup trophies.

The Sounders began the 2011 season by hosting the opening match of the MLS season for the third straight year.[95] The club hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy, and lost 1–0.[96] On April 22, 2011, in a match against the Colorado Rapids, Seattle's star midfielder Steve Zakuani suffered a broken leg in a challenge by the Rapids' Brian Mullan, which ended his season.[97] 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.[98] On October 4, 2011, Seattle won its third consecutive U.S. Open Cup, becoming the first club to do so in 42 years, as they defeated the Chicago Fire 2–0 in front of another tournament record crowd of 35,615 at CenturyLink Field.[99] In the MLS playoffs, Seattle lost its Western Conference semi-final series 3–2 on aggregate to Real Salt Lake. The club dug itself a hole by losing 3–0 in Salt Lake, and could only net two goals in the second leg at home.[100]

Sounders midfielder Mauro Rosales was recognized by the league as the 2011 Newcomer of the Year.[101] In 2011, Seattle again broke its own league record for average attendance at 38,496. On October 15, 2011, the club hosted the third-largest crowd ever for a single MLS match, as 64,140 attended the final regular season home match.[102] In the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, the club finished second in its group and advanced to the knockout round, which was played starting in March 2012.[103][104] In champions league group play, Seattle became only the second MLS team in history to win a competitive match in Mexico, defeating CF Monterrey 1–0 on August 23, 2011.[105]

Seattle opened the 2012 season with a run of five straight wins in April and May,[106] but fell into a month-long, nine-match winless streak in June. The winless streak ended in a match on July 7, which saw the return of Steve Zakuani from rehabilitation, against the Colorado Rapids.[107] Seattle reached the U.S. Open Cup Final for the fourth consecutive year, becoming the first team to do so since 1937,[108] but lost to Sporting Kansas City in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw.[109] In Champions League group play, the team advanced to the knockout round with four straight wins, each including a goal from Sammy Ochoa.[110] The Sounders finished third in the Western Conference and qualified for the playoffs, where they advanced out of the first round for the first time in the team's history.[111] In the Conference Championship, Seattle fell 3–0 to Los Angeles in the first leg and came within one goal of tying the series on aggregate before letting an away goal, winning the second leg 2–1 but losing 4–2 on aggregate.[112] The 2012 season ended without a major trophy for the Sounders, for the first time in their MLS history, and the team failed to qualify for the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League.[113] 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 unsuccessful loans to European clubs.[114]

During the 2013 preseason, the Sounders signed their first homegrown player, right back DeAndre Yedlin,[115] veteran defender Djimi Traoré,[116] and forward Obafemi Martins, who bought his release clause from his Spanish club.[117] Longtime forward Fredy Montero left Seattle on loan to Colombian club Millonarios F.C. in January and,[118] by July, was loaned to Sporting CP in Portugal with an option to buy; Montero was sold permanently to Sporting in 2014.[119] The Sounders began the 2013 season with the knockout round of the 2012–13 Champions League, facing Mexican club Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals. After losing 1–0 in the away leg and conceding an away goal in the return leg, the Sounders scored three unanswered goals in the second half to win 3–1 and advance to the semifinals. With the win, the Sounders became the first MLS team to eliminate a Mexican team in the knockout stage of CONCACAF Champions League.[120] Seattle once again played Santos Laguna in the semifinal, but failed to advance after losing 1–0 at home and drawing 1–1 in Torreón.[121]

The Sounders began the MLS season with a run of five matches without a win, the worst start in the team's history, due to injuries to key players.[122] The Sounders failed to advance in the U.S. Open Cup after losing to second-division Tampa Bay Rowdies in the third round, marking the end of the team's seven-year streak of appearances in the later rounds.[123] As players returned to the team, Seattle improved to a six-win, four-loss record in 14 matches by late June.[124] In August 2013, the Sounders completed the signing of U.S. national team captain Clint Dempsey from Tottenham Hotspur for $9 million, the largest transfer deal in the league's history, and a record salary of $32 million over four years.[125] The team's continued run of wins put them into Supporters' Shield contention in September, coming within one point of the league-leading Red Bulls,[126] but fell to fourth place in the conference after a run of four straight losses in October.[127][128] The Sounders beat the Colorado Rapids 2–0 in the knockout round, and drew rivals Portland in the conference semifinal.[129] Seattle fell 2–1 to the Timbers in the home leg and were defeated 3–2 in Portland, knocking the Sounders out in a performance that failed to live up to expectations.[130]

The Sounders continued to break the MLS average attendance record for the fourth and fifth consecutive year in 2012 and 2013, with an average of 43,144 and 44,038, respectively.[131] The higher attendances were helped by the opening of additional sections in the Hawks' Nest,[132] as well as the opening of the upper deck of CenturyLink Field for select regular matches.[133] The August 25, 2013, home match against the Portland Timbers drew a crowd of 67,385, the second-largest standalone attendance in league history.[134]

After a disappointing 2013 season, the Sounders replaced starting goalkeeper Michael Gspurning with Toronto's Stefan Frei. Several veteran players, including Eddie Johnson, Patrick Ianni, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Mauro Rosales, and Steve Zakuani, left the club as part of a major restructure; Brad Evans was named as club captain.[135] Marco Pappa, an experienced MLS player and Guatemalan international, was added to the team. Homegrown player DeAndre Yedlin was transferred overseas to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season.[136]

The Sounders advanced to the 2014 U.S. Open Cup Final and defeated the Philadelphia Union in extra time, to win their fourth trophy of the tournament. On October 25, 2014, the final game of the 2014 regular season, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 2–0 to secure and win their first Supporters' Shield.[137]

Entering the playoffs as the top seed, Seattle defeated FC Dallas on the away goals rule and advanced to the Western Conference Championship to face the LA Galaxy once again. The Sounders lost on aggregate score and the away goals rule after losing 1–0 away and winning 2–1 at home. LA would go on to win the MLS Cup.[138]

Former Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey was hired by the club in January 2015, replacing Adrian Hanauer.[139]

Seattle was unable to repeat their successes in the 2014 season. The season started successfully, with several key wins that saw the team at the top of the Western Conference by June.[140] 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.[141][142]

The injury and suspension of the team's main attacking duo led to a death spiral during the summer, with Seattle winning only one match in nine games. By late August, Martins had recovered and led the team to an 8-match unbeaten streak to secure a playoff spot, finishing 4th in the Western Conference. The Sounders had also successfully topped their group in the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps and Club Deportivo Olimpia, with two wins, one draw, and one loss.[143] Paraguayan international Nelson Haedo Valdez was signed as the club's newest designated player, and was joined by fellow international signings Andreas Ivanschitz and Román Torres in August 2015;[144] Erik Friberg also returned to the club after his stint in Europe.[145]

During the playoff's opening knockout round, the Sounders defeated the LA Galaxy 3–2, ending a "curse" for the club, who had lost to LA in each of the three previous playoff matchups.[146] The playoff run would end in the next round, the Western Conference semifinals against FC Dallas, during a penalty shootout after both teams were tied on aggregate score after extra time in Frisco, Texas.[147][148]

In November 2015, Adrian Hanauer was made majority owner of the club, succeeding Joe Roth.[149] The club set a new attendance record during the 2015 season, with an average attendance of 44,247.[150]

Prior to the 2016 season, Obafemi Martins abruptly left the club to sign with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C. in the Chinese Super League,[151] a move that would hamper the Sounders' offense during the season. The move was mitigated somewhat by the signing of homegrown product Jordan Morris.[152] GM Lagerwey also traded Marco Pappa and Lamar Neagle to other clubs in the offseason.[153]

During the first half of the 2016 season, the Sounders failed to meet expectations, placing near the bottom of the league with 6 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws. After a 3–0 loss on July 24 to Sporting Kansas City, in which the Sounders had only one shot,[154] Schmid left the club on mutual terms.[155]

Long-time assistant coach Brian Schmetzer was named interim head coach upon Schmid's departure.[155] The next day, the club announced their signing of Uruguayan midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro on a designated player contract,[156] as well as the return of former designated player Álvaro Fernández.[157] Despite the sluggish start as well as the loss of midfielder Clint Dempsey, who was forced in August to stop playing after evaluations for an irregular heartbeat,[158] the Sounders rose from ninth place to fourth place in the Western Conference and qualified for the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, with eight wins, two losses, and four draws. Schmetzer was named as permanent head coach as a result.[159]

The victory parade for the Sounders after MLS Cup 2016

At the end of the regular season, Jordan Morris was named the MLS Rookie of the Year after scoring the most goals of any American rookie in MLS (12),[160] and Nicolás Lodeiro was named MLS Newcomer of the Year for his 4 goals and 8 assists in 13 appearances.[161] The Sounders advanced from the Knockout Round of the playoffs through a 1–0 win over Sporting Kansas City, and beat FC Dallas 4–2 on aggregate to return to the Conference Final.[162][163] The Sounders then defeated the Colorado Rapids 3–1 on aggregate in the final, clinching a spot in their first-ever MLS Cup.[164] On December 10, 2016, the Sounders defeated Toronto FC 5–4 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.[165] The team's performance was called a "cinderella season" and hailed as one of the most dramatic MLS seasons to date.[166]

The Sounders began their title defense with the signings of two academy graduates and several veteran players from MLS and abroad.[167] Dempsey also returned from his hiatus and scored in his first match before being called up to the U.S. national team for World Cup qualification.[168] 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.[169][170][171] In the playoffs, the Sounders beat the Vancouver Whitecaps and Houston Dynamo to win the Western Conference and return to the MLS Cup, once again facing Toronto at BMO Field.[172] Seattle lost 2–0 to Toronto, who clinched the first domestic treble in MLS history.[173]

Seattle began the 2018 season with a run to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League, where they lost 3–1 on aggregate to eventual champions C.D. Guadalajara. During the Round of 16, Jordan Morris injured his ACL and was deemed unfit to play for the rest of the season.[174] Without Morris and several injured starting players, the Sounders lost nine of their first 15 matches and were placed bottom of the Western Conference by June. The club signed a new Designated Player, Peruvian forward Raúl Ruidíaz, that month and began a long unbeaten streak that resulted in a playoff position in late August.[175][176]

On September 1, the club broke the MLS record for most consecutive wins in the post-shootout era, having won eight consecutive matches. They then extended that win streak to nine games as they beat Vancouver 2–1 on September 15, before eventually losing to the Philadelphia Union on September 19.[177] The Sounders finished second in the Western Conference with 18 wins, 11 losses, and 5 draws. With 14 wins in the final 16 matches of the season, the Sounders completed the best half season in league history.[178] 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.[179] Seattle then faced the Portland Timbers in the Conference Semifinals, losing the away leg 2–1 and winning the home leg 3–2 to tie the series on aggregate after extra time. In the ensuing penalty shootout, Portland won 4–2; the home leg is considered to be one of the best playoff matches in league history due to its dramatic finish.[180][181]

The 2019 MLS 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.[182] Defender Chad Marshall, who had joined in 2014, announced his retirement from professional soccer on May 22, leaving unexpectedly mid-way through the season.[183] Despite the loss of these two players, plus the suspension of Román Torres for ten matches for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in August,[184] the Sounders finished 2nd in the Western Conference and 4th in the overall league table, good enough to qualify for a spot in the 2020 CONCACAF Champions' League[185] and a record 11th-straight appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs.[186]

In the playoffs, the Sounders were able to defeat the Supporters' Shield winning-team Los Angeles FC in the Conference Finals, leading them to face Toronto FC in the MLS Cup Final for the third time in 4 years. The Sounders won the game 3–1[187] in front of a franchise-record 69,274 fans at CenturyLink Field.[188]

Key to competitions

Season	League											Position		Playoffs	USOC	Continental / Other		Average attendance	Top goalscorer(s)
	Div	League	Pld	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	Pts	PPG	Conf.	Overall						Name(s)	Goals
1974	1	NASL	20	10	7	3	37	17	+20	33	1.65	3rd	5th	DNQ	DNE	DNE		13,434	John Rowlands[219]	10
1975		NASL	22	15	7	0	42	28	+14	45	2.05	2nd	3rd	QF				16,818	John Rowlands[220]	9
1976		NASL	24	14	10	0	40	31	+9	42	1.75	3rd	8th	QF				23,828	Gordon Wallace	13
1977		NASL	26	14	12	0	43	34	+9	42	1.62	5th	8th	RU				24,226	Micky Cave[221]	12
1978		NASL	30	15	15	0	50	45	+5	45	1.50	7th	12th	R1				22,572	Micky Cave[222]	13
1979		NASL	30	13	17	0	58	52	+6	39	1.30	10th	17th	DNQ				18,998	John Ryan[223]	12
1980		NASL	32	25	7	0	74	31	+43	75	2.34	2nd	2nd	QF				24,246	Roger Davies[224]	25
1981		NASL	32	15	17	0	60	62	−2	45	1.41	4th	15th	R1				18,224	Kevin Bond	16
1982		NASL	32	18	14	0	72	48	+24	54	1.69	1st	2nd	RU				12,359	Peter Ward	18
1983		NASL	30	12	18	0	62	61	+1	36	1.20	3rd	9th	DNQ				8,181	Mark Peterson Peter Ward	13
1984–93	No club existed
1994	2	APSL	20	14	6	0	38	16	+22	42	2.10	N/A	1st	SF	DNE	DNE		6,347	Jason Dunn	12
1995		A-League	24	18	6	0	40	24	+16	54	2.25		2nd	W	SF			4,571	Chance Fry Peter Hattrup	11♦
1996		A-League	27	16	11	0	35	25	+10	48	1.78		3rd	W	QF	CONCACAF Champions' Cup	4th	3,750	Jason Farrell	7
1997		A-League	28	18	10	0	42	19	+23	54	1.93	2nd	5th	QF	R2	DNE		2,873	Mike Gailey	11
1998		A-League	28	18	10	0	63	28	+35	54	1.93	2nd	6th	QF	DNQ			2,902	Mark Baena	24♦
1999		A-League	28	19	9	0	56	36	+20	57	2.04	4th	6th	QF	Ro16			2,243	Mark Baena	21♦
2000		A-League	28	18	7	3	56	38	+18	57	2.04	3rd	4th	QF	R2			2,143	Greg Howes	18♦
2001		A-League	26	13	12	1	40	39	+1	40	1.54	5th	11th	DNQ	R2			1,885	Leighton O'Brien	11
2002		A-League	28	23	4	1	71	27	+44	70	2.50	1st	1st	QF	Ro16			4,087	Brian Ching	17
2003		A-League	28	16	7	5	45	24	+21	53	1.89	2nd	3rd	SF	QF			3,357	Kyle Smith	8
2004		A-League	28	13	11	4	40	34	+6	43	1.54	4th	9th	RU	QR1			2,874	Welton Melo	7
2005		USL-1	28	11	6	11	33	25	+8	44	1.57	N/A	4th	W	R3			2,885	Welton Melo	5
2006		USL-1	28	11	13	4	42	48	–6	37	1.32		7th	DNQ	R3			3,693	Cam Weaver	19♦
2007		USL-1	28	16	6	6	37	23	+14	54	1.93		1st	W	SF			3,396	Sébastien Le Toux	15
2008		USL-1	30	10	10	10	37	36	+1	40	1.33		6th	QF	SF			3,386	Sébastien Le Toux	19
2009	1	MLS	30	12	7	11	38	29	+9	47	1.57	3rd	4th	QF	W	DNQ		30,943	Fredy Montero	13
2010		MLS	30	14	10	6	39	35	+4	48	1.60	4th	6th	QF	W	CONCACAF Champions League	GS	36,173	Fredy Montero	12
2011		MLS	34	18	7	9	56	37	+19	63	1.85	2nd	2nd	QF	W	CONCACAF Champions League	QF	38,496	Fredy Montero	18
2012		MLS	34	15	8	11	51	33	+18	56	1.65	3rd	7th	SF	RU	CONCACAF Champions League	SF	43,144	Eddie Johnson Fredy Montero	17
2013		MLS	34	15	12	7	42	42	0	52	1.53	4th	6th	QF	R3	DNQ		44,038	Eddie Johnson	12
2014		MLS	34	20	10	4	65	50	+15	64	1.88	1st	1st	SF	W			43,734	Obafemi Martins	19
2015		MLS	34	15	13	6	44	36	+8	51	1.50	4th	6th	QF	R4	CONCACAF Champions League	QF	44,245	Obafemi Martins	15
2016		MLS	34	14	14	6	44	43	+1	48	1.41	4th	7th	W	QF	DNQ		42,636	Jordan Morris	12
2017		MLS	34	14	9	11	52	39	+13	53	1.56	2nd	7th	RU	Ro16			43,666	Clint Dempsey	12
2018		MLS	34	18	11	5	52	37	+15	59	1.74	2nd	4th	QF	R4	CONCACAF Champions League	QF	40,641	Raúl Ruidíaz	13
2019		MLS	34	16	10	8	52	49	+3	56	1.64	2nd	4th	W	R4	DNQ		40,247	Raúl Ruidíaz	15
2020		MLS	22	11	5	6	44	23	+21	39	1.77	2nd	6th	RU	NH	CONCACAF Champions League Campeones Cup MLS is Back Tournament	Ro16 NH Ro16	36,603	Raúl Ruidíaz	14
Total	–	–	1073	567	368	138	1792	1304	+488	1839	1.71	–	–	–	–	–		–	Fredy Montero	60

^ 1. Avg. Attendance include statistics from league matches only.
^ 2. Top Goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, MLS is Back Tournament, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.
^ 3. Points and PPG have been adjusted from non-traditional to traditional scoring systems for seasons prior to 2003 to more effectively compare historical team performance across seasons.

Name	Nat.	Years
John Rowlands		1974–1976
Micky Cave		1977–1980
Bob Donaldson		1979–1983
Kevin Bond		1981
Peter Hattrup ¤		1984–1989, 1994–1995, 1997–1999, 2001
Marcus Hahnemann ¤		1994–1996, 2012–2014
Brian Ching		2001–2002
Leighton O'Brien		2001–2008
Zach Scott ¤		2002–
Roger Levesque ¤		2003–2012
Wélton		2004–2005
Taylor Graham ¤		2005, 2007–2011
Sébastien Le Toux ¤		2007–2009
Kasey Keller		2009–2011
Fredy Montero		2009–2012
Steve Zakuani		2009–2013
Freddie Ljungberg		2009–2010
Blaise Nkufo		2010–2011

¤ Played for two distinct Sounders franchises

CONCACAF Champions' Cup / CONCACAF Champions League

• 4th place (1): 1996
• Semi-finalists (1): 2012–13
• Quarter-finalists (3): 2011–12, 2015–16, 2018

U.S. Open Cup

• Winners (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
• Runners-up (1): 2012

MLS Cup Playoffs

• Winners (2): 2016, 2019
• Conference Champions (4): 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020
• Conference Finalists (2): 2012, 2014
• Conference Semifinalists (6): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018

Supporters' Shield

• Winners (1): 2014
• Runners-up (1): 2011

Soccer Bowl

• Runners-up (2): 1977, 1982

Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup

• Winners (1): 1981

USL First Division Playoffs

• Winners (4): 1995, 1996, 2005, 2007
• Runners-up (1): 2004

USL Commissioner's Cup (Best USL Regular Season Record)

• Winners (3): 1994, 2002, 2007
• Runners-up (1): 1995

Cascadia Cup

• Winners (6): 2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019

Heritage Cup

• Winners (8): 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020