adrian’s live chat from seattletimes

adrian hanauer just finished a Q&A with fans over at the seattle times. there wasn’t anything earth shattering, and anything that would have been juicy for us fans, was received with a politically seasoned answer. adrian does have a sense of humor though. a couple of the stand outs were…

q- “Any good gossip you can share to get us through the next long, cold 3 months?”
a- “my best friends wife is pregnant”

q. “Adrian, I love the natural atmosphere that the fans generate at qwest, any chance that we work out other deals with some of the sponsors rather than horns or thundersticks which just don’t fit with the singing and supporter generated atmosphere?”
a. “We are actually giving away free horns and thundersticks at all games next season…”

<awkward pause>

“Kidding”

and then there was this answer that will surely get the message boards guessing…

q. “Adrian, I want a 3rd shale grey kit for champions league! Let’ make it happen!”
a. “I can’t promise shale grey but there might be a little surprise in the jersey category coming this summer”

Full transcript below

Major League Soccer chat with Sounders FC GM Adrian Hanauer

11:51 Robert Wickwire, Times: Thanks for joining us today. Please send in your questions. Adrian will be with us shortly.
Thursday December 10, 2009 11:51 Robert Wickwire, Times
11:57 Adrian Hanauer: Thrilled to be here today. Have had a bit of rest after the end of the season and we are all now hard at work and looking forward to January and the beginning of training camp.
Thursday December 10, 2009 11:57 Adrian Hanauer
11:57 [Comment From RooneyRooney: ]
Since James Riley was a regular starter on the team this season, why was he made available in the expansion draft? And was that a joint decision between Coach Schmid and you? Congrats on the great season!
Thursday December 10, 2009 11:57 Rooney
12:00 Adrian Hanauer: Thanks for the question, James! Actually a very difficult decision but one that was made jointly by the coaching staff, myself, and Chris Henderson. We love James but knew that we were going to lose someone of quality.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:00 Adrian Hanauer
12:00 [Comment From RayRay: ]
Do the sounder have a mascot ?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:00 Ray
12:01 Adrian Hanauer: No mascot. Go ahead and send suggestions!
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:01 Adrian Hanauer
12:02 [Comment From Gilby SeattleGilby Seattle: ]
Adrian thanks for doing this chat how do you rate this years Super Draft crop and how do you scout the college game.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:02 Gilby Seattle
12:04 Adrian Hanauer: This year’s crop is actually quite strong. Not quite as deep as last year but we will find a very good player with our eleventh pick in the first round. We have had members of our coaching staff at college games across the country all season.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:04 Adrian Hanauer
12:04 [Comment From PatrickPatrick: ]
First off, thanks for a great year and all your support from the USL years to today. My question is that while we do have significant obstacles to getting grass in qwest, is it something that the Sounders are likely to push for?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:04 Patrick
12:06 Adrian Hanauer:
Every soccer player in the world would prefer to play on a perfect grass pitch. But at Qwest Field, the reality is that there is an NFL team that plays on the same field, there are grass-growing challenges, and there are additional events in the stadium. Every one of our players would prefer to play on FieldTurf than a substandard grass pitch.

Thursday December 10, 2009 12:06 Adrian Hanauer
12:06 [Comment From SeventyFourSeventyFour: ]
There has been problems inside the GA sections where supporters have clashed with casual fans over the use of flags and banners during the run of play, as well as problems across the entire stadium when it comes to supporters who want to stand, and those fans who choose to sit. Is there any effort on the part of the FO to get these fans located to sections where they will find thier game day experience a more enjoyable and satisfactory experience while allowing those supporters who wish to stand, wave flags etc. the oppurtunity to do as they please?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:06 SeventyFour
12:08 Adrian Hanauer: Complicated and multifaceted question but one that we are addressing at the team level and at the league level. We want all of our fans to be able to enjoy their game-day experience and will work toward that goal.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:08 Adrian Hanauer
12:08 [Comment From Tom CTom C: ]
Would you rank the four trophies Sounders FC will compete for in 2010 ib: MLS Cup, Supporters Shield, US Open Cup, and CONCACAF Champions League in the order of what you’d like to win most.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:08 Tom C
12:10 Adrian Hanauer: I don’t want to rank them because every tournament in which we play is important. However, CONCACAF Champions League is a personal and team priority. We have said in the past that we want to be able to compete internationally. This is our opportunity to show that we are one of the best, if not the best, team in the region. And by winning CONCACAF we could then compete in the world club chamionships against the best club teams in the world.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:10 Adrian Hanauer
12:10 [Comment From ZacharyZachary: ]
I’ve heard the Sounders will be facing competition in Spain this preseason, true? And if so, where and what teams?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:10 Zachary
12:12 Adrian Hanauer: True. Headed to Spain in mid-February to play in the La Manga tournament on the East Coast of Spain. Our competition will likely be from Scandinavia and other Northern European countries. But we do not have all of the specific opponents at this time. We will be updating the website as we add more details.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:12 Adrian Hanauer
12:13 [Comment From JoshJosh: ]
Do you see Patrick Ianni as a main stay starter in central defense this season?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:13 Josh
12:14 Adrian Hanauer: Patrick improved throughout the entire 2009 season. He, Hurtado, and Marshall will almost certainly share minutes in a very congested fixture schedule next season. Patrick is still very young and has a very promising future ahead of him.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:14 Adrian Hanauer
12:14 [Comment From AwayAway: ]
With all of the support the Sounders have received at away games; is the front office doing anything to make more of a connection with supporters groups around the country?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:14 Away
12:17 Adrian Hanauer: Yes. Absolutely a priority and a pet project of mine. Having more Sounders fans at away games always helps our chances to steal points on the road.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:17 Adrian Hanauer
12:18 [Comment From CameronCameron: ]
Do you guys see Eylander as the goalkeeper of the future (when Keller transitions to the front office ) or will you look for one in the upcoming draft?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:18 Cameron
12:19 Adrian Hanauer: Chris is a great young goalkeeper, although he had significant injury problems in 2009. Keep your eyes on Terry Boss as well, as he and Chris will have to compete for that back-up position.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:19 Adrian Hanauer
12:20 [Comment From MattMatt: ]
are we doing anything in the off season to improve the offense, or do you believe that some of the issues and ups and downs we had last year was because everyone was new?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:20 Matt
12:22 Adrian Hanauer: We will always try to make the team better. Part of that will come from having a year of experience under our belts. Part will come from more specific preparation for the upcoming season. And there is always the chance that we will make tweaks to our personnel mix, in order to score more goals.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:22 Adrian Hanauer
12:22 [Comment From RyanRyan: ]
The Sounders have created a much larger revenue base than most MLS team due to the fan turnout. How can you use that to your advantage when it comes to the salary restrictions in the league?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:22 Ryan
12:26 Adrian Hanauer: Our revenue stream has been larger than most of our peers around the league. That said, our cost structure has also been higher. But, if there are opportunities to invest in our collective future, we will certainly do so. One area of extreme interest is youth development. We have the opportunity over the next five years to build an extraordinary system in partnership with Washington Youth Soccer, to develop players for our first team.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:26 Adrian Hanauer
12:26 [Comment From SoupcanSoupcan: ]
Does Starfire meet stadium requirements for Champions League play?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:26 Soupcan
12:27 Adrian Hanauer: Yes, but we are still deciding where to play our Champions League games.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:27 Adrian Hanauer
12:27 [Comment From PatrickPatrick: ]
Adrian, I love the natural atmosphere that fans generate at qwest, any chance that we work out other deals with some of the sponsors rather than horns or thundersticks which just don’t fit with the singing and supporter generated atmosphere?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:27 Patrick
12:28 Adrian Hanauer: We are actually giving away free horns and thundersticks at all games next season.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:28 Adrian Hanauer
12:28 Adrian Hanauer: Kidding.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:28 Adrian Hanauer
12:28 [Comment From Gilby SeattleGilby Seattle: ]
Now the the season ticket renewal date has passed how many ST holders renewed how many season tickets have been sold for next year?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:28 Gilby Seattle
12:29 Adrian Hanauer: We are currently at about 95% renewal rate. Now we are beginning to contact the 8,500 ticket waiting list. Our goal is 30,000 season tickets. Call all of your friends and tell them to buy.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:29 Adrian Hanauer
12:30 [Comment From ECSEricECSEric: ]
Follow on question from Tom C’s earlier question: I would hope the number of “friendlies” involving the Sounders this season will take the increased match load into consideration, given we have the Champions League on top of the Open Cup and MLS regular season. Is this a fair assumption to make?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:30 ECSEric
12:31 Adrian Hanauer: We are definitely taking fixture congestion as well as the World Cup into consideration. We will try to schedule our friendlies over a wider range of the season as opposed to concentrated in late July and early August.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:31 Adrian Hanauer
12:32 [Comment From *derp**derp*: ]
A lot of us fans are very excited for the Champions League. How are you going about building a team that is capable of strongly competing in both international and league play? International football seemed to take a real toll on teams like DC and Houston later in the season
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:32 *derp*
12:34 Adrian Hanauer: This is a huge challenge and opportunity for our team. Champions League requires quality and depth. The existing structure of MLS rosters makes that very difficult to accomplish, but we are confident in our abilities to manage this issue.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:34 Adrian Hanauer
12:34 [Comment From Scott Paul UmdigScott Paul Umdig: ]
Has the team thought about opening the Hawk’s Nest area for increased seating at Qwest Field? That seems like a place where supporters could make alot of noise.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:34 Scott Paul Umdig
12:35 Adrian Hanauer: First stop is the loge seating in the upper deck . . . same configuration as the Houston playoff game (aprox. 35,500). But I would agree that the Hawks Nest is the logical next step.
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:35 Adrian Hanauer
12:36 [Comment From FlowerFlower: ]
If Sounders get a second DP spot (whether it’s new league rules or we trade for one) what is the possibility of bringing in another well experienced European player?
Thursday December 10, 2009 12:36 Flower

12:37 Adrian Hanauer: We are definitely looking in Europe, but as I have said in the past, we are looking for quality on and off the pitch. We are less focused on the country of origin. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:37 Adrian Hanauer

12:37 [Comment From Fairwooder Fairwooder: ]
how many full time scouts do the sounders have in comparision to other mls teams as the salary cap has no influence in hiring staff, but if the sounders had more quality scouts than other teams, it would be advantageous in the salary cap world the MLS lives in. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:37 Fairwooder

12:39 Adrian Hanauer: Great question and great point. We currently have one full-time scout, which is one more than any other MLS team (Kurt Schmid). We also have an extensive network of agents and scouts who we feel provide us with a competetive advantage. But this is definitely an area in which we may invest more resources in the future. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:39 Adrian Hanauer

12:39 [Comment From Steve Steve: ]
Whose presence is BIGGER: Chip Hanauer’s in Seattle hydros or Adrian Hanauer in Seattle soccer? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:39 Steve

12:41 Adrian Hanauer: Since everywhere I go, people ask me whether I am Chip’s brother, I can only assume that his presence is bigger. Hopefully, occasionally he is asked the same question. He’s got Gold Cups but we have an Open Cup! Thursday December 10, 2009 12:41 Adrian Hanauer

12:41 [Comment From Steve Steve: ]
Drew Carey seems to have a cheerful personality similar to Mariners G.M. Jack Zduriencik. How much has Carey’s presence helped FC Seattle in the MLS in their inaugural year? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:41 Steve

12:43 Adrian Hanauer: I don’t know Jack that well but Drew definitely has a cheerful personality. What people often don’t realize about Drew, however, is how smart and insightful he is. He has been very valuable to ownership and management as he is the consummate evangelist for our rabid fan base. Every idea or decision he brings to the table has the fans’ interest at its core. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:43 Adrian Hanauer

12:44 [Comment From m.g. m.g.: ]
Have you guys been thinking about a team mascot? Any thoughts about bringing our beloved Sonics Squatch to the team? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:44 m.g.

12:44 Adrian Hanauer: The mascot formerly known as Squatch is working in Oklahoma City. Isn’t he? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:44 Adrian Hanauer

12:45 [Comment From DDay DDay: ]
Hey Adrian, DDay from the ECS here. Can you win the supporters a cup that we can actually drink out of next year? cheers, and thanks for an awesome season Thursday December 10, 2009 12:45 DDay

12:45 Adrian Hanauer: The Open Cup is in my office. You can come borrow it to drink out of any time you want. It’s pretty heavy though. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:45 Adrian Hanauer

12:49 [Comment From dgebler dgebler: ]
Adrian, should fans be concerned about a work stoppage? Haven’t heard too many updates about how the negotiations for a new CBA are going… Thursday December 10, 2009 12:49 dgebler

12:50 Adrian Hanauer: This is a very important issue that is currently being handled at the league level. I can’t comment on any specifics but we are hopeful that an agreement can be reached that is good for the players, league owners, and most importantly the fans. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:50 Adrian Hanauer

12:51 [Comment From Kevin Kevin: ]
New Soccer Fan!! Will Champions league games be available on tv next year. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:51 Kevin

12:51 Adrian Hanauer: Champions League games have been covered on Fox Soccer Channel. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:51 Adrian Hanauer

12:52 [Comment From ravegreen1 ravegreen1: ]
What was your favorite Sounders moment off the pitch? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:52 ravegreen1

12:54 Adrian Hanauer:
The moment just after the singing of the national anthem at every home game. I love the increase in volume, tension, the chants from the ECS, the flags . . . that moment of anticipation before the kickoff.

Thursday December 10, 2009 12:54 Adrian Hanauer

12:54 [Comment From Greg ECS Greg ECS: ]
adrian I want a 3rd shale grey kit for champions league! Lets make it happen! Thursday December 10, 2009 12:54 Greg ECS

12:55 Adrian Hanauer: I can’t promise shale grey but there might be a little surprise in the jersey category coming this summer. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:55 Adrian Hanauer

12:55 [Comment From Dawg mans Dawg mans: ]
Jake Locker is an amazing talent. Are there any plans on selecting him in the upcoming draft? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:55 Dawg mans

12:55 Adrian Hanauer: In the MLS Draft he is probably a 3rd rounder. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:55 Adrian Hanauer

12:56 [Comment From Hola Hola: ]
Adrian, can we evolve as a franchise and begin to allow the use flares at Qwest? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:56 Hola

12:57 Adrian Hanauer: Does that really represent evolution??? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:57 Adrian Hanauer

12:57 [Comment From Guest Guest: ]
Has the success of the Sounders and the fantastic atmosphere of the home pitch created an increase in players interested in coming here to play….does it make it easier to sign quality players? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:57 Guest

12:58 Adrian Hanauer: Without a doubt. Word has gotten out and there are very few players around the world who do not know a bit about the Sounders FC story. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:58 Adrian Hanauer

12:58 [Comment From Mike Mike: ]
I have season tickets to the seahawks and the sounders. The biggest contrast, and reason I love Sounders games is the lack of audible advertising or play calling on the stadium PA system during the game. At the end of the season I noticed the advertising started to creep in just a bit. Are the Sounders committed to keeping the atmosphere of the game “crowd noise only” in the future? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:58 Mike

12:59 Adrian Hanauer: Yes, we are committed to the authenticity of the game and as few interruptions as possible. Thursday December 10, 2009 12:59 Adrian Hanauer

12:59 [Comment From Bugmen FC Bugmen FC: ]
Seems to me that Seattle’s location, loyal fan support, and temperature advantage (not your average CONCACAF temperatures) could make it a great location for the US MNT team to host WC qualifiers and other important games. Is this in the works? Thursday December 10, 2009 12:59 Bugmen FC

1:01 Adrian Hanauer: I agree completely and it is something we have discussed with US Soccer. One challenge, and something that you are not going to want to hear, is that temporary grass pitches are not optimal. And in preparation for a tournament like the World Cup, the technical staff of the US National Team wants optimal. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:01 Adrian Hanauer

1:02 [Comment From Nic Nic: ]
Is it possible to get rave green jerseys for any player on the team or do you only designate certain players (like Llundberg, Montero, etc.) to make those available? Thursday December 10, 2009 1:02 Nic

1:03 Robert Wickwire, Times: Adrian has time for a few more questions. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:03 Robert Wickwire, Times

1:03 Adrian Hanauer: All jerseys are available with any player’s name. Some are pre-printed and some are customized. They make great Holiday gifts and adult sizes come with a free scarf for a limited time. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:03 Adrian Hanauer

1:04 [Comment From CAD CAD: ]
Any good gossip you can share to get us through the next long, cold 3 months. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:04 CAD

1:05 Adrian Hanauer: My best friend’s wife is pregnant. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:05 Adrian Hanauer

1:05 [Comment From fairweather fairweather: ]
Adrian, it is fair to say that we SSFC has given a lot of other teams in the MLS something to strive for on and off the pitch, and that can only benefit all of us if some of those teams can make those strides. Logistically, what do you think is the single biggest challange facing some of these teams with struggling attendance? location of stadium? competition from other sports teams? fan education? other? Thursday December 10, 2009 1:05 fairweather

1:08 Adrian Hanauer: The simple answer to your question is yes. Every market has its unique challenges but with success stories like Sounders FC and future success stories like Philadelphia, Portland, and Vancouver . . . I believe that some of the successful franchises will be able to help increase the level of interest in some of our struggling markets. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:08 Adrian Hanauer

1:09 [Comment From Peter C. Smith Peter C. Smith: ]
What are your thoughts on Vancouver and Portland entering MLS in 2011? And are Montreal and Miami the best untapped markets for an expansion team? Thursday December 10, 2009 1:09 Peter C. Smith

1:09 Adrian Hanauer: In my opinion, Montreal would rock. Miami could be successful but is a very challenging sports market. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:09 Adrian Hanauer

1:10 [Comment From Matt Matt: ]
Adrian, thx for doing this. What is the biggest challenge you face in your specific role on the team as GM? Thursday December 10, 2009 1:10 Matt

1:14 Adrian Hanauer: Our biggest challenge as an organization is to continue to listen to and be beholden to our fans. 2009 was a success beyond any of our dreams but we can’t get complacent. So my biggest challenge personally is to continue to raise the bar on my goals and expectations for all of the people who work around me. It all comes back to the fans and we strive to exceed your expectations. Thursday December 10, 2009 1:14 Adrian Hanauer

1:16 Adrian Hanauer: Thanks so much for all of the questions. I wish I could have gotten to all of them. Have a great Holiday season, get some rest, and prepare to “Give Us Your Full 90″ in 2010. Cheers! Thursday December 10, 2009 1:16 Adrian Hanauer

1:16 Robert Wickwire, Times:
Thanks to everyone for sending in your questions and a special thanks to Adrian for stopping by to chat today.