this is the second time we have sat down with this group this year, and while the first meeting was ok… it didn’t really offer too much to talk about here. this one, however, was quite the opposite. it was a very productive meeting and gave me a lot of hope for the council and the democracy in sport that is often talked about.

first… i must say this. there is some detail that i need to keep somewhat vague. i appreciate the FO talking with us on a variety of issues, but some of the details need to be kept under wraps due to the fact that ‘deals aren’t yet done’ or it is considered ‘sensitive’ or something like that. trust me when i say i am not holding on to any huge secrets here. just a few things about the next friendly, and internal ‘things’. not ultimately important, or something you won’t find out eventually.

if anything, i want to just give you a feel for the types of things discussed, and perpetuate the idea that the FO really does care about what is going on in this organization, specifically from our point of view. i really believe it.

- first we talked about an old (well only as old as the club) idea about every season ticket holder getting an email, not just the account holder. this was something that the council has pushed on for quite a while. last meeting it got legs. this time, there wasn’t a conclusion, but only that they hear us, and it is very much being worked on. eventually, there will be no more forwarding to all the other people in your group.

- the next topic was the champions league. opinions about atmosphere, ticket prices, crowd size and education messaging/advertising were discussed. nothing earth shattering here, but the one surprising stat is that of the 17k who showed up for metapan, the majority were NOT season ticket holders. i was surprised by that actually. do our season ticket holders know nothing of CCL? or do they already go to enough games? theorize away.

it is fair to say that the further we go in the competition, the more understood it will become, but i would be a little surprised if most of our STH’s didn’t have a clue to what was going on… but maybe it is true.

i can say personally… that it is a lot of games. while in my single days, or even before kids days, i would easily make it to each game… i can’t do that so much anymore. it is already tough enough to say to my wife… hey, for these 17 games, you will be home with the kids with no help while i am drinking beer and having fun… i will be gone for 4-5 hours.   now, i am going to add 3, possibly more, evenings on top of that? it isn’t that easy unfortunately, and maybe there are a lot more people like me, or in somewhat similar situations. whether it be kids, finances, jobs, sig others, or whatever… going to these extra games just isn’t that easy. regardless of education of what the CCL is.

- how many of you went to the end of the year party last year? how many people of you thought it was pretty lame? well most of you would have said yes to the second question if you said yes to the first. this year it will change. this is a detail that i am not going to really disclose b/c it isn’t fully baked. but i can tell you that it sounds MUCH better, and much more worth your time. or, at the very least, you will know what to expect, and you can chose to go or not, based on that information.

- 2011 visiting team supporter plans. as you know, with pdx and van joining the league, the ease of travelling to an away game became just that much better. or, so you would think. mls dictates that ONLY 150 tickets need to be allocated to the away fans for any game… and there is an understandable argument that if a stadium can sell out, why not sell out to all the home fans? well there is a lot of debate on this topic… a few

- let’s give them more tickets, so we can have more tickets at  their stadium. i.e. if we don’t let them in, they won’t let us in. i am kind of in that camp.

- if we don’t open up seats for the timbers army, for example, will they come anyway? some think yes… and if they do come, then you likely have a situation. you may have  a thousand (or whatever number) TA without a ticket and either in our bars or they buy tickets from scalpers, or off stub hub etc and are dispersed around the stadium. most of this is probably ok, but it only takes 1 drunk away supporter, and 1 drunk home supporter for something to kick off… and that would be not so good.

so i can’t tell you what will happen, b/c honestly, it has not been decided… but it was probably the most contested topic of the night.

- the golden scarf moving forward.  this is another where i won’t have details of how it is going to play out, b/c it hasn’t been decided. but, some of the production, frequency and “worthiness” of the recipients is in question. it isn’t going to get cut, but likely significantly… “refined”.

- vuvuzelas? not banned yet… but everyone wanted them banned.

that is about it…  while nothing earth shattering here, i think the take away that i have (and have always had) is the front office is committed to hearing what we say. we likely won’t influence every decision, and this is a business, so sometimes business decisions are made that fans don’t agree with, however, i don’t believe that this is a front or a gimmick. our feedback is genuinely sought and considered, and that is pretty impressive.

Adrian Hanauer (Chris Coulter foto)

Don Ruiz got to chat with Adrian Hanauer about the upcoming International Transfer Window. The GM’s responses are very political in their non-committal, but insightful indeed.

Don Ruiz: What are you as general manager doing to make the second half of this season better?
Adrian Hanauer: We are working towards either “a” or “multiple” transactions. We don’t have a lot of maneuverability with the current salary cap and roster size, but we do have some maneuverability. If I (or coach Sigi Schmid or technical director Chris Henderson) feel like there’s a move that will make the team better, we’re going to do it. And more specifically, there are definitely specific players that we’ve been tracking/targeting/communicating with/negotiating with. You never know until it’s done, but I’m extremely hopeful that at least one transaction will be completed in this transfer window for a player that should have impact on our team.

Ruiz: You were in South Africa. Might the incoming player be someone fans saw in the World Cup?
Hanauer: It might.

Ruiz: Might the transfer window swing both ways? Could it be that an existing player will leave?
Hanauer: It could.

What do you think? What card do you think Adrian will pull out from his sleeve?

“AND THEN THE MIRACLE OCCURS!”

I didn’t realize until yesterday exactly how much I’ve been counting on that equation to get us into the playoffs this year.

Yesterday, for the first time,  I realized that the necessary miracle may not actually occur.  (Yes, for the first time. Because hope springs eternal and these are my boys and I have survived so, so long on simple blind faith.) But we’ve dug too big a hole, and the Western Conference is just too good. There is a very solid chance that the 2010 Sounders will not make the playoffs, and even the mighty, water-walking Nkufo will not be able to fill the fissures in the team.

Let the finger-pointing begin.

I’m starting to hear “Fire Adrian” murmurings around the internets. Which is understandable. He (and I recognize I’m using “Adrian” symbolically for all the decisions of the FO, the buck stopping with him and all that) took a calculated risk in not making any signings in the off-season of people who could come in and make an immediate impact. He assumed the cracks we were seeing in the last half of the season last year wouldn’t turn into crevasses before Nkufo could arrive.

He was wrong.

But I’m not ready to jump on the anti-Adrian bandwagon yet myself. Or even anytime this season. For one thing, anybody with a sense of Seattle soccer history has to feel some appreciation for what he’s managed to accomplish here. We have an MLS franchise, people! The most financially successful one in history! And Adrian was the driving force! One sub-par half-season (after a fantastic expansion year, at least compared to all the other teams’ expansion years) does not a failure make. Even if, by the “World Contender in Five Years” standards he set, it is really sub-par.

And for a second thing… Well, as a recovering Galaxy fan who followed the LA team closely through the early Beckham years, I guess I have a slightly skewed perspective. Sigi and Adrian are nowhere near disasters of Ruud Gullitt and Alexi Lalas proportions. Sure, the results aren’t there right now. But Sigi has proven himself repeatedly — in MLS, no less, a very difficult environment to succeed in because of enforced parity and single-entity and the salary cap — and I guess I have blind faith that he can do it again. (Until he proves me wrong. Which he hasn’t. Yet. But the clock is ticking.) And Adrian wouldn’t be where he is, business-wise OR soccer-wise, if he didn’t have the ability to learn from his mistakes.

So I guess what I’m saying is, even though I’m angry, sad and unbelievably frustrated, I’m going to take the long view. At least long enough to see me through the summer transfer window, which is really the first chance Adrian and Co. will have to set things right after discovering that their preseason calculations were way off. (Especially since the summer transfer is the one most of the rest of the world considers the REAL one. If big changes happen in the world outside of MLS, they happen then.)

And so in short, Adrian? Use the summer to plug the holes (like, for example, our complete inability to deliver a single corner kick to anyone remotely in a position to do anything with it), give us an entertaining second half of the season, win more games after WC break than you lose, and all will be forgiven. By me at least.

Even if you can’t create that miracle.

Until those changes happen, though, people? Advice to my fellow fanatics from a recovering Galaxy fan: The best way do handle the next few games is on the floor. Curled up, in a fetal position.

(Or I supposed a lot of alcohol would help too.)

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.

A new official 2010 FIFA World Cup match ball from adidas will be unveiled and raffled off at the event.

And with that, the Guantlet was laid.

This prompted a pointed reply from DC United head man Kevin Payne. With the “he said / she said” aside, the onus was now on DC to fill the seats of RFK for the September 2nd Final… Or at least draw more than the 8,200 8,212 they did for the 2008 US Open Cup Final and hopefully more than the 16,272 that they’re averaging in 2009.

They are trying. Here are some of the gimmicks & campaigns that the marketing folks at DC United have come up with to create interest and attempt to get butts in the seats… at least for this sole USOC Final because they only had 8,834 for their CONCACAF Champion’s League match.

• Launch of the website We Win Trophies to promote the 12 trophies that they have won in their 14-year history.
• As a tie-in, they rolled out a 17-bar tour of the aforementioned trophies.
• They also created a whole bunch of avatars and desktops.

More importantly, we now get to DC United’s ticket pricing. On July 16th, they noted that tickets would be $25 for the US Open Cup Final.

But oh wait, all of a sudden, that changed…

• They “slashed” ticket prices to $12. The “Same prices as 1996“.
• They developed the first “2 Pack” for their International Friendly with Real Madrid that included a ticket to the US Open Cup Final.
• They created another  ”Buy 1, Get 1” which included the US Open Cup and their match with the LA Galaxy.
• The newest 2-for-1 deal is bundling the US Men’s National Team vs. Costa Rica with the Sounders for $45.
• And, now, they’re discounting the tickets even more (with the code SOUNDERS if you’re interested)…
• Oh, and if you’re a student, you can get a “premium level sideline” ticket for $10.

In addition…

• DC got some baseball player to do a commercial spot. The spot has more baseball footage than soccer.
• As an extra bonus, the US Open Cup Final will have $2 Domestic 16oz beers and $2 Hot Dogs.

How’s the ticketing going DC?

So, DC United, why do you need all these gimmicks to draw interest in your squad for this one match?  You “win trophies”, isn’t that enough?

On what Hanauer said…

“I was surprised and disappointed and offended. Adrian uses the word ‘skepticism’ to describe the process, which seems to be implying that it wasn’t on the up-and-up. Which is really an outrageous implication. He is implying that we somehow are receiving favorable treatment. We bid aggressively at every level this year and last year. We did so because we didn’t want to travel if we could possibly avoid it, given the demands of our schedule [Champions League]. Seattle doesn’t have those same demands because this is their first year. Adrian has no knowledge of what we bid or didn’t bid; my guess is that we bid more aggressively than they did.”

“I appreciate that Seattle’s fans are great. Our fans have been great for 14 seasons. It’s really unseemly for Seattle to suddenly show up in MLS and everything should be handed to them. Their crowds are wonderful, we had a great time out there in Seattle [last month], but our crowds are pretty good too and we expect this year we will get far more people in the building than we did last year [8,200]. Last year we played a USL team in the final and, the way our team was going in general at that point, our fans were disappointed and disillusioned. That’s not the case this year. We are going to promote the game very aggressively.”

As a followup, according to Ruiz, Seattle indeed placed a bid for an afternoon game to host the Final.

Adrian Hanauer (AP)

Don Ruiz and Jose Romero have provided some reactions from Adrian Hanauer on USSF’s decision to play the US Open Cup Final at RFK Stadium in Washington DC.

Apparently, the Sounders Front Office put in “a very aggressive bid” to be the host of the USOC final, yet somehow Qwest Field was not selected. Hanauer said that he “has spoken with other teams that have made bids for the Final who thought that they were going to win the bid, and our bid was twice, and in some cases up to three times, the size, financially, of those bids.”

The only reason that Seattle fans have heard why Seattle was turned down was because the Final would require a 1p Seattle kickoff. That seems silly, so, hopefully, a better explanation will come out in time.

Hanauer noted…

I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was frustrated and somewhat skeptical of the process. I don’t think D.C. has played a game in the Open Cup on the road in two years. They had a road through all lower-division teams to get to the Open Cup Final. I’m not in the know … enough to be able to raise any real issues, but I’m frustrated and I wish U.S. Soccer would explain why one bid wins over another.

We don’t see anything wrong with the fact that DC has walked through a PDL, USL2, and USL1 teams to the Final because those teams played their way through MLS foes earning those matches.

But it is curious that DC hasn’t been on the road. As a fact, Hanauer is correct there. DC United is currently on a two-year, 9-game USOC winning streak (including play-ins)- all have been at home. DC is 5-0 at their SoccerPlex and 4-0 at RFK Stadium.

Home teams in this year’s US Open Cup are 29-9.

DC’s last roadtrip in the Open Cup? A 1-0 loss to USL2′s Harrisburg City Islanders in the Third Round of the 2007 Cup.

“U.S. Soccer had a chance to raise the profile of the [US Open Cup],” Adrian said. “We would have sold out Qwest Field.”

Financially, the onus now is on the DC club to prove Seattle wrong. Last year’s US Open Cup Final was played in front of a crowd of 8213 at RFK Stadium. Let’s see how many folks show up for the 2009 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final on September 2nd (and of course subtract the number of traveling Sounders supporters).

For SSFC, they just need to bring home the hardware.

(AP Photo)

Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer noted yesterday that fans could expect to see the Third Round match of the US Open Cup to be played at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.

He noted that if the club wins and hosts a USOC Quarterfinal match, that would be at Starfire too.

Sounders FC “would eventually consider” moving Semifinal and Final matches of the US Open Cup to Qwest.

Fredy Montero traveled to South America to complete some personal administrative details that required the player’s attention prior to the start of the MLS season. The player’s contract is finalized and there are no open issues. Fredy is en route back to Seattle and we look forward to his participation in training later this week and on opening night.