Drew Carey Brings Voice Of The Fan Into Sounders Front Office
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Writer Says Sounders Investor Drew Carey Has
Brought A Fan's Enthusiasm To Owner's Box |
The expansion MLS Sounders have been "warmly embraced in Seattle," and Sounders investor Drew Carey has "brought a fan's enthusiasm to the owner's box," according to Andrew Keh of the N.Y. TIMES. The Sounders have sold 20,000 season tickets at Qwest Field and have "recently raised the limit on subscriptions to keep up with demand." All season-ticket holders automatically will join Seattle FC Alliance, the club's official "supporter's group, and have the right to vote on various club matters, most significantly on the hiring and firing" of the team's GM. Carey yesterday during an appearance at the MLS HQs in N.Y. said, "You vote for presidents, you vote for mayor, I don't see why you don't do it for the general manager of your local sports team." To facilitate the "community-oriented aspects of the organization, the club plans to open a members-only forum on the Internet where fans can share stories, gripes and multimedia content, and make direct complaints and requests to the club." The Sounders also will have "quarterly meetings with two fan" reps. Carey: "Not only are we letting them burn down the castle, we're giving them the pitchforks and torches to do it." Carey yesterday also said that he "wanted to distribute team scarves and flash drives containing all of the club's chants to fans at home games this season" (NYTIMES.com, 3/16). Carey added, “In sports, you have to give a really good reason to marry the fan to the team” (“ESPN First Take,” ESPN2, 3/17). Carey this morning appeared on CBS’ “The Early Show” wearing a Sounders scarf. Carey handed out scarves to the show’s co-hosts, saying, “They’re all green, so they match for St. Patrick’s Day” (“The Early Show,” CBS, 3/17).
MAKING SOUND WAVES: In Tacoma, Don Ruiz reported Sounders officials at Qwest Stadium have "installed banners and other details that indicate these Sounders are treated as closer to the equals" of the Seahawks than the USL Sounders were. The stadium will "keep football yard lines, numbers and logos off the pitch." In addition, every Sounders game will be televised live, either as part of MLS' national TV package or locally on KONG-NBC (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 3/15).
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