The MLS Timbers yesterday announced plans to “expand seating capacity at Jeld-Wen Field” for all home games during the '12 season “in response to the high demand for tickets during the 2011 season,” according to Geoffrey Arnold of the Portland OREGONIAN. The team also announced that it will “increase the number of season tickets available to 14,500 for the 2012 season.” The Timbers “sold out all 17 home games” in their inaugural MLS season. Capacity at the stadium was 18,627 for 15 of the 17 games, but the Timbers "expanded seating for two home games that increased capacity to 20,323." The team “rolled back the tarp in some sections of the north end of the stadium to increase capacity for those games.” Timbers COO Mike Golub said the new seating capacity will be "in the neighborhood" of the same number of available seats for those matches. He said that the team “hoped to make an announcement on the exact number of seats before the end of the year.” Meanwhile, the team announced that it “has surpassed a 97 percent renewal rate for 2012 season tickets.” The new season-ticket total “represents an increase of 2,000 compared to 2011.” The team said that it “currently has a season ticket waiting list of more than 5,000 fans” (Portland OREGONIAN, 10/27).
