Despite having the second-worst record in MLS, the Sounders say they are financially committed to winningGETTY IMAGES
Sounders Majority Owner Adrian Hanauer said that he is "'very concerned' about any perception the team is not committed to deploying its full financial resources to win," according to Geoff Baker of the SEATTLE TIMES. Hanauer said that he is "'absolutely' determined to do what it takes to get back to a winning, championship form," with the team currently next-to-last in the Western Conference. Hanauer regrets the phrasing used by GM & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey in late April, when he said in a nationally-replayed interview that the Sounders’ days "among the biggest spending teams may be over." Upon reading Lagerwey’s comments online, Hanauer "immediately jumped on the phone and had 'a really frank conversation' in which the GM admitted to 'a poor choice of words.'" Hanauer insisted that the team "hasn’t shifted its priorities and that he worries constantly about losing fans over things less serious than Lagerwey’s comments." Hanauer: "I don’t think you lose fans over comments. I think you lose fans over performance and doing the right things on and off the field." He added, "I want our fans believing in us organizationally. But really, the proof is in the pudding. Our fans will believe in us by us continuing to put a championship team on the field. And to date this year, we have not. And so, we need to fix that" (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/6).
