Real Salt Lake: Seattle a model for MLS to learn from

SEATTLE — If Major League Soccer is looking for an ideal business model, it need look no further than the host club for this year's MLS Cup: the Seattle Sounders.

The first-year franchise didn't make it to the finals, but its 48 points were well ahead of RSL's in the regular season. The club sold out every home game this year and set an all-time league record for average attendance (30,879).

Games are played at Qwest Field with downsizing banners in the upper reaches.

Originally, 28,000 seats were allotted for regular season games, but when they sold out, the team increased the official sellout capacity to 30,000.

The Sounders sold out their first-ever playoff game in 30 minutes.

Part of the success is that the Sounders have a good team, one that includes such well established international players as Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg, not to mention an American midfielder by the name of Stephen King.

So maybe he hasn't written any books.

The Sounders are writing one of their own.

The team has the unmitigated support of a gung-ho management group that includes minority owner Drew Carey, the comedian, whose ideas include having a marching band lead the team through downtown on game days.

"If I owned the Boston Red Sox, I'd buy about a thousand seats at Yankee Stadium, right in the front," said Carey, talking of fan support. "I'm all for winning by whatever means."

Carey said though salary cap rules prevent his group from gigantic player salaries, "this team is not afraid to spend money and do what we can to go get players to play for us."

"Our goal," he continued, "is not only to make a profit, but to win games, and our first goal is to win games."

Prior to Sunday's MLS Cup match, a media soccer game is scheduled at Qwest Field.

Asked if he'd participate, Carey said, "I do 20 minutes on the treadmill, it's a big thing for me — I'm good for the month."

e-mail: rock@desnews.com