The soccer fans of Seattle have spoken. The official name for the new MLS expansion franchise in Seattle is the Seattle Sounders FC.
The nickname Seattle Sounders FC beat out Seattle FC, Seattle Alliance and Seattle Republic, which were the three original choices in the club’s write-in ballot.
What’s my take? They could have done without the FC but you can bet the FC will become an afterthought. The MLS Seattle team WILL be known as the Sounders.
Like it? Love it? Hate it?
Share your thoughts below.
Great results, great name. I actually like adding “FC” to the end while keeping the Sounders tradition.
I believe teams like Arsenal, Tottenham, and Bolton have an “FC” or some derivative in their official names, The term GUNNERS, WANDERERS and HOTSPUR (NOT PLURAL) are nicknames. If they were part of the official name, then by definition, they would not be nicknames.
For what its worth, I dont think Sounders is a silly name, but it doesnt belong, much like “the Revolution”, or the “E-Quakes”, in the official name. The nickname CAN and DOES represent the region, and thats fine.
The naysayers on this board are so clueless. Haven’t you heard of teams like “Blackburn Rovers”, “Bolton Wanderers”, “Rangers FC”, “Queens Park Rangers”, “Dublin Shamrock Rovers”, etc? Why is “Seattle Sounders FC” any different?
To AB and others: First, I’m a born and raised Seattlite. My first opinion about the name was that we should create a new tradition and have a new name. After thinking through it, there are no names that would work, as evidenced by the three choices on the ballot. We can’t manufacture tradition and a history by naming ourselves after something in Europe. Instead, they did the right thing by leaning on the only soccer tradition that we have (a longer tradition than any of the other MLS cities) and naming it Sounders.
Think about it this way: it is the closest thing we will ever have to a promotion/relegation model in this country. If we had that model, the Sounders would have been in the MLS years ago with their multiple championships. And given the track record of how the team has been run under Hanauer, we would have been successful.
Kudos to Roth, Hanauer, Allen/Lieweke and Carey for delivering on their promise to bring democracy back to sports.
40something responses and no Cosmofans have come out of the woodwork yet to turn the discussion back to them?
Congrats to Seattle’s fans, who have the Sounders back. Cosmos ain’t coming back, sorry.
If Henry is coming to MLS, I’d prefer to see him running around on real grass for most of his games. Also, since Henry is a fan of the NBA, Seattle may not be the best place to go with the Sonics’ future somewhat tenuous.
Henry to RBNJ to open Red Bull Park.
Can’t stand “FC” (“football” is a different sport here, in case they are not aware). But otherwise a very good choice.
If you think Sounders is a silly name than you’re just being immature. Plenty of teams have wierd nicknames ie Bolton WANDERERS, Arsenal GUNNERS, Tottenham HOTSPURS. So I mean c’mon, if it represents the region and it not just another FC or Real than it’s fine.
Oops. Make that NORTH American football. I guess this is how rivalries start.
I like the FC, it helps set the league apart from other American sports. It means much more when the club is its own corporate entity though.
Frankly, having the nickname as part of the official team name is silly. Sounders should be the teams nickname, not part of the official name. Most every team in the world has a nickname, and its understood that it is the nickname, like “the red devils” or the “foxes” or the “shrimpers”. Like Man U goes around the world saying they are Manchester United Red Devils. Right. Its Man U. And gads, imagine if Southend United’s official name were the Southend Shrimpers. My God.
Nicknames should stay as nicknames. I have been encouraged by the fact that MLS teams have moved away from this typical main stream american sports idea of referring the offical team name as the city and nickname. And worse, puting the nickname on the front of their jersey. Seattle has gone the opposite route. There is no reason one cannot refer to Seattle as the “Sounders” but for official purposes it sounds better to just say Seattle FC, or hell just Seattle in the box score.
Great news! Now all we need is for the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps to return. The greatest rivalry in American football history awaits.
I like it!
I like the name but I agree Seattle Sounders would have been just fine. Even so, I like that new teams are being added and possibly many soccer-specific stadiums. MLS is heading in a great direction.
How can you not love the new name? It’s got a history with the city, geographic relevance and will be familiar to anyone who’s lived in Seattle. If I were to ask my non-soccer playing friends if they want to catch a Seattle Republic game, they’d probably have no idea what I was talking about.
First I know plenty about football since I watch it/play it every chance I get. So you can throw that argument out the window. And I think most people that agree with the name are from Seattle (which by the way is a great town). I just don’t think in my opinion that its a great name it sounds too childish. I realize the history behind it but it sounds like a minor league baseball team name. I just thought they should have gone in a different direction instead of the same name as the USL 1st division team that all ready exists there.
And here we have the very first example of promotion. What’s next, relegation? 😉
Im actually impressed with MLS, I assumed that whether it won or not they would not go with Sounders and just say Seattle FC won.
If Roth is talking about being a world power, I have a feeling that Henry is up their sleeve.
It makes too much sense. Lieweke through his brother knows how much $$ a guy with draw power like Beckham has. Henry has that same star power. Maybe not to the magnitude, but he’s already doing Gillete commercials with Tiger Woods. Sign this guy.
@PJHardy
There are much worse names than the two examples you gave. “Burn” is a f’n verb, you cant be a verb. and Chivas USA makes complete sense given the clubs affiliation and origin.
Yes, there are bad names. Those names include Wizards, Real Salt Lake, Earthquakes, Revolution. It’s the World’s game, not the XFL.
@ AB
Yes, fans don’t understand marketing, but marketers should understand fans. Letting fans choose would drive me professionally crazy, but as a fan i’d be ecstatic being given the choice to keep a name that has been around the city for so long.
Also, you have an equally deficient grasp on marketing if you think the name of the club is what will make or break Henry playing in Seattle.
Should be SC instead of FC. Or to follow the MLS’ new marketing tagline, “Football, futbol, soccer,” should be FC FC SC. To be consistent, are they going to rename the league “MLF”? Oh wait, that’s too naughty.
This is “Real” and “United” redux. It’s wholly made up and conseqently makes no sense. We need to relax and stop trying to pretend we’re English or Spanish or anything other than who we are — American soccer.
I really like Joe Roth. He has a lot of good ideas and seems to be really passionate for the sport.
I think this is awesome and I’m happy to be proven wrong. What are the other Sounders going to think of it I wonder?
And AB, unfortunately I have to agree with these other guys. Have you ever watched a soccer game? Beckenbauer was the best player alive when he joined the USL and it’s list of goofily-named teams.
Any nod to history is great in my opinion.
Worst. Crest. Ever.
Now i’m not coming!
I thought they’d be called the Drew Carrys…I wounder who the Redbulls are gonna lose in that expansion draft!
This is great news for the seattle fans. I thought sounders was off the table, but they got it done.
AB,
Google or youtube Sounders. The name is very specific to that region and has signifigance.
Henny wont come because they have the same name of the team guys like Redknapp and 66′ world cup winners played for?…get a grip you dolt.
“Now they definitely wont get Thierry henry with a name like that.”
hahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaahhhhaaaaa!!!!
Where to begin? Really your entire post is poorly thought out. This quote is just the money shot.
Awesome victory for the fans. Excellent effort. The crest looks awesome. I have a feeling the Sounders are going to be the team that nobody can hate really . . everyone will look and go “aww, how cute” . .
great job seattle fans. congrats!
Being from the Pacific Northwest I was hoping they would go with “Pacific Northwest Rangers” or (PNC) for short. As it stands, I’ll never cheer for the “Sounders” even though I’m not too far from Seattle. Looks like DC United is still my team.
This is a great victory for the tradition and preservation of the game in Seattle and the fans.
Great choice. Seattle’s fans should be proud.
Totally agree with PJhardy. What a stupid name. I realize that there’s history behind the name Sounders, but come on. Thats something a U7 team names themselves. Fans don’t always know whats best for marketing. Now they definitely wont get Thierry henry with a name like that.
I have despised the name Seattle Sounders for nearly 30 years. I’m glad that I will get to despise them for another 30 years. In all seriousness, I think this is great for the MLS and Seattle.
I would have loved to have seen Emerald City FC. but I would have chosen this 2nd.
Yeah I agree that they could have done without the “FC” but nobody will say it when they refer to them anyway. People will just say the Seattle Sounders.
Yeah, the FC part is still too much Euro-wannabe, but Sounders is American soccer tradition. Great to see. At this point, the only truly ridiculous name in MLS is Real Salt Lake (Lago de Sal.)
watching the presser now, joe roth has some pretty big ambitions that he’s talking about. single handedly turning seattle into a world power? good luck
Absolutely the best choice. Combines the Seattle tradition and the international flavor. Responds to fans… and still remains classy.
Go Sounders!
Chalk up another CRAP name in MLS.
Chivas should now be called the LA Goats.
FC Dallas should now go back to Dallas Burn.
And so on, and so on. Oh well, maybe Sounders will have some wonderful fluffy lime green mascot to put on all of its merchandise, you know…..just like all of the respected teams around the world, like Man. U, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barca, Real Madrid and so forth.
Crap name.
thank you Seattle thank you! great choice! i was so scared when i was watching the unveiling but they made the best choice. sounders has a history and it was way better than republic or alliance and more creative than just seattle fc. i cant wait.
Good choice. Preserves a link with the history of soccer in Seattle and has a little character to it – unlike Seattle FC, for example.
Fans have indeed spoken.
I’m glad they kept the Sounders name. It’s been around for a long time and the Sounders have done really well in the USL.
Notch one win for the fans!!!
WOW I’m glad the fans got what they wanted. Great press conference so far.
Better than the three proposed. Reason prevailed.
I liked Emerald City Sounders but I can see why they would want Seattle in the name of the team.
Chalk one up for the fans. Love the name