Seattle Sounders Will Not Get Their Own Stadium
Yes, you read the title correctly. The Seattle Sounders will not get their own stadium, at least not in the near future. You may be asking what brought on this article. After I posted my last article about CenturyLink Field not getting new turf for the 2015 MLS season, a lot of people started complaining and rightfully so. Also the Sounders are working on a new lease with First & Goal that would formalize the turf replacement process.
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That is why the Sounders will not be getting a new stadium anytime in the near future. For all you out there that turns your nose up to American football and think that the Seattle Seahawks should move to another stadium during the latter part of the year, you are crazy. I actually had someone comment on a Facebook post that the Seahawks should move to nearby Husky Stadium to play their games and let the Sounders have CenturyLink to themselves.
One also must remember that if it wasn’t for soccer, the Seahawks would more than likely be called the Los Angeles Seahawks at this point. That being said, the Sounders success would have happened without the Seahawks. If you don’t believe me, read Mike Gastineau’s book Sounders FC: Authentic Masterpiece. It lays everything out on both sides of the ball.
Do the Seahawks need the Sounders to survive? No, of course not. The NFL is a multibillion corporation and doesn’t need help from the Sounders and MLS. After six successful years in MLS, do the Sounders need the Seahawks and the NFL? Money wise, no I don’t believe they do. They need their partnership with the Seahawks so they can use the facility.
Getting back on topic, a new stadium in Seattle will not happen. First off, where will you put it? There are no feasible locations in Seattle that would hold a stadium that can hold the amount of fans that flock to Sounders matches. To build a new stadium, they would have to move outside of Seattle. Bellevue would probably take the Sounders, but I’m not sure where it would go. Also, Bellevue is a nightmare during rush hour and it would only get worse during game days/nights.
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Secondly, who is going to pay for the new stadium? I sure the hell don’t want more taxes to cover another stadium. I also don’t foresee the owners footing 100% of the bill. Does it happen sometimes? Yes, of course it does but it is extremely rare and I don’t see it happening in this case.
As I mentioned earlier, the Sounders are working on a new lease. I like the fact that the Sounders will be playing at CenturyLink Field for a few more years, if not longer. Having a stadium partner in the Seahawks is good in the long run. It is also cheaper for the Sounders to use CenturyLink as it is not your usual “renting” agreement.
In the end, people need to just get use to the fact that the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders will be using the same stadium for the foreseeable future. Yes, the turf needs to be replaced more often than it does at this current point and time. I’m sure that will be a major discussion point while they negotiate a new lease agreement.