The Candian Announcer Said It ...

... and I have been too ...

Seattle Sounders FC are more like a promoted team than an expansion team.

There I was watching the Canadian coverage of the SSFC and TFC game today and the Canadian color guy mentions how Seattle was different than an expansion team due having been in the USL and already having a roster.

It's true.

I consider the expansion tag to be more marketing than true.

Seattle is a promoted team in the way teams used to be promoted, add talent, upgrade in various areas, keep a core of the 2nd division roster, and then try and be competitive in the 1st division.

Everything the Sounders FC have done appears more like that old promotion model than like an expansion model.

Let's see ... there are something like 7 players from last year on the current roster. The ownership group upgraded and added investors. The coaching staff is the 2nd division coach as an assistant to the proven 1st division coach that was brought in. They went out and added players that would not have signed with a 2nd division team. 3 starters in the opener were on last years team. Fans are wearing old Sounders stuff along with the new rave green stuff.

If last year is an indication it should take about 40 points to get to the playoffs. Given the start it seems plausible in season one.

Of course, in the modern game promotion and relegation are more to distract fans from the fact that the EPL is a handful of good teams that are so far ahead that they are followed by teams playing only for promotion and relegation ... but, I digress.

Anyways ... the question now for the next MLS clubs is can they match what Seattle has done at the start. Philadelphia will have a harder time compared to how Vancouver and Portland are more likely to be able to follow the Seattle model. In a few years we will know. I expect Vancouver to be good, Philadelphia to be a typical expansion team, and Portland to give fans an MLS team to perennially disappoint them.