After watching the Seattle Sounders FC vs Los Angeles FC Match on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV+ on Saturday, it got me thinking. My Sounders story started 15 years ago on March 25, 2010 …

---

Can’t Spell NEXT Without EX

This all started in 2009 … You see my lil’ sister, Charrina Bayne, aka West Coast Playa [WCP], shared with me a story how she was incredibly screwed out of season tickets from an ex-boyfriend. Hence another reason he’s an “EX”. So as her big brother, I felt helpless to witness my sister in such pain. She loves soccer! The wheels of thought in my head got turning.

Just how much are season tickets for the Seattle Sounders FC? How the hell do you buy something like that anyways?

I called the Sounders Front Office naturally. I spoke to a representative. After several conversations, and contemplation, I was the proud owner of two season tickets to the 2010 Sounders Season. My intention was to present to my lil’ sister her gift. Two season tickets for a year, so she can always have a wingman / wingman / co-worker, always someone next to her on her soccer adventures. This was her birthday gift, Christmas gift, and any other thoughtful gift for the entire year!

They even let her choose her seats: Section 120, Row NN, Seats 7, 8

So, they released the schedule in December I think. I presented her my gift. She was ECS-tatic! Then she looked at me emphatically, “Ever been to a soccer match, ‘los?”

“Nope, just a ‘hawks fan,” I answer flatly.

“Would come with me to my first match, and basically all the other matches?” she asks me.

Thinking, whicka-what? “Excuse me? That was my gift from me to you. I had no intention of attending any of those soccer matches.”

“Right. I understand that. But I can’t truly enjoy any of them unless my partner in crime is with me. ‘sides, you’re my big brother, I love you and I have the best times with you.”

Thinking, well hell! That didn’t do go the way I thought it would. “Oh, why not? What’s the worst can happen?”

Opening Kick, March 2010

Clad in Sounders FC gear, armed with my ticket, and WCP being my guide to match day, we arrived. She coached me thoroughly about the fun that is about to be had. I had no idea what was in store for me.

During the pre-match ceremonies, I pointed down to a crowd and section of people. “WCP, who’s that?”

“Oh! Them? That’s the ECS. The Emerald City Supporters. It’s the Sounders fanclub.”

“You mean, as in soccer hooligans?”

“Not exactly, but that’s close enough. They sing, wave flags, and truly support and love the Sounders,” she smiles. “I’m a member and cardholder.”

Year 15 of Supporting

I wouldn’t be foolish to post that it’s “old hat” but … after a decade and a half, you do figure it out, per se. l am living in Arizona so attending home matches are problematic. I sell them off to my sister, or she re-sells them to others. Barring the sale, we occasionally gift them.

Since you know my history of the Sounders, here’s some history ABOUT the Sounders:

Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began play in 2009 as an MLS expansion team. The Sounders are a phoenix club, replacing the second-division franchise that played in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL), A-League, and USL First Division (USL-1) from 1994 to 2008, and carrying the same name as the original Sounders franchise that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1983.

The club’s majority owner is Adrian Hanauer, and its minority owners are the estate of Paul Allen, Drew Carey, and 14 families from the Seattle area. Former USL-1 Sounders coach and assistant coach Brian Schmetzer took over as head coach in July 2016 after the departure of Sigi Schmid. The Sounders play their home league matches at Lumen Field, with a reduced capacity of 37,722 seats for most matches. Along with several organized groups, a 53-member marching band called “Sound Wave” supports the club at each home match. Seattle has longstanding rivalries with fellow Pacific Northwest clubs Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, with whom it competes for the Cascadia Cup.

The Sounders played their inaugural match on March 19, 2009, winning 3–0 over the New York Red Bulls. Seattle has been among the league’s most successful teams, winning the U.S. Open Cup four times, the Supporters’ Shield in 2014, and the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019. From its MLS inception until 2022, the team qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs—formerly the longest record in league history—and competed in the CONCACAF Champions League seven times, becoming the first MLS team to win the modern version of the competition in 2022.

The Sounders were the first MLS team to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The team set a new MLS record for average attendance in each of its first five seasons. The Sounders are ranked as one of the most valuable franchises in North America. Its former players have included U.S. international Clint Dempsey, long-time captain Osvaldo Alonso, and all-time assist leader Nicolás Lodeiro. The team’s top goalscorer is Raúl Ruidíaz, who joined the Sounders in 2018 and surpassed Fredy Montero‘s record in 2024. As of last night, March 8, 2025, Jordan Morris is now the top goalscorer with an incredible 87 goals!

Wikipedia, 2025

As you can see, Baynes are all about loyalty! I can easily imagine celebrating our 20th year, 25th year, perhaps even 30 years of supporting the Seattle Sounders FC in the MLS in 2040. Crazy to think about, eh?

Go Sounders!