Should Portland Follow FC Seattle’s Example?

The FC Seattle Sounders made a splash last year in their inaugural year in the MLS.

The celebrity ownership of Drew Carey, sponsorship from X-Box, signings of Freddie Ljungberg and Kasey Keller, and, finally, playing in new Qwest Field all made for a massive, and impressive, unveiling of the Seattle soccer team.

Both on the field and in the stands, Seattle provided an example of just how big an MLS team's launch can be, constantly exhibiting massive crowds and an impressive team showing. It even found a star-in-the-making in Fredy Montero.

When Portland joins the MLS in 2011, it will hope to match the success of its upstate neighbors.

But don't expect a repeat of the Seattle strategy.

Yes, the Timbers secured $30 million dollars to renovate PGE Park. It will now be strictly a soccer stadium (the AAA Portland Beavers baseball club is rumored to be moving to Beaverton. I sincerely hope they will rename the team the "Beaverton Be...

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