Seattle Sounders FC have only played one away match so far but we are already getting an early idea of how the club will be 'supported' in local pubs when they travel.
It's not just the weekend Barclay's Premiership, the World Cup, Euros or Champions League that fill pubs locally anymore. Sounders supporters are planning and promoting large gatherings via Facebook and other social websites. GOALSeattle.com and WeAreECS.com both have forums where fans can connect with each other and plan pub outings.
I was at Doyle's Public House in Tacoma where a higher than expected turn out of green shirts watched Seattle white-wash Toronto 2-0 last Saturday. (See my Doyle's photos and video here).
Another hot spot was Atlantic Crossing in Seattle, where they were packed to the gills with Emerald City Supporters cheering, chanting and drinking their way through a third Sounders victory.
Emerald City Supporters celebrate the Sounders 2-0 win at Toronto while pubbing it at The Atlantic Crossing.
(Joe Armand, PointTakenPhotos.com)
It likely comes as no surprise to anyone following world football, but especially the European game, that pubs are popular when the home club is on TV and away from home. Seattle fans have an added bonus in that as matches start selling out well in advance the local pubs will likely see increased traffic for matches at Qwest Field, too. All Sounders home and away matches are free on local TV or national sports stations.
The American soccer revolution will happen one pint at a time, whether you are a beer drinker or not. I don't drink much, but I love the atmosphere of 'pub culture' and look forward to more local flavor Sounders fans can bring to pubs. It will be real and it will be us, Seattle, our club filling stools and tables and creating the buzz and desire to sing loud songs.
The British have a big head start on us in the Pubs, just like they do on the pitch. We'll show them we are here to stay, and I'll take the Bangers and Mash with mine.
Steve Kelley in today's Seattle Times:
The passion that I felt watching the FA Cup final in 1961 can be felt at Sounders FC games. That same singing and cheering, that same nonstop, vicarious participation, all of it has come to Qwest.
The crowds are different, more involved than the old Sounders crowds of the 1970s. They feel more middle class. Soccer in this area used to be an almost elitist sport. Now it feels as if it belongs to everyone.
There is a sustained energy at Qwest that wasn't there at Memorial Stadium or the Kingdome when the old Sounders played. The level of soccer is much higher and the fans are more attuned to the nuances of the game.
SoccerBars.com is one source for finding a pub near you. Fox Soccer Channel has a West Coast list of soccer-friendly pubs.
WHERE DO YOU GO? Post your pub in our comments section below!
Emerald City Supporters sing at the Atlantic Crossing during last week's away match in Toronto:
Comments
You have no idea how good it is, for a football-loving Englishman now living in Bellingham, to see the Sounders playing good football and creating some noise locally. Watching the youtube video from Atlantic Crossing nearly bought tears to my eyes.
I just wish I could get down for all the home games, but Bellingham is a bit of a hike and my kids are young yet.
I saw a Sounders Whitecaps game at Qwest Field about three years ago and got to the Man Utd. Celtic game there too. Magic!
Come on you Sounders. I'll get to a game before the season is out.
Nice to see the love spreading around. special shout out to Kells and George & Dragon, too.
I went to a pub in the U-District called the Blue Moon which had Sounders fans in it at the bar watching the game on the HDTV. On the way there I passed Azteca Mexican restaurant on Eastlake and there was a big Sounders banner hanging from the roof and rave green shirts milling about outside.
April 25th and May 10th matches sold out.
Pub 85 in Kirkland was a great spot to catch the game.
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