Portland's road to MLS remains a bumpy one

October 15, 10:22 AMSeattle Soccer ExaminerDavid Falk

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If it ain't broke: Portland's new MLS website uses a theme that garnered success in both Toronto and Seattle: making the new club appear as a 'gateway' to the 'world's game.'

I've seen a few newsworthy stories involving Portland, Oregon's steps towards Major League Soccer in 2011 lately, so I thought I'd link to a few of them here and get Puget Sounders caught up on the trials and breakthroughs of our once and future rivals.

10/15 Update: Timbers owner Merritt Paulson called a 'liar' by Willamette Weekly blogger.

10/15 Update: It just gets more and more rancorous down in Portland. Today KATU is reporting that Randy Leonard wants Paulson to 'recant' statements he made to the City of Beaverton. "You know, he has to recant," Leonard is quoted. "And he has to publicly recant because that's not the deal we had and if he doesn't, I'll beat him to the punch and I'm not known for being patient and I'll pull the trigger first." And do what? "Kill the deal," he said. "He's not going to blackmail the City of Portland using the City of Beaverton to take the Beavers or not. That's not going to happen."

10/16 Update: Damage control appears to be working, says OregonLive.com, after Paulson and Leonard met. "We're back on track, given his willingness to recant," Leonard said. "He asked me what he needed to do, and I said, 'Shut up.' He said 'OK.'"

In a September 17 story for Sports Illustrated the headline read Portland's ugly road to MLS status. "If (Merritt) Paulson gets his way, Seattle and Portland fans will be slinging mud at one another while a renovated PGE Park hosts the Rose City's MLS premiere in 2011. But if he doesn't, this minor-league town will be reeling from a lost opportunity," writes Casey Michel. The article details the uneasy and at times even unfriendly community responses to Merritt Paulson's dealings to get PGE Park up to MLS standards and find a home for the Triple-A Baseball Portland Beavers.

Since that month-old article more revelations about the Portland plan and Paulson's challenges have been documented. On September 22 Oregon Live reported that PGE Park would have 17,000 seats for MLS with flexibility to expand as needed. "Despite adding about 5,000 new seats, the capacity of PGE Park when it opens for Major League Soccer in 2011 likely will be close to the roughly 17,000 seats available today. How come? Designers told the Portland Design Commission last week that they plan to screen off about 5,000 of the least attractive existing seats in the upper concourse of the north end with a metal mesh or fabric screen." The screen could be used as a background for stable or even moving images." This puzzled some Oregonians and many around the MLS fan community. A remodel that doesn't increase seating capacity, but rather shrinks it a bit? For a town that proclaims to be 'soccer mad,' and whose rivals in Seattle (and eventually Vancouver) will draw averages in the 30,000 range?

The saga to get a stadium for the Beavers has shifted back and forth between possible locations and possible funding sources. OregonLive.com reported that the public would likely foot most of the bill.

The Willamette Week documented on October 1st that the deadline for Paulson to have his financial agreements finalized has been extended until winter. Meanwhile the Portland Timbers played on in the United Soccer Leagues, where they won the Commissioners Cup for finishing at the top of the table and the Cascadia Cup for beating rivals Vancouver in their derby series. Only a playoff pratfall at the feet of the very same Whitecaps blemished an otherwise banner Timbers year.

Portland recently debuted their latest MLS campaign website, www.PortlandMLS2011.com That brings us to the last few days, and more revelations. OregonLive.com reports that if there is no baseball stadium deal for the Beavers, then there will be no MLS in Portland. Straight from Paulson's mouth.

History is very clear that Seattle and Portland supporters are sometimes at odds with each other, and at other times it is even more hostile. I've given some and taken some over the years with the Timbers Army. However, even I am getting both queasy and sick and tired of the way this is all dragging out at every turn for the Timbers. We want Portland in the league because playing them is fun, and beating them is even better. Who can argue that their loyal fans don't deserve a faster resolution?

I found this opinion piece today. It actually was my inspiration for recapping all of these articles. The opinion says, in part: "The Portland-Seattle derby is of particular interest. With the two cities only two and a half hours from each other fans will be eager to renew this great rivalry. In the summer of 2009 the two sides squared off in the U.S. Open Cup and the atmosphere at PGE Park was simply the best I have encountered in North America. It was reminiscent of an English F.A. Cup match-up between a Premier League side and a relegated second division rival. Over 16,000 supporters packed the ground, and Seattle’s 1,000 away fans were a sign of things to come." A surprising source for this material: Seattle Wolves FC media director Alex Caulfield.

The Cascadia soccer world is not out of balance. I still want Portland to fail at every level possible. I still fear the structure that the Whitecaps are building. I still want global domination for the Sounders. Let's get real, though. The struggle to finish the deal in Portland is annoying. Exactly how can Seattle drub it's 'little brother' if that same brother can't seem to finish finding his way into our new backyard?

Portland MLS announcement in March.