The Sounders ownership and front office have decided that yesterday’s 4-0 loss to Los Angeles was so unacceptable that fans shouldn’t have to pay for it.
That is, they have decided to comp one game from next year’s season ticket package for those who hold season tickets this season.
General manager Adrian Hanauer said the only thing impressive about yesterday’s game was the full-90 showing of the fans, and therefore he suggested the idea and it was accepted.
“That performance last night wasn’t good enough,” he said today after Sounders training at Starfire Sports Complex. “The effort wasn’t good enough. The execution wasn’t good enough. The heart wasn’t good enough. The passion wasn’t good enough. The only thing that was good enough was our fans. And so we decided that we are going to give our fans their money back for that game – our season-ticket holders, the people who were with us in the beginning (and) will be with us in the future. We’re in this for the long haul. We need them to be in it for the long haul.
“That wasn’t Sounders’ soccer. And it was quite frankly embarrassing, humiliating, and they don’t deserve that. So it’ll come in the form of a credit against next season’s season tickets, because we want people in it for the long haul. … It’s not a precedent. We don’t plan on giving people their money back every time we have a bad game. But as the owners of the club we reserve the right to do whatever we think we need to do to treat our fans the way they’ve treated us.”
In addition to the free game next season, Hanauer said he wants this to be an immediate message to fans that that yesterday’s result was unacceptable, and coach Sigi Schmid said that his players should take that message to heart as well.
Here is, I guess, at least the start of a release from the club.
Wow. I expected a lot of things, but that wasn’t one of them.
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PS Adrian, since I know you read this blog, could I also suggest you put a call into Beaseley’s agent? He announced he’s not returning to Rangers today. Out of contract, American… sounds like a fit.
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What an awesome response to a woeful performance! Color me impressed.
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Even as a season ticket holder, I’m sort of unsure how much I like this. As a message, it’s fine. But what if we lose 5-1 to SJ or get hammered in another home game in the next few weeks? It’s an odd precedent to set.
Part of the fun of the ticket is that you never know what you’ll get, and there are peaks and valleys along the way. Compensating me for a bad performance is to suggest that I have an expectation of a certain standard of performance and a right of compensation if it isn’t met.
My ticket purchase and attendance is how I make my statement about the direction of the club (in part anyway),. Keep my share and put it to acquiring a forward that can finish, even if it’s just for the next 2-3 months. THAT’S how you can make me happy.
Put team on notice that their performances aren’t acceptable and punish them for lack of performance rather than compensating me when they fail.
Won’t turn it down of course, but still think it’s a little weird
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Interesting, Cisco. However, I just added a quote where Hanauer stresses that this isn’t intended to set precedent.
And we also talked a bit today about acquiring new players. I’ll add that soon.
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Now that I’ve read the statements from Adrian and Sigi I get the point of the gesture. Wasn’t needed but it is appreciated.
I’m most pleased that the statement behind the gesture is that the level of commitment shown by the players simply was not acceptable, and that finally they are going to address it.
I’ve been pretty discouraged by the lack of urgency in the games I’ve attended this year, starting with the Union game and thought Sigi was giving too much leeway to veteran players. We may not have many better talent options on the bench, but I suspect we have some players who will give a much better effort.
Go Sounders!
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I would LOVE to have Beaseley in Seattle.
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Yeah, Beezly beezly beezly would be a most excellent idea. With him and Zak on the wings, attack would have much more pace.
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