Dream big, Sounders fans

So maybe Thierry Henry won't be pulled in by Seattle Sounders FC. Given that that was an absolute best-case scenario, Seattle fans probably won't be too let down. But there is serious reason to hope for a similar caliber of player in both skill and fame. 

There's the annual international tour that has been announced. Any team intending to send their team on tour to other countries for exhibitions - months before playing a single game - clearly has some big plans in store. These plans were again alluded to by owner Joe Roth after the Brazil game, when he talked about the possible signing of a designated player: "I think it's the next really big decision," Roth said. "It's a decision that can help make the team. Conversely, there are very few decisions that could really kill us and set us back, and I think getting the wrong designated player, getting somebody who's past his prime, getting somebody who is not a good member of the community, really has to take a lot of considered thought."

Now, the way he talks about it makes it seem pretty clear that the team intends to bring in a designated player for 2009. (Which fits with everything I've heard so far.) And they want someone who still is a quality player, as well as someone 'big' enough to merit being the centerpiece of an international tour. Teams with stars go on world tours. Teams like San Jose or Real Salt Lake do not. So the door is open for virtually any player in the world to be brought in to Seattle. Remember Mr. Roth's comments, way back in November when the team was announced, about wanting to bring in Ronaldinho? Might not be as unlikely as you think...

Imagine...

Imagine MLS Seattle
It isn't hard to do
We'd have a team to die for
We'd win some trophies too
Imagine thirty thousand people
Cheering in the stands...

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And cheer for our team as one

So with about 16 months to go until MLS Seattle kicks off, over TEN THOUSAND deposits have been made for season tickets. And it's not like all the soccer fans in the city have signed up already, either... many are waiting on the team name and/or ticket prices to be released. This begs the question... how high can we go? Would 20K be all that far-fetched? With 20 thousand season ticket holders, the lower bowl could get sellouts frequently, and the atmosphere would surely be the best for any soccer team in the United States. The lower bowl with the 'Hawks Nest' added probably could hold nearly thirty thousand people. Imagine...