Sounders to set record for US Open Cup attendance

by Dave Clark on Sep 13, 2010 8:24 PM PDT in Sounders: US Open Cup

Of course, all of you that can be there, will be there.

But have you told your friends who aren't normally fans of the sport that the Seattle Sounders will be defending a championship on their home turf on Oct 5th? Have you been an evangelist for the sport?

At the highest level of professional sports Seattle has not had a back-to-back champion, if even a mid-major championship like the US Open Cup. This is that time. While "Best in MLS" is still to come, this trophy is essentially the "Best in the USA" from amateur through all the semi-pro and professional levels, every team has been involved, and Seattle made the Finals. Seattle HOSTS the Finals.

Press release after the poll and break, share your tales of raising the profile of this trophy and this team

U.S. Open Cup Final Attendance to Break Longstanding Record

RENTON, WASH. - Advance ticket sales for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final between Seattle Sounders FC and the Columbus Crew have surpassed the record attendance for that event, set 81 years ago. The match on October 5 begins at 7 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field and will be nationally televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

More than 22,000 tickets have already been sold. The record attendance for an Open Cup final is 21,583 in 1929 between New York Hakoah and Madison Kennel Club of St. Louis. The record in the tournament's modern era, which began in 1996 when Major League Soccer teams joined, is 19,164 for the 2000 final between the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion.

Tickets start at $15 and will be available by calling 800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Qwest Field box office or at www.SoundersFC.com.

Poll

What are you doing to get more people to the US Open Cup Final?

Nothing

29 votes

I bought 8 seats and am bringing people new to the Sounders

38 votes

I talk about the sport so much I annoy co-workers and friends, no one is coming

32 votes

I bought my 8, and started building the passion among my peers

18 votes

other - tell us what you can do to blow the team away with a HUGE number

22 votes

139 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I am telling all of my friends to make it out to this game but I only plan on sitting with the two or three most passionate of them.

It’s a championship game at Qwest and I want to make sure that I have the best possible environment around me.

by Robert on Sep 13, 2010 9:17 PM PDT reply actions

I've tried to get everyone I know to come, but I've been largely unsuccessful.

My friends that are going are season ticket holders and were able to get seats in GA before they sold out. So I’ll probably be somewhere else in the stadium sitting alone, but that will be fine. It’s going to be an incredible night and I’m going to keep pestering everyone I know until an hour before kickoff.

by Aaron Campeau on Sep 13, 2010 9:25 PM PDT reply actions