If you don't have a scarf yet (which would be foolish) Scarf Seattle is about to return. Head to Ballard and Madison Park on Friday to see the scarfing in action. This will give you the opportunity to Wear Your Scarf to Work on Friday. Wear your colors with pride. I now know dozens at Starbucks SSC (HQ) that will be doing this. Grow the sport people.
There is a ton of other news.
The MLS Cup Final will be in Seattle on Sunday November 22nd in the evening so it only goes up against NFL Sunday on NBC. That gives a solid opportunity to beat those old ratings. And they will have more fans there than any of those tiny SSS can hold. Remember Qwest is a SSS - just bigger.
Also, I'm hoping that sections of the Upper Deck are set aside for supporters from each of the league's teams, including Philadelphia and the two new expansion teams.
710 ESPN Seattle has its lineup out. Basically the live and local is from noon until post-game wraps up between 10P and Midnight. Sounders FC's play-by-play guy hosts from 3-6PM.
Duane did his Sounders FC preview today. I'm going to offer a counter in full tomorrow, but give it a read. He's the best soccer blogger North of the 49th.
Expansion News - it really looks like a three horse race now.
In Portland the city council approved the stadium plans 3-2. But there is a 15M$ hole in the budget, but still its probably puts Portland in a good position overall.
In St. Louis Anheuser-Busch has pledged funding for the expansion bid. With A-B being a huge league sponsor this helps Cooper and St.Louis a ton. I think this puts them in the 2011 hunt.
Vancouver BC seems to be fine. The Winter Olympics can only help the situation, and the money is there. Qwest has proved that a SSS doesn't have a size limit, its really about revenue control. The future Whitecaps don't have that, but everything else seems set. A Canadian national TV contract, one or two local drivable rivals and of course Toronto.
Could MLS still take 3 if all pay 40M$ US each? Would the league really turn its back on extra cash in this climate? I doubt it. It would mean that there would be 19 teams, but still it makes so much sense for the league, with 2013 being Miami, Ottawa, NY2, Atlanta vying for the spots.
As I said, today was a big news day. Let's make Friday about us, the fans.