May 10, 2011
Adrian Hanauer Doesn’t Want Traveling Supporters
“We don’t want a bunch of traveling supporters. As soon as we open up the whole building, it’s a free for all. So obviously when we open our whole building up it’s a lot different than when Vancouver and Portland open up their whole buildings, because their buildings hold 18,000 and 20,000. We want home games. We want our fans. We want our energy. We want to get our three points at home.” -Adrian Hanauer
I’m not completely sure what Adrian Hanauer is so worried about…wait, let me rephrase. I have no clue what Adrian Hanauer is talking about.
You see Adrian that’s exclusionary thinking from an executive of a MLS franchise and last I checked, the last thing any MLS franchise needs to be doing is being exclusionary. Even one averaging 36k+ attendance at every home match. Maybe exclusionary isn’t the right word, maybe monetary thinking is better.
Why else would you be complaining about having to sell a couple hundred tickets to Portland supporters traveling up for the first match in MLS between these two ancient rivals (well, ancient by American soccer standards). Are those 500 seats that you have to cut a deal on for the Timbers Army really going to cause your wallet that much consternation?
Maybe you’re concerned that 20,000 Timbers’ supporters would invade Qwest and show up your own supporters? Yee have little faith in your fans apparently.
I don’t know what you deal is Adrian, but saying you “don’t want a bunch of traveling supporters” sounds well, shitty. Traveling support is part of what makes soccer great, part of what makes matches even more fun and provides a different level of atmosphere that other sporting events could only hope to recreate. Instead, you don’t want that…right? I mean that is what you said. What’s worse, you’re sort of telling your own fans that the Sounders don’t care if they see you in other stadiums across the country.
After all, how can you bitch about away supporters in your own stadium and then simultaneously applaud your team’s fans that show up week in, week out when your team is on the road. It’s a funny message to send to people who spend their hard earned money to travel and support your team.
Now, you probably didn’t mean it that way, but that’s why you have to think before you speak sometimes and realize that making petty complaints about what are likely menial financial issues can have a more far reaching effect.
Next time you’re on the road and there’s a group of Sounders supporters singing and chanting for the team, don’t bother to thank them for coming or say how much you appreciate traveling supporters…I mean, we wouldn’t want you to sound like a hypocrite.
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douche
him, not you.
Besides atmosphere, what about the $30 fricking dollars a head at the gate for tickets plus all the sales of beer and organic brown rice krab sushi or whatever the hell they serve at Qwest. Criminally unclear on the concept of making money let alone running a sawker team.
With you all the way Ginge. The quote is insane, and one that you would never, ever see Chris Canetti make.