Sounders FC to host Chelsea this summer

By Sports Network, The Sports Network

Seattle Sounders FC will host English Premier League club, Chelsea, on July 18 at Qwest Field, the Major League Soccer club announced.

"This will be unlike any international game ever played in the Pacific Northwest," Sounders FC majority owner Joe Roth said. "Chelsea is one of the top clubs in the world, and they are playing the home team, our Sounders FC, backed by our loyal supporters. The atmosphere that afternoon will be incredible."

Seattle, which opens its first season in MLS on March 19 vs. the New York Red Bulls, has included the match in its full 18-game season ticket package. To date, the club has sold 19,800 season tickets.

"We are delighted to be opening our preseason preparations in Seattle," said Peter Kenyon, the Chief Executive of Chelsea FC. "It is a fantastic city and we have great memories of our time there in the summer of 2004 which went on to be a great season for us. The Sounders FC will provide us with a real test and we are happy that a sporting city like Seattle now has its own new soccer franchise as it is important for the development of the game in the United States. We will be bringing a full strength squad so it should be a great game."

Edited February 18, 200917 yr by Scott

"We will be bringing a full strength squad" to the hotel, and sending the reserves to play the American lads.

Come to the east coast Chelsea!

Was just coming on here to post this!! Glad to hear that they are coming back to Seattle, I will be there for sure...might even bring a few other repribates along!!!

Manny, if you are planning on going, let me know and we'll have a get together

Scott

sounds to me like this will be the first of a few games stateside...on chelsea tv tonight they said look out for more announcements and said something about don't be suprised about going to Washington

DC or State?

Please let it be DC

Yeah I'd drive up to DC myself.

Please let it be DC

Shared feelings. A game in DC would fit into my summer of being in Maryland perfectly! ;)

DC United - Chelsea. Now theres a dream tie!

yes yes yes

heard the rumor about this a few weeks ago, glad to see it's gonna happen

you know there will the Great North American Piss-Up 2009, even if it's just me and Mad Mac!

by the by, the Sh*ttle Sounders are my Portland Timbers biggest rivals, we hate that scum just as much as we Chels fans hate the Sp*rs. it will be much pleasing to the eye to see Chelsea roll over those fvckers like the little leaguers they are.

Scott, I'll be in touch with you, mate, we'll definitely sort it out.

Nice one....I've been a Timber fan since I've been to the NW even though I'm in WA so I'll be glad when the Timbers join the MLS and can whoop the sounders!

On the MLS issue, who do you think will be the next teams to come in for 2010?

I heard that Portland, a team in CA and a team in Canada's BC were fore-runners. However, I have heard that a team in Miami that are meant to be an american team associated with Barca, are now favourites. So it could be Portland and a team from Miami!

Heard the same about Miami, and I have to believe another Canadian team will get one as they generally have the best support in the league.

Heard the same about Miami, and I have to believe another Canadian team will get one as they generally have the best support in the league.

couver i

them's fighting words.

i mean this with the utmost respect -- that is really really really wrong.

The portland timbers have led the league in attendance since we got our team back 8 years ago. By far. Vancouver is proud because their "die hard" supporters group numbers 20 or 30 (I can show you a video to prove this) -- the Timbers Army is in the 3000 - 4000 range (and again, this is for minor league soccer...it will explode if we get into the MLS).

as for corporate support, that's where Vancouver falls flat. the Canadian corporate sponsorship platform is atrocious. things are much easier in the United States, especially in Portland, where we have the headquarters for NIKE, the north american HQ for adidas, Columbia sportswear, etc, etc.

i can go on and on, but if Portland loses out to Vancouver, it won't be because of support -- fan based or corporate.

my prediction is Portland and Miami. it will be close, though. lots of political wrangling still to come before it's a done deal.

Crap, I knew everyone would ignore Melkyns proposal for a 50 000 seat stadium and MLS franchise in Ottawa :wub: Btw for the Canadian side, Montreal would be a better shout for me then Vancouver. Better team, better fans, new stadium and the city is alive with the CONCACAF Champions League.

I really do hope Portland get into the MLS. The support looks fantastic. I've been to a couple of MLS games and the atmosphere in some of those games were a bit stale.

tester

Manny......Did you go/Are you going to the rally to try and convnice the powers that be at Town hall to get their fingers out and put in a serious bid for the Timbers?

Think there was some kind of "Petition March" lately...or about to happen?

Scott

Great news released today (for me at least!). Chelsea will also be playing in Baltimore, Maryland (against AC Milan), and in Arlington, Texas (against Club America at the new Cowgirls Stadium).

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0...1601666,00.html

All matches will be on ESPN or ESPN2 as well.

YES!

I may have to head to Dallas.

Stay away from that grassy knoll!

Stay away from that grassy knoll!

Actually that's the safest place to be.

yeah it's the back of convertibles that are the dangerous places, when near the grassy knoll!

I think NickWUS also said that Chelsea are palying in San Francisco aginst Inter! That would be a great match too.....Manny, fancy making the trip there too?

Scott

I forgot to ask....could you fly out this way for a weekend? The amount it'd cost you to drive to DC versus the amount to fly to Seattle, if they were comparable, would mean we could have a little "piss up" in Seattle. Just not sure you'd get your S&W through the metal detectors though!