Sounders FC on Tuesday will begin the first leg of a journey to reach that championship realm missing from an otherwise stellar business résumé.
Over an eight-year period, the Major League Soccer version of the Sounders has won four U.S. Open tournaments, a Supporters’ Shield for the best regular-season record and untold business accolades for building a grass-roots support base. But they have never made the MLS Cup final, something that could change after two upcoming Western Conference final games against Colorado.
In the gate-driven MLS, lacking the billion-dollar local TV deals fueling other sports, any home playoff dates are a welcome bottom-line addition.