When Seattle’s United Soccer League affiliate formally rebranded on Wednesday to Tacoma Defiance, it completed the final step in the Sounders’ developmental restructuring.
Formerly Sounders FC 2, the Defiance began playing at Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium in 2018 after spending the previous three seasons at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. Now fully integrated into the city of Tacoma, Defiance is the apex of the Sounders’ new comprehensive approach to player development, one in which the Sounders invested eight figures three years ago.
“Tacoma Defiance is going to be the center piece of that development,” said Sounders General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey.