Soccer

Soccer known as football in the rest of the world except United States is becoming quite popular here as well.

The Seattle Sounders FC has the largest attendance in the MLS. Also, the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps are right up there as well so it shows how popular and important soccer is in the Northwest. Not only people are watching the sport the kids are playing a lot of it as well. In fact, many schools in the Northwest the boys are playing soccer more than football. I would say the small schools that still have football will likely not provide it in the next five to ten years. A lot of girls are playing the sport as well.

On Monday October 13 both the Sounders and the Timbers announced they were going to have teams playing in the USL Pro League starting in 2015. If you have not heard of this league which I can say I had not before October 13 they are considered the third level of professional soccer in the United States. Also, all the teams in the MLS (the league Sounders, Timbers, and Whitecaps are in) will be required to have either teams or players in the USL Pro League next year. The League will be expanding from 12 teams to 24 teams. It will be players who the MLS consider development. It will be like a minor league that Major League Baseball has. The teams in Seattle and Portland will be called Sounders FC2 and TimbersFC2. They wanted to be sure that they could still control the players who go to the USL Pro League. This will allow the players to be able to play more, and be able to contribute to the main club in the future. The attendance both teams have it will allow the fans to see more soccer, or for those who can’t see the main team to see those teams. Sometimes it is as exciting to see the younger players coming up instead of the established players. This will really allow the players coming out of college to continue developing their skills.

I think all this is positive for the young kids who are beginning to play soccer that they may have a future playing professional just like football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.