Election Season in Seattle

by John Paul Chunga

 

Jerry Jones is the owner, general manager, and team president of the Dallas Cowboys. Like him or not, he manages his team while keeping the fans in mind, but even he would not consider doing what Adrian Hanauer is doing in Seattle. The minority owner and general manager of the Seattle Sounders FC is putting his job security in the hands of the fans.    
  

AP/Elaine Thompson

On October 7th, Sounders’ season ticket holders will decide if they are supportive of Hanauer. It is the first time in US sports history that a general manager’s job will depend on fan voting, but the idea is not entirely innovative.
When Spanish powers FC Barcelona and Real Madrid elect their presidents, stockholders are able to shape the course of the team’s structure. It is this model that Sounders’ minority owner Drew Carey brought to Seattle. 

In 2008, fans chose the name of the club. Initially, the options were Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance. After nearly 15,000 fans wrote in suggesting variations of the name Seattle Sounders FC, the club had no choice but to listen. Carey realizes the power of the fans, and it’s his influence that brings general manager voting to the Emerald City.  

In an interview with Sporting News, Carey said, “The fans will do the dirty work for you. I always gave the Detroit Lions as an example: Matt Millen. He was there so long and made so many bad picks, but the Lions' owners didn't care. In my system with the Sounders, the fans could have fired Matt Millen.”

With the team poised to make its fourth straight appearance in the playoffs, Adrian Hanauer’s job appears to be safe. However, the Sounders’ ownership is taking the team’s slogan to heart: “Democracy in Sports.”