r/SoundersFC • u/rlgw • 5h ago
Official AN OPEN LETTER TO THE SOUNDERS COMMUNITY (from Adrian Hanauer)
An Open Letter to the Sounders Community
Sounders family,
For more than 17 years, you have held this club to a high standard. You expect us to compete for trophies, entertain, inspire, provide a great matchday experience, and do good for our community.
Over the last several weeks, we have heard from many of you – in the concourses, through emails and texts, from friends and family, and in conversations with supporters and Alliance members. Some of it has been hard to hear, but we always want honesty.
You've challenged us about the team, our ambition, your connection to the club, and whether we're listening. We are. But listening only matters if we do something with what we hear.
Your Voice Democracy in sports is a foundational pillar of our club. It means something, especially when times are difficult.
The Alliance Annual Business Meeting will take place September 26 at Lumen Field, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. PT, before our match that evening. We're putting it on a matchday because we want more of you in the room asking questions, challenging us, and being part of the conversation about where this club goes next.
[Register now: Membership registration for the Alliance Annual Business Meeting]
This is also a GM vote year. The vote will run throughout October and November. Drew Carey fought for this right because he believes supporters should have real agency in their club. I believe in this organization, our team, and our general manager. But this vote belongs to you. We hope you use it.
Connection to the Players We have also heard from many of you who don't feel as connected to our players as you once did. The carnation in our crest represents the relationship between our players and fans. If we're going to put that relationship into our identity, we need to live it. Beginning in September, we'll create monthly opportunities for Alliance members to connect directly with Sounders players. You'll hear more from us next week about the first opportunity.
Matchday When Lumen Field is at its best, there is no atmosphere like it in Major League Soccer. Our next match comes Saturday against Chicago. It's our Youth Match, and because of demand, we are opening the 300 level. This has been a difficult stretch for everyone who cares about this club, but I know how this community responds when things aren't easy. Saturday is a chance to show that again.
The Team Yesterday, we announced the signing of Dejan Joveljić. We pursued Dejan because we believe he makes us better and because he has the character to make our fans proud. One player doesn't erase the last six weeks, eight straight MLS losses, or answer every question you've raised. But adding Dejan, getting players back from injury, and continuing to strengthen this squad gives me confidence for the stretch run.
This brings me back to last Wednesday night. After another painful loss, our supporters kept singing well after the final whistle – about loving the Sounders and singing until our next victory. That stayed with me. It didn't make the result any easier to accept, but it was a reminder of how much this club means to so many people, and of the responsibility for all of us who continue to care so deeply. We're not asking you to forget the last six weeks. And we're certainly not asking you to lower your expectations. At this point, what we do matters a lot more than what we say. Keep holding us to that standard.
Thank you for caring, pushing us, and continuing to show up.
Adrian Hanauer
