More than six weeks from playing the game and just about 72 hours after tickets went on sale, the Seattle Sounders have effectively already sold out their U.S. Open Cup semifinal against LAFC, which is now officially scheduled for Aug. 27. As of press time, about a dozen actual seats and an undetermined number of standing-room-only tickets remained available despite tickets starting at $65, about three times more expensive than Open Cup tickets at Starfire Stadium normally cost.
The last time there was enough demand to warrant SRO tickets for an Open Cup match at Starfire was the infamous Red Card Wedding in 2015.
Jeremiah Oshan
Several factors likely contributed to the quick sellout:
The location
As part of the Open Cup’s restructuring earlier this year, venues like Starfire were no longer supposed to be in play. But since Lumen Field isn’t available due to a Metallica concert, the Sounders were able to obtain a waiver.
Under normal circumstances, Starfire fits about 3,500 fans. For bigger games, they can push capacity beyond 4,000 by adding some temporary bleachers. The last time the Sounders hosted a Open Cup semifinal – in 2014 – they packed in about 4,300. If they really want to get aggressive, the attendance record is 4,898 for the 2009 Open Cup semifinal against the Houston Dynamo that birthed the Zombie Jaqua legend. As of today, it’s unclear how many tickets they’re making available.
The intimate setting does create a unique atmosphere, too. At its best, it can create a home-field advantage unlike anything else in American soccer. The Sounders have an almost hard-to-believe 25-1-2 record in the Open Cup at Starfire, dating back to 2005 when they were in the USL. The Sounders are historically a very good home team (1.95 all-time points per game in the MLS regular season) but certainly not 2.75 ppg good.
At its best, it’s a frolicking good time that has the potential to overwhelm opponents, like the 6-0 win over the Chicago Fire to advance to the 2014 Open Cup final. But it also has the potential to go a bit off the rails, like the 2015 meeting with the Portland Timbers that featured a trash can being thrown onto the field and the referee being escorted off the field by a police detail.
The stakes
The Sounders are among the most successful teams in Open Cup history, holding a 26-7-6 all-time record, having won the title four times and qualifying for five finals. If they win this match, they’ll have a chance to become the first MLS team to win five titles, which would also tie the all-time record that was last matched in 1981.
While hosting rights for the final have not yet been determined, there’s a decent chance that game could be played at Lumen Field, where the Sounders won the 2010 and 2011 titles. The Sounders have previously hosted four cup finals at Lumen Field, winning those games by a collective score of 10-2.
The opponent
LAFC is the hottest team in MLS and a serious contender for the Supporters’ Shield, as well as one of the favorites for the other trophies that remain in play. They also feature a star-studded roster that already includes the likes of Denis Bouanga and Hugo Lloris. By the time this game rolls around, French legend Olivier Giroud will presumably be fully integrated.
While Starfire has hosted some serious talent, there’s never been a visiting team that is quite this stacked. Based on the lineup decisions LAFC have made to get to this point, there’s no reason to think that head coach Steve Cherundolo is going to start pulling punches with a trophy in touching distance.
The Sounders also owe LAFC a little payback, after they came into Lumen Field in last year’s Western Conference semifinal and eliminated Seattle with a 1-0 result.
