Coming off six straight non-Covid-impacted seasons of declining attendance and hoping to capture some of the momentum around hosting three Club World Cup matches, the Seattle Sounders just announced an interesting plan to get more fans into the building. The “First Match on Us” promotion is pretty straightforward — new fans can get two free tickets to their first game — and seems to also be well considered.
Fans aren’t just being offered tickets — that’s not so different than how I imagine most fans end up going to their first game, even if those tickets are being provided by the team — they are getting to choose from 11 different games, the type of experience they’ll be exposed to, and also given some information that will put everything into context.
New fans have a choice of getting tickets in general seating, family-friendly seating or even in the Brougham End to stand with ECS. Once they’re at the stadium, the fans will be greeted with a sort orientation about the club and the traditions. They’ll also receive a complimentary scarf. They can register here.
This appears to be the first public initiative the team has put in place since they named Ashly Fosberg as the first-ever “Chief Impact and Fan Engagement Officer.” Fosberg has been with the Sounders for nearly a decade and was most recently the director of the RAVE Foundation, the team’s philanthropic arm.
“This is more than a ticket to a game; it’s an open-armed invitation to experience the passion and camaraderie that make Sounders FC special,” Fosberg said in a team statement. “Whether someone is new to Seattle searching for a sense of community, a family looking for child-friendly outings or fans of other soccer leagues or sports who have never given the Sounders a try, First Match On Us has been thoughtfully planned to provide all our first-time fans with a welcoming and inclusive experience.
“We are being intentional about introducing these guests to our matchday rituals, giving them insight into what to watch for during the match and even gifting them with their first Sounders scarf so they can raise it high and take part in the traditional ‘Scarves Up, Seattle’ moment. It’s our hope that this program gives new fans the chance to feel the energy and connection that define our club.”
In addition to this program, the Sounders have also apparently worked with ECS to set up some more affordable ticketing options for seats in the Brougham End. Through ECS, fans can get tickets for as little as $19.74.
This all comes at a time when the Sounders have watched their attendance dip basically every year since 2017, which included a a drop of more than 4% in each of the past two seasons. Although they still ranked third in MLS in terms of average attendance, the Sounders’ 2024 average of 30,727 ranked as their lowest since joining the league in 2009. Attendance at Saturday’s season-opener was 30,055, the second lowest they’ve ever had for their first home game of the season.
Although the Sounders seem to have much more relevance in Seattle than teams in virtually every other MLS market, that’s not been reflected in attendance. The Sounders seem hopeful that programs like this and tapping into interest around the Club World Cup will help reverse the trend.
“First Match On Us was created as an invitation to new audiences in at a moment when our sport is at the brink of unprecedented attention and growth,” Sounders President of Business Operations Hugh Weber said in the team statement. “We’re confident that giving people in our community the chance to take in our matchday experience will lead to many falling in love with the sport and our club in advance of FIFA Club World Cup 2025 this summer and FIFA World Cup 2026 next summer.”
