This might be an odd thing to post at daily kos, but I think to myself it isn't quite fully off topic. It does involve a certain level of politics, while also showing the power of the grassroots and netroots.
Major League Soccer is expanding to Seattle. The ownership is made up of Joe Roth (Hollywood Producer), Paul Allen (yeah, that one), Adrian Hannauer (local soccer supporter) and Drew Carey. Drew has some things that might not make him popular here at dKos, but in this case he ONLY joined the ownership because they agreed with him to attempt to bring Democracy to American sports.
This effort would be an echo of what has been done with the Barcelona club in Spain. The most notable element is that the fans can vote on the President of the Club. But Seattle's first test is coming up, quite simply - the name vote.
The ownership proposed the following three names, two lame and one merely adequete.
FC Seattle
Seattle Alliance
Seattle Republic
Ownership has been quite clear that they felt they wanted to breakaway from the traditional soccer name in Seattle, the Seattle Sounders. So that name didn't even make the cut. There was an outcry online and in the newspapers and via email. So the ownership only kind of caved and they have now offered a write in option. Certainly that makes it tough.
What the ownership did not take into account was the fact that many of its season ticket deposits are from the fans who have already supported the current Sounders of the USL and the former Sounders of MLS. They also didn't understand that in Democracy the internet is starting to take over not just a fundraising tool, but a marketing effort that at times can capture viral attention. They kind of get it, in that their website MLS in Seattle will host the poll, but they don't yet get how many people around the world can attempt to game this online poll. They also don't quite understand the passion that can be elicited in this beautiful game.
Soccer in America still has its working class and family roots. Imagine getting 4 good seats to 15 games in any other top flight sport in the USA for less than 1,500 dollars as is possible in most MLS cities. Imagine players making money that you can actually imagine. David Beckham, the league's highest paid player makes just over 5 Million per year from the team/league. The minimum salary in the league is right at mid-America wages, and the reserve players have jobs like the rest of us as they only make a minimum of about 12,000. So not only is this growing sport still accessible for America, but the Seattle Club is adding a nice little wrinkle by empowering people - allowing us to vote on the name, to vote on the GM, not just because of money, but there will be fan group for nonseason ticket holders that costs between 50 and 100$.
So what I'm asking the DailyKos community to do is join Seattle Sounder fans in attempt to show some powerful men in the Hollywood/technology scene just what Democracy means in America, let alone in American sports.
Join myself, the GoalSeattle community, BigSoccer and numerous other blogs, message boards, etc and write-in Seattle Sounders in the online poll.
This is the first test of Democracy in American Sports, at least at the highest level. Help the people of Washington continue their traditional name, while also showing the entire sports world how amazing Democracy can truly be. People powered movements can change the world, even outside of politics.
Vote now and write in Seattle Sounders
Update: Seattle Sounders or a variant thereof received 49% of the vote even thought it was only available via write-in. The club will be called Seattle Sounders FC
www.soundersfc.com