February 18, 2025 • 45 mins
Tonight on the 2025 season debut of Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts chats with President of Business Operations Hugh Weber about grass at Lumen Field, a soccer-specific stadium, a third jersey in 2025, and more, then Ari Liljenwall from MLS Soccer joins the show to talk about Seattle's chance in Concacaf action, the offense, and the rest of the league, then we get to know new Sounders fullback and winger Paul Arriola, specifically the man off the field.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming to you live from our Relliot Avenue studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders
Weekly with your host Jackson Felts.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, good evening, everybody, Welcome in and welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Back to Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
We are back for another season here on Sports Radio
ninety three point three kjr FM. Jackson Felts here for
the next hour and for every week this season, Sounders
Weekly coming to you to break down everything going on
with the Rave Green As.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
It's just such a pleasure to be back.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
We did about an off season podcast a little over
a month ago where we talked about all the off
season moves, and you know that's nice to do once
an off season, but you know, on the week by
week basis of talking Sounders Soccer, I just love it
and it's great to be back here for another season
doing the same thing over again. Speaking of that off
season podcast, in case you missed it, we talked about
(00:57):
the off season overall and how to hit gone. Before
the team went to Spain, they trained of course in Marbea.
They came back, they beat Louisville and now they are
as of you here tonight tonight Tuesday, down in Guatemala
right now preparing to face off and start the season tomorrow,
because the season kicks off tomorrow in CONCACAF Champions Cup action.
(01:19):
They're facing Antigua GFC down in Guatemala, just outside Guatemala
City down there, so they're down there for tomorrow night's game,
which is also you can watch it at five pm
Pacific time on FS two. And then we kick off
the mL LESS season than on Saturday, because that is
(01:40):
where the long thirty four game road will begin with Charlotte.
That is going to be right here on Sports Radio
ninety three point three KJRFM. That as a match at
Luminfield that will kick off at seven thirty. Our prematch
show will begin at seven o'clock coming up on Saturday
evening they're at Luminfield against Charlotte. We'll talk maybe a
(02:01):
little bit later on tonight about Charlotte. Maybe i'll get
ario Lillian Wall's two cents on that I mentioned the
offseason podcast. If you heard that, you heard a couple
of minutes from Paul Ariola, the Sounders new full back midfielder.
He's kind of a Swiss army knife tool. Spent a
lot of years with DC in Dallas. He's now a
Seattle Sounder. You're gonna hear that coming up tonight with
(02:22):
Paul Ariola. Really kind of a less on the field
and more off the field, get to know you, and
this is an interesting person. I think all Sounder fans
are going to want to get to know So you'll
hear that coming up. You'll hear Ari Lillianwall coming up.
He's joining us again each week here in Sounders Weekly.
He of course writes and edits for MLS Soccer dot Com.
(02:42):
He hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorches, which has absolutely exploded.
Him and Noah have done an awesome job on Lobving Scorches. Obviously,
I'll push this show as much as I can, but
I am also a listener to Lobbing Scorches and I
love the content they put out. And I know Ari
welcomes me on that show occasionally. It's just a joy
to have him on this show as well. Ari and
(03:03):
I go all the way back to you know, he
was actually covering the Seahawks and he was at Western.
We have a long, long history and long friendship and
I'm just glad that he is still is good enough
of a friend to be able to come on this
show every week and talk all things soccer and kind
of take us around the league. And then really, other
than Paul and other than Ari, we're gonna lead tonight
(03:26):
and play a large chunk of an interview that I
did with Softy, with Hugh Weber, the Sounders president of
business operations. As we really kind of start this season, listen,
we can preview the CONCACAFT Champions Cup. I'll be quite honest,
I don't know a single thing about Antigua GFC. The
second leg of that, by the way, will be a
(03:46):
week from tomorrow back at Loomin Field. Wednesday, the twenty sixth,
that's also at seven thirty, will not be a radio
broadcast for tomorrow. There will not be a radio broadcast
for next Wednesday here in this first round of CONCACAFT
Champions Cup. We will have that broadcast again for Charlotte
on Saturday seven pm pregame, but no radio broadcast for
these Antiqua GFC matches. But going back to it, I mean,
(04:09):
I don't know too much about them. I just I'm
looking forward to seeing how the Sounders come out in
what formation will they come out, what kind of moves.
I think will Jordan, Pedro and Albert Albert Rusnak obviously
back got a new deal as destinated player. How will
those three combined with hayesus Ferreira, the new striker signed
from FC Dallas traded for excuse me, a guy who
(04:32):
is with the United States men's national team, has a
big history with that squad, has a bunch of hat
tricks with them, and a ton of goals. And he's
still so young and has so much potential. He was
really hamstrung by injuries last year. So if he is healthy,
heyesus Ferreira will certainly help fix the attack because that.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Was the issue last year. We all know it. It's offense.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Offense was the reason the Sounders did not make it
and win an MLS Cup. So now you fix the
offense with hayesus Ferra, and now we should see things better.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
So listen.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I'm interested in seeing how he combines with Albert, with Jordan,
with Pedro, with Christian, et cetera, et cetera. I'm interested
in seeing that, and I'm really interested in seeing how
it all functions together under Brian Schenzer. But I don't
know too much about Antiqua. It's hard to kind of
look ahead to that game. Well, we'll touch on Charlotte
with Ari later on, But in terms of this first
(05:26):
Sounders Weekly of the year, I think the thing to
do really is to kind of just talk about the
state of the Sounders, the state of where we are
at now going into twenty twenty five. So we played
some of this, not all of this, so there's gonna
be some new content here. Sounders President of Business Operations,
Hugh Weber. He joined Sophie and I yesterday for our
(05:48):
President's Day show, and he gave us some nice little details.
We get into the Club World Cup, we get into
when grass is gonna get laid down, some new content
here tonight, the third Jersey that will be talked about
here in this conversation, the situation of the financials of
Club World Cup that will be talked about in this
(06:09):
part of the conversation. So there's going to be some
new info here from Sounders President of Business Operations, Hugh Weber.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
We started the.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Conversation by simply asking him to give us, as presidents
give State of the Union, we asked Hugh Weber to
give us the state of the Sounders.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Pretty hard to believe that we're playing our first match
at home a few days from now on Saturday at
seven thirty. So, as all things go, time is a
very precious commodity. We had a fortunately for us, a
short off season with a very good campaign last year,
going to the Western Conference finals. But all signs look
(06:47):
really positive, not only for our MLS campaign, but you know,
playing a new Club World Cup this year and also
the Champions Cup, so we've got a lot of big
tournaments and the team is ready and looking forward to
competing at the highest level.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Well, we talked to Chuck Arnold, your counterpart at the Seahawks,
about some changes that will be coming to loom And Field,
the potential for the Seahawks to play on grass, and
it sounds like that's not going to happen, but you
mentioned it right there in the Club World Cup this year,
the World Cup in twenty six Give the fans, give
us some idea of what changes need to be made
(07:25):
to lumen Field for those events and what is the
timing of those changes, Like when will we actually walk
into lumen Field Hugh and see grass and not turf?
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Well, we probably won't see grass until later in the summer,
so there'll be a transition period for the Club World
Cup as we get ready for that tournament. That'll be
a temporary solution for twenty five, and then I'm sure
Chuck told you in earnest Loomenfield will go do a
massive renovation to get long term grass in place for
(07:59):
the World Cup twenty six. So look at it as
a window of time in twenty five and then a
more substantial kind of period where you'll see uh grass
in womenfield.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Okay, huge Jackson here really quickly to follow up on
that long term grass. I was under the impression we
were just talking about grass just for the World Cup
in twenty six, just for that event. Are we talking
about grass that's going to stick around longer than that?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Did I just make a headline?
Speaker 5 (08:29):
I mean, this is why you're talking about.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Well, let me let that'd be a little more specific.
So there'll be what they call temporary grass that will
be an overlay to the current infrastructure that is in place. Unfortunately,
that system does not meet the World Cup requirement. So
the World Cup requires that actually you have all of
the appropriate irrigation and drainage systems below that turf for
(08:59):
big tim of it, and that's what will be in place.
That does not mean that the Sea Hawks are playing.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
On grass long term.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
That's the decision obviously they have to make, and I
think one that they've been pretty clear about is not
necessarily something they be as a long term solution.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
So it sounds like what we're saying here is that
there's going to be grass put in for the Club
World Cup. The Seahawks play their season on turf, and
then the minute the Seahawks season is over, the grass
for the World Cup goes in matures, grows, looks all
nice and green in place for the summer of twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Does that sound fair?
Speaker 4 (09:33):
That's right, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
Got you well, Hugh Weber, again, the president of the Sounders,
is with us, and you know, it just feels like
forever there's been a conversation around a soccer specific stadium
for you guys, and that that conversation has sort of
kind of died down since this time a year ago.
Where are you guys at as a club, as a
franchise in terms of looking at a stadium of your
own in the future.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
It's a great question. Again, I think our North star
year ago has not changed, which is we want to
continue to curate a fan first friendly kind of experience
and we believe that that may be attainable through a
soccer specific stadium. But there's a lot of work that
has happened in the last year and a lot of
(10:18):
work that we're quietly doing behind the scenes to make
sure that we're making the right decision. Number One, it
has to be something that our fans see is a
net plus in terms of the experience of coming to
a match to see soccer in Seattle. And again there's
a lot of work we're doing in terms of engaging
with our current stakeholders and even future fans as to
(10:40):
whether they might think about other locations other than downtown
to come to a match. The second thing, you know
we have to do is all of the architectural design
and whether the land that we actually have in our
incredible site at four or five and I five and
rentin would work. And so there's been work done there
(11:02):
as well, so these things don't spread out of the
ground overnight. And I would say that we continue to
progress and evolve that project and as we get more
more I guess details and what it could actually be
we'll get more public about how again and what that
(11:24):
experience could look like.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Well, Hugh, and I'm sure when you talk about the architecture,
you're looking at how many people do we fit in?
What is the c capacity? All those interesting questions, and
I'm sure it relates to you know, you looking at
the attendance numbers that are currently existing at lumin Field,
where you know, in the reality of the situation is
we have seen that kind of slight you know, you know,
on the graph decline over in the last number of years.
(11:47):
Obviously COVID playing such a massive role in that. But
you know, how do you interpret those numbers of fans
in the building for Sounders games over these last four years.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Yeah, there's two actually parts your question. One is we
have to be going the sport, and I think the
Sounders in some ways were a victim of their own success.
I think before COVID, I think there was a mentality
to kind of double down on your base, continually speak
to the folks that were be entrenched and the you know,
(12:19):
the fully engaged, and not be super you know, focused
on the new fans and how you're finding new demographics
and younger families to come to matches. I've heard from
our fans time and time again. You know, I was
a season an inaugural season ticket member, and then you know,
I had three kids, and then they all went to college,
(12:39):
and I took my four seats to two, and then
my wife and I like to go to two matches
a year instead of twelve. And that's the story narrative,
and the team hadn't spent as much focused as we
are now on finding that next generation of fans that
is separate apart from what we think a good match
to experience feels like, whether it's thirty two thousand or whatever,
(13:01):
you have to have, let's say, on any given match,
I don't know one hundred thousand people in Seattle would
love to go to a Founders match, right, and then
there's only so many seats to get in. And that's
not necessarily what we've been focused on. And that's been
a primary focus for the team since I've been here
for two years. Q.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
I'm wondering the club.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Obviously, the joint ventured to bring in the rain as
part of you know, this whole kind of group now
and it is you know, as I send emails and
I you know see it. It's the Rain logo right
next to the Sounders logo coming out of everybody from
Long Acres. And I'm wondering how the Rain being now
part of the whole enterprise changes your job, and how
(13:42):
the Rain being now kind of in the extension of
the Sounders, how that changes soccer in Seattle under one roof.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Essentially great question.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
You know that the way we work has to change.
We have to grow the fan base across two different propers.
These are two very different brands. They have very distinguished
in different fan bases. You might think that there's a
ton of overlap between soccer fans for women and soccer
fans for men, but the actual data proves that it's not.
Speaker 7 (14:16):
So.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
It's an opportunity for us to potentially, you know, share
the women's game with our Sounders fans at the same
time away for us to potentially again share the Sounders
with the Ring fans. But we have are approaching these
very differently. I'll tell you. It's something interesting in the
business which has been a plus here. Our ability to
(14:39):
recruit talented executives and leaders in the front office has
is it exponentially better when there's a multitude of teams
to come in and think about how we're growing the
fan bases across both. So we've seen a real uptick
and the talent of people that are coming to Seattle
that want to be part of this kind of enterprise
thinking portfolio, and so we just have to be more
(15:02):
strategic and give us more opportunities for growth. And again
there it's an incredible challenge for our team, but both
are very important and for different reasons, we approach the
brands very differently.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Well, Hugh Weber again Sounder's president with us on our
President's Day show here on ninety three to three KJRFM.
And I'm kind of the last person to ask this
question because I don't know as a fifty one year
old if I mean, you're demographic of fans that buy
multiple kits and jerseys throughout the season. But the team
obviously just unveiled the new salors Ce secondary jersey the
(15:38):
other week. But I think a lot of fans, you know,
the younger fans, especially like Jackson here, you want to know,
are we getting a third jersey and twenty five for
the first time in eight years, and if so, are
there any I mean, look, you're already breaking news about
the grass, why not break some news about the jerseys.
What can you share with us about a third option,
because apparently for these guys, two options.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Is not enough.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Well, the one thing that makes soccer special is the
kid and the stories behind it. The good news is
we have an incredible team that have been putting storytelling
and thought and behind these kits are extremely creative. I
think he has been just rated our sales sheet see
kit the number one kit in the MLS this year,
and that's on the heels of having the number one
(16:22):
kit last year, So that's something that is great. I
think our fans, you know, gravitate to buying kits, and
you may not buy more than one kids, but put
on average, people buy multiple kids per years. So again
it's all very good. I would say, yes, there's always
going to be a new kit coming. I think that
(16:43):
there are the things that you've heard potentially about there
being maybe a tip of the hats to something retro.
That's something you could probably anticipate.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
So I mean, we're just going to follow up bluntly.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
There is going to be a third kit that will
have a kind of a old school ref to old Sounders.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Yeah. Well, let me I don't want I don't want
to actually disappoint, but let me just say I would
be disappointed if we did not have something in our
fans' hands to enjoy. So let's put it that way.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Why don't you just go find the kit that Schmetzer
wore back in the seventies and eighties and just duplicate that.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
And then have them wear far Off's See, I got you.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Yeah here. I want to go back to the Club
World Cup for a couple of things. And the first
question that I have about the Club World Cup is
the finances, because so much has been talked about from
fans and reports and not only you know, America, but
globally about you know, all right, being part of the
Club World Cup in the new revamped style. This is
(17:44):
you know, what are clubs getting to be part of this?
And there's been wild reported numbers. I think the first
number that was kind of rumored out there was fifty million,
which is obviously nuts. What communication have you gotten from
FIFA and or do you have exact numbers for what
the Seattle Sounders are going to net being part of
this big tournament?
Speaker 4 (18:05):
We don't, you know, I think this is These are
all details that are still forthcoming. I think I think
soon we will. I think I think if you looked
at the draw, Sounders weren't unfortunately part of the one
two three in terms of the top teams that are
you know, getting relevant. So I think they're going to
get to us, but we don't know exactly what that
(18:25):
looks like. And Kennily, you know, we're more focused on
how we compete in this tournament versus what the financial
implications are. You know, we think this is.
Speaker 8 (18:35):
A huge.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
Lift for the brand and for you know, where our
brand sits in terms of the global landscape of soccer.
And again, the finances will be what they be.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
To find compete what what do you I mean Obviously
we're talking about Bodha Fogo, one of the best teams
in South America. We're talking about PSG, We're talking about
Athletico Madrid. I mean, what is competing in your eyes?
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Well, we are in the group of death.
Speaker 8 (19:00):
Yeah, as those that.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Follow where I think, you know, I think that I
asked that same question to Specially. I think he's you know,
I think the team is being measured. I think we
feel really good about where this team is, and I
think that again we're going to show up in a
way that again the Sounders always do to make our
fans proud. And again I'll leave the definitions of success
(19:24):
to others, but I think that's certainly at the moment
is not lost on us that again this is a
moment we need to rise to the occasion.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
And just to check, will the stadium be fully open
for those three games? And then will the stadium be
fully open not closed off three hundred level for any
other games across the season right now?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Yeah, it's my understanding. Again, this is a Fiefa tournament,
this is not a Sounder tournament, so I don't have
again insight to every decision, but that's my understanding that
all matches will be open to all fans across all competitions.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So full stadiums open for Club World Cup games. Yes,
there will be a third jersey coming out, and it
certainly sounds like he is leaning towards it being with
retro inspiration towards it Grass for as I understood it
right there, and he confirmed from when Softy asked Grass
for the first part of the twenty twenty six season,
(20:20):
as I kind of understood his answer in that conversation
right there, lots of good information there from Hugh Weber,
and I'm sure there is a lot more questions, but
that's the time we had there with Hugh Weber. So
good to get that chat there. Check out the podcast
in case you missed that, and I'll be sending out
on social media some quotes too, by the way, if
(20:43):
you want to follow on social media. I am at
Jackson on radio pretty much everywhere including Twitter, Blue Sky
at Jackson on radio. All right, we'll get a break
here in Sounders Weekly. Lot still to get to here
on the show. We're gonna get to Ari Lillianwall from
MLS Soccer dot Com in the podcast Lobbing Scorches, and
we're gonna get to Paul Ariola, the Sounders new fullback
(21:03):
midfielder winger Swiss Army Knife, Paul Ariola. We'll get to
both Ari and Paul coming up here on Sounders Weekly
on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFL.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
What now, back to.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc cel's Sports
Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Oh, welcome back, Welcome back, Jackson Feltzer, good be with
you here. The return of Sounders Weekly here in twenty
twenty five with you for this whole hour here talking
Sounders Soccer. Thanks again to Hugh Weber who joined Sophie
and I. Lots of news there again as I interpreted it,
sounds like the Sounders will play the first part of
that twenty twenty six season next year on Grass as
(21:44):
part of the massive renovation that Hugh talked about. Some
other interesting info there from Hueber. Check out the podcast
in case you missed it. But joining us now and
joining us here again as he always does here in
Sounders Weekly, he's back another year. He's a writer and
editor for MLS Soccer dot com and he hosts the
(22:05):
Fantastic podcast. I am a subscriber to Lobbing Scorchers. It
is Ari, lillianwall Ari. Welcome back, my friend.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
How are you.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
I'm doing great, Jackson. It's great to be back here
on this show as.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
You and have games to talk about this week, oh man.
Two games.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
We start the season with Antigua GFC tomorrow at five
pm on FS two, and we have Charlotte. I'll probably
fit in a question about Charlotte on Saturday, as the
MLS season starts at seven point thirty on Saturday night
at lumin Field.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
You know what's funny.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
I just spent last twenty two minutes on the air,
and you know, we played a big interview with Hugh Weber.
Lots of business stuff, lots of interesting notes. You can
write an article about it. Not once in the first
twenty two minutes of the show did I mention probably
the news of the time right now in Sounder Land.
Like if you were to ask, like, what is the
big news of the Sounders right now? The big news
(22:59):
of the Sounders right now is probably the sale of
Josh Atensio, a midfielder, local kid who came up through
the ranks and really made a name for himself with
the Sounders.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
He was sold for up to one point six million.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Dollars in jam general allocation money to the Colorado Rapids
when it's what six hundred and fifty this year, six
hundred and fifty next year and other performance incentives, I
mean one point six million ARI for Josh Atensio. That's
a big deal for Craig Wibln company to get that price,
I think for Josh Atensio.
Speaker 6 (23:32):
Yeah, when I first heard about the trade, I was surprised.
If you had told me somebody was going to get
traded before the start of the season, I don't think
I would have said Atensio. But then when you take
a step back, it kind of makes sense. I mean,
he was buried on the depth chart here. He was
not going to play as much as he needs to
at this point his career for his development. So from
(23:56):
that standpoint, it actually does make sense why they would
trade him. But I I do you agree with you
one point three If I had tried to assess his value,
if you told me he was going to get traded,
that's above what I would have had him at. Anything
over a million, I think is more than I would
have had him at. So from I think it's definitely
great business for Craig Wible and kind of a proof
(24:19):
of concept of what they've been trying to do with
this academy, which is developed these players so they can
contribute to the first team. But then also in situations
like this, you know it doesn't necessarily have to be
with this team for the system to be working.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
It goes back to a few years ago where Darth
Logoway said on this show, we're in the great game now.
The great game of developing the academy and then selling
players we develop Attenco one point six million dollars up
to one point six million dollars, but one point three
for sure, and I personally kind of just what I
read into it is. Obviously they tried to make him
into a center back, that transition was happening. Who knows
(24:55):
how that was going. But this move does bode well
for a guy like Danny Labam. More playing time for
guys like John Bell and especially Stuart Hawkins, a young
Stuart Hawkins and a center back coming up through the
system as well. I think it's great news for him,
a lot more playing time for guys like that. But
very interesting move there for Josh Atensio selling to Colorado
(25:16):
for a large chunk of change. Well done, Craig Wibel
and company. Ari Leen was our guest mlssucker dot Com
and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Ari Let's talk to the
Sounders from thirty five thousand feet man. We start the
season tomorrow in CONCACAFF Champions Cup Action. Let's just keep
it simple here. What chance do you think they have
(25:37):
to go on another run like they did in twenty
twenty two and win this thing.
Speaker 6 (25:42):
I think they have a few factors that are working
for them, which is their experience in this competition. They
have been here before, like you mentioned, they made they
had a run in twenty twenty two where they won it,
so they know they can do it. And also from
what I've seen this preseason, I think there's reason to
be hopeful that is going to be a more productive
and dynamic offense this season. And with how Hayesus Serrera
(26:06):
has looked and honestly mainly Pedro de Lavega, anyone who's
been following this team this preseason, he looks like the
best player on the team right now. He had the
best preseason of anyone on the team. I think it's
fair to say so. When you take the experience, combined
with the fact that there's reason to be hopeful that
the offense will take a step forward, and the fact
(26:27):
that they had the best defense in the league last year,
there's a you don't have to leap that far to
convince yourself that they can make a run at this tournament,
especially because they've shown to be built for tournament play
over the years.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
This is kind of where they thrust and they have
a lot of depth I think to get them through
this tournament as well as playing through MLS action as well.
I think you're right on that before I ask you
about Charlotte, the first MLS opponent coming up on Saturday.
Continuing off of the conversation about the offense, and we
talked about this on your Lobbing Scorches show last Thursday,
(27:00):
which I thought was great, and that's the element of
what is this attack going to look like? And I
think there's a lot of different variations and different flexibility
for Brian Schmitzer to play either a three at the
back or a fourth the back, two forwards, one forward,
throw Jordan out wide play Heeshu's under Jordan is There's
a lot of interesting things that you can do, I
(27:21):
think with the pieces that Brian Schmitzer has. So with
that said, what is your confidence level that the Sounders
attack will be where it needs to be to get
this team back to an MLS Cup where they were
one goal short from being their last year.
Speaker 6 (27:39):
I think that's the prevailing question, but I will tell
you his sus Ferreira is a guy who has been
a Best eleven attacker in the league. He's a two
time All Star. He's had an eighteen goal season in MLS,
so you know he's been I've been watching him for
years on SC Dallas and there's been periods of time
(28:00):
where he looks like one of the best players in
the league. And to make a to make it on
the Best eleven is not easy either. I mean, you're
talking about guys like Lucho Acosta and Haini Muktar and
Carlos Vela. Those are the guys who have been on
the Best.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Eleven over the years.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
So I don't think he even needs to be that
level of player to be a player that has an
impact that can really up the productivity of the attack.
But if he's anywhere close to the type of player
he's shown that he can be in the league, I
mean that right there seems like that would be a
big boost to me. And then last year De la
(28:34):
Vega barely played at all and this serison this season,
going into this year, he looks good in preseason, so
he still has to do it during the actual games
and stay hit and all that. But that right there,
I think is the reason that there is to be
hopeful that they answered that question is yes.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Okay, So yeah, So yes is the final answer that question,
because that's that's the big question. How confident are Sounders fans?
If you're saying yes, I am confident, that makes me
feel good about entering this season. Starting tomorrow, they are
in CONCACAF action and then it's starting in MLS action
on Saturday against Charlotte. We're going to have the game
right here ninety three point three KGRFM with a seven
(29:12):
o'clock pre game, seven thirty kickoff on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
So, Ari Charlotte. What do we know about Charlotte?
Speaker 2 (29:18):
The only thing I know too much about Charlotte is
the fact that they have Tim Reim. Obviously, you know
United States men's national team standout. What do you know
about Charlotte FC and the team that's coming to town
on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
I can tell you that they're coming off a year
where they actually performed quite a bit better than anticipated.
They made the playoff last year, they were I want
to say they were a top five or six team
in the East. And I can also tell you that
they are a trendy pick by national pundits as a
team that's going to take a big leap this year
(29:51):
and perhaps be an actual contender this year, which I
hadn't followed their offseason that closely, but I will tell
you that I've heard that repeatedly. And signed a new
designated player named Zaha I think is his name. I
can't quite remember it off the top of my head,
but I'm pretty sure that's his name. But anyway, people
seem to be very very high on him and think
(30:12):
that he is going to be an impact player for them.
So if they get an impact DP, they were very
They're kind of like the Sounders. They were very solid
on defense last year, they just didn't score enough goals.
So if they have a guy who's gonna have a
Ferreira type impact that for them, you know, I could
see them actually taking the leap. And I think I
see where the pundits and analysts are coming from with
(30:34):
what they think.
Speaker 8 (30:35):
Of their team.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Zaha as opposed to Zava from Ted Lasso, that is
not the same player, everybody. Ari Lun was our guest
every Zaha.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
How about that?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Ari Lun was our guest msoccer dot Com the podcast
Lobbing Scorches. Ari, we just have a couple more minutes here,
so let's wrap with just simply looking at Major League
Soccer as a whole galaxy.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
I was such.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
I was a hater the Galaxy last year, and boy
I got burned by it. I did not think their
defense was going to get them to where it needed
to be to win an MLS Cup. It was, and
it did so. As the season restarts Miami, we will
I don't know if Messi will play in six inches
of snow in Kansas City tomorrow, We'll see, but we
do know that it's the full MLS slate starting this weekend.
(31:22):
Are you looking at the Galaxy again? Are you looking
at LAFC? Are you looking at Miami because there is
still all of those horses that can take them deep
unlike they did last year against Atlanta. Who are your
eyes going to across the entire league as the season
kicks off?
Speaker 6 (31:40):
I mean, I think Inner Miami is obviously again going
to be the club that everyone is watching. Lionel Messi
and the Barca Boys are back at it, but honestly,
there's kind of been some weird stuff going on down
there over the offseason. Messi hired their new coach after
Tauta after Tata left, and he's also been like acquiring
(32:02):
players and also he got the sporting director demoted. It's
a whole thing, like you can look that up. So
inner Miami, there's some weird vibes down there. But at
the end of the day, I honestly don't think that's
going to affect them at all on the field. Just
with the roster that they've assembled, I think they're probably
going to be a seventy plus point team again this year.
(32:24):
But there's a lot of question mark marks around the league. Jackson.
That's the main thing I've been noticing this preseason. There's
been drama with designated players, with Luco Acosta and Evander
both switching teams. There's been guys other guys in Cincinnati
we're holding out to. There's other examples along those lines.
None of that has really affected Seattle luckily, but that's
(32:46):
sort of the kind of prevailing theme of the offseason.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Wow, what a mess I mean.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
I know at Vander after he basically sent tweets out
that just ripped the Portland Timbers, they had no choice
but to get rid of me at that point. And
he's now been sold and a Costa sold as well.
It is a wild, wild world in Major League soccer.
So It'll be fun to continue talking about here in
the weeks ahead. Great to have you back here for
the entire season. Ari, I'll be continuing to tune into
(33:13):
Lobbing Scorches. You and Noah do a great job on that,
so have a good podcast, have a good rest of
your week, and I'll see you out at lumin on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Appreciated Jackson, looking forward to the season.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Ari, Lulianwell mlssoccer dot com. In the podcast Lobbing Scorches,
check it out, and again we will be there at
Luminfield on Saturday for Sounders Charlotte to open up this season.
Speaker 8 (33:34):
Well.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence Swedish, the official
healthcare partner of Sounders FC. One of the newest Sounder players,
Paul Ariola, brought in from FC Dallas. You're gonna learn
a little bit about Paul Ariola, the player and the
person off the field that comes next on Sounders Weekly
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders
FC cles Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Welcome back Sounders Weekly, Jackson feltz good to be back
with you. For twenty twenty five. Hope you've enjoyed the
show so far. Hugh Weber, Sounders President of Business Operations,
breaking some news, given some great info on the state
of the club. With Club World Cup soon approaching in
June and the season starting this week, including tomorrow CONGACAFF
(34:25):
Champions Cup, there won't be a radio broadcast, but you
can watch Sounders Antigua GFC in the first round of
CONGCA calf Action. That's five pm tomorrow on FS two.
MLS season will start on Saturday against Charlotte that will
have a seven o'clock pregame seven thirty kickoff right here
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM for Sounders and
(34:46):
Charlotte starting the thirty four game schedule of MLS Action.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Well.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Over the offseason, we did a podcast where I introduced
you to Paul Ariola. We played a little bit of
that there and listen for those who you know are
listening on you know, the iHeartRadio app wherever you listen
to us. You may not have caught the podcast. This
is a really good get to know you a conversation
with Paul Ariola. He came over from FC Dallas. He
is a new Sounder who's kind of a Swiss army knife.
(35:14):
He can play full back. He can play which means
right or left back, you know, along that defensive line
on the right er left side.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
He can play on the wing.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
If the Sounders play a three at the back, he
can play what's called a wing back. So with kind
of a hybrid of the two. He's really a kind
of a Swiss army knife. And Paul Ariola is gonna
be a big meaningful part I think of what the
Sounders are trying to do, especially on the offensive end,
moving up and down the field in twenty twenty five.
But who is Paul ariole off the field? This is
(35:43):
a great conversation that I think Sounder fans, you're gonna
like this guy. You're gonna really like this guy. And
as you get to know him more and more over
the course of the season, I think you'll like him
more and more.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
So here's a nice get to know. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
I started the conversation with Paul back about a month
ago before the team left from our bea for preseason training,
and I asked him, how do you like your new
digs here in Long Acres.
Speaker 7 (36:05):
Yeah, it's been great so far. You know, obviously the
facility speaks for itself. There's you know, it's nice to
be a part of a club with a with an
updated facility, with something uh that players look forward to
showing up. I know it's been long overdue for the
club moving into a facility like this, a club that deserves,
you know, to have some of the best facilities in
(36:26):
the US, and uh, I'm really happy to be a
part of that. Coming from DC and Dallas. Uh they
aren't necessarily known to be the best facilities and you know,
kind of have a player for environment, but definitely here
Uh it is and and I believe that's the way
for for guys to have the most success.
Speaker 8 (36:45):
So it's been great.
Speaker 7 (36:46):
Obviously a little bit cold, but uh, nothing that that
I haven't.
Speaker 8 (36:49):
Dealt with before, played in the places that I played.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Well, Christian and Jordan have talked about your friendship with them,
you know, and then the joys and it having you
come here for for you to speak about your French
from from from your side with it with them, you
know outside are you guys if you guys do stuff
at it all off the off the field, talk like
about your tit ends with them.
Speaker 7 (37:08):
Yeah, I think, you know, like anyone working in an
environment and in a work environment, right, you always want
to work with your friends. And I'm sure many people
can relate to thinking about working with their best friends
being in the same building. You know, for us, it's
competing together. So just going years and years back on
the national team talking about how nice it would be
to all be on the same team, to be able
(37:30):
to unite on and off the field. You know, we're
all kind of living similar stages of life. I have
a one year old, Christian has a six month old,
Jordan has a fifteen month old, so uh, there's a
lot of babies. And our wives are are good friends
and have known each other for years as well. So
for me, you know, I'd be lying if I said
it wasn't an extra incentive and motive motivation. I want
(37:52):
to come here and and uh and and you know
kind of kind of have a new chapter with some
of my best friends in the games. So I'm really
excited about that. You know, Jordan and his wife welcomed
us the first night that we were here. They came over,
they brought us some stuff, brought us dinner. So you know,
I'm really close with them, and and I'm looking forward
(38:12):
to being close with a bunch of other guys on
the team.
Speaker 8 (38:14):
I know this this team is super tight.
Speaker 7 (38:16):
Uh, there's a great culture within and you know, I'm
looking forward to fitting right in.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
For the last couple of years I've been talking to
Jordan and Christian about dad life, right and then in
the first year of dad life and the trials and
tribulations of being dad, so great, welcome to the club
now in this in these conversations, Paul, what is dad
life like for you in the first year.
Speaker 8 (38:33):
It's been amazing, man.
Speaker 7 (38:34):
You know, we're we're so blessed to to be able
to go home at a decent time of the day.
And I've been able to be there for almost every
every you know, milestone so far, been able to go
to almost all the doctor's appointments. I mean, these are
like little things that I think oftentimes we can we
can overlook and take for granted. But just being a
(38:55):
being an everyday father and being there for my child,
I believe will you know, pay a pay dividends in
the end as I continue to grow with with my
wife and and be there for her and be there
for my baby as well.
Speaker 8 (39:08):
So it's been it's been exciting.
Speaker 7 (39:11):
You know, we're getting to the to the real fun
stage of starting to walk and starting to point and
talk and do all those things, and it's it's it's
honestly amazing.
Speaker 8 (39:19):
I'm really blessed.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
At what point do you put the soccer ball in
front of her feet?
Speaker 8 (39:23):
We were we had it a little bit yesterday.
Speaker 7 (39:25):
Uh, she's kind of right now, she's kind of convinced
on uh dogs and uh throwing a throwing a.
Speaker 8 (39:31):
Basketball into like a mini basketball.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Hope.
Speaker 7 (39:33):
So I'm gonna slowly get the soccer ball into her.
I think we'll have we'll have some time for that.
She'll be stuck with that for the rest of her life,
so it'll it'll come and do time. Hopefully, you know,
sometime this year, when she can start walking, I'll bring
her out onto the field and let her hopefully kick
a ball around.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
What's your name?
Speaker 8 (39:48):
Her name is seven?
Speaker 6 (39:50):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
What's what's life like for you off the field during
the off season? What what do you like to do
off the field? I mean you mentioned yesterday it's like
the summers in seallity looking forward to.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
But what is life for for Paul off field?
Speaker 7 (40:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (40:01):
You know, I just enjoy being home.
Speaker 7 (40:03):
You know, we travel so much, and you know, just
the nature of of the of the sport and the business.
You miss a lot of things from traveling, and so
for me, it's just about spending family time being there
and and right now obviously you know, this first year,
be able to explore Seattle and explore the area that.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
I'm living in.
Speaker 8 (40:24):
And you know, my wife and I love to love
to go out and eat good food.
Speaker 7 (40:28):
I love to play golf when she lets me, so
I know I'll be I'll be playing with with some of.
Speaker 8 (40:33):
The guys here.
Speaker 7 (40:34):
I know that that they they they have some days
to go play golf, so hopefully I'll be I'll be
added to the mix.
Speaker 8 (40:42):
But besides that, really that's it, man.
Speaker 7 (40:44):
Just hang out, enjoy love, hanging out with friends and
and just kind of being calm and cool.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
Whatever you did, you end up choosing to move here.
Speaker 7 (40:51):
To living in Kirkland, Jordan, Jordan didn't really give me
a choice. He kind of said it was Kirkland or Kirkland,
and so we went with the We went to kirk Kirkland.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
There's a lot of good golf over in the bellvuere
you know, twenty minutes away, so you're in.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
You're in a good golfer for sure. I love that
last thing on the field.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Again, you've talked about wing or wing back, the possibilities,
but just you know, coming in here in the expectations
of where you might play, how much you might play,
conversations with Brian Schmitzer just on the field. To wrap
it up, but what are your thoughts there to start
here already in preseason?
Speaker 7 (41:21):
Yeah, I think you know, for me, it's it's going
to be a challenge in itself that will be something
that I haven't had to deal with over you know,
the past eight nine years of my career, which is
coming into a new environment that is you know that
already has a great core of players, a team that's
been together, that's that's you know, been really close to
(41:43):
success for many years, and you know a lot of
guys deserve to be on the field. And I, you know,
I believe that the best teams now in MLS need
to have depth in many positions. And you see it
with l A, you see it with LAFC, you see
it with Columbus, you see it with uh. You know,
a bunch of the team that can continually compete at
a high level. Is uh, players that are able to
(42:05):
make a difference, you know, whether it's starting or whether
it's on the bench. You know, I'm always gonna believe
that that I should be on the field. I believe that,
you know, I'll be able to work my way into
the starting lineup. But at the same time, I understand
that this isn't a team that is lacking in many positions.
I have a lot of respect for all the guys
who have been here. You know, like I said, the
(42:27):
wing back position, you know, can maybe get a little
bit complicated, the winger position.
Speaker 8 (42:31):
But for me, my job is just to compete.
Speaker 7 (42:35):
You know, I spoke to coach when I first got here,
and he laid his expectations out for me. I laid
my expectations out out of myself and from the team,
and and you know, I you know, Jordan's mentioned it
before and I mentioned it yesterday, Like I'm just I'm
a team guy. You know, I've lived many stages of
(42:55):
my career, as I mentioned before. You know, this move
for me specifically, you know, I was able to kind
of dictate where I where I ended up, and I
didn't go asking for more money or try and continue
to make more money. I could have went to you know,
a couple of different teams and and made even more money,
(43:17):
you know, over over.
Speaker 8 (43:18):
Two three years.
Speaker 7 (43:20):
Or I could have moved closer to home, which is
southern California. And I didn't really choose any of that.
I chose to be here to compete, to to be
a part of something that that will push me to
be at my best and and I believe that I
can also help the team, uh push that that final
step that that you know, I believe in and we
all believe that that this club should be at. So uh,
(43:41):
you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna compete from the first minute.
Speaker 8 (43:43):
I'm gonna support my teammates. I'm going to be a
locker room guy.
Speaker 7 (43:46):
That's just the nature of who I am. You know,
I really wear my heart on my sleeve. I'm not
I don't try and be anybody that I'm not. I
never will be who I am. The way I speak
to one person is the way I speak to all.
And you know, I'm just super excited to be able
to go out there, compete for my jersey on and
fight for everybody in the stadium and within the organizations.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
Well, there's a lot of people in that stadium. We
were ready to see you play and ready to see
finally you in the right colors. So cheers and hopefully
when we get back from Spain there's some good weather
for your golfing.
Speaker 8 (44:17):
That's right. I love that.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Thank you very much, Paul, Thank you preciate that great
to get to know.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Yeah, well we'll talk more through awesome times. Well that's
Paul Ariola. Definitely, we will have many interviews with him
this year. An awesome person to talk to, and I
think he'll be a great player, you know, when the
Sounders inevitably do fall in a certain game and hopefully
they go undefeated, but if they do lose a game,
I think he's going to be somebody who gives a
lot of good, honest answers about what happened in certain games.
(44:44):
And he's somebody that I'm going to really be looking
forward to talking to in the locker room throughout the
twenty twenty five season. So with that, that will do
it for tonight's show. And what a show was. Hugh
Weber with lots of news, Arilllionwall with lots of good
previews for the season ahead, and then Paul ARIOI very
much get to know you there with Paul. Hope you
(45:04):
all enjoyed. Check out the podcast as always Sounders Weekly.
Wherever you get your podcasts. You can get it on
every app. Just look up Sounders Weekly and enjoy throughout
the twenty twenty five season. I of course will push
the iHeartRadio app that will do it for our show tonight.
We will not talk to you tomorrow for the KUNKACAFF
Champions Cup game five pm on FS two against Antique
(45:27):
with GFC. We will talk to you on Saturday for
the start of the MLS season. That will be a
seven o'clock pre seven point thirty kickoff Sounders hosting Charlotte
at Luminfield. We will talk to you on Saturday. Have
a very good rest of your week and for tomorrow
we'll all be watching together on FS two. So go
Sounders
Coming to you live from our Relliot Avenue studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders
Weekly with your host Jackson Felts.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, good evening, everybody, Welcome in and welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Back to Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
We are back for another season here on Sports Radio
ninety three point three kjr FM. Jackson Felts here for
the next hour and for every week this season, Sounders
Weekly coming to you to break down everything going on
with the Rave Green As.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
It's just such a pleasure to be back.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
We did about an off season podcast a little over
a month ago where we talked about all the off
season moves, and you know that's nice to do once
an off season, but you know, on the week by
week basis of talking Sounders Soccer, I just love it
and it's great to be back here for another season
doing the same thing over again. Speaking of that off
season podcast, in case you missed it, we talked about
(00:57):
the off season overall and how to hit gone. Before
the team went to Spain, they trained of course in Marbea.
They came back, they beat Louisville and now they are
as of you here tonight tonight Tuesday, down in Guatemala
right now preparing to face off and start the season tomorrow,
because the season kicks off tomorrow in CONCACAF Champions Cup action.
(01:19):
They're facing Antigua GFC down in Guatemala, just outside Guatemala
City down there, so they're down there for tomorrow night's game,
which is also you can watch it at five pm
Pacific time on FS two. And then we kick off
the mL LESS season than on Saturday, because that is
(01:40):
where the long thirty four game road will begin with Charlotte.
That is going to be right here on Sports Radio
ninety three point three KJRFM. That as a match at
Luminfield that will kick off at seven thirty. Our prematch
show will begin at seven o'clock coming up on Saturday
evening they're at Luminfield against Charlotte. We'll talk maybe a
(02:01):
little bit later on tonight about Charlotte. Maybe i'll get
ario Lillian Wall's two cents on that I mentioned the
offseason podcast. If you heard that, you heard a couple
of minutes from Paul Ariola, the Sounders new full back midfielder.
He's kind of a Swiss army knife tool. Spent a
lot of years with DC in Dallas. He's now a
Seattle Sounder. You're gonna hear that coming up tonight with
(02:22):
Paul Ariola. Really kind of a less on the field
and more off the field, get to know you, and
this is an interesting person. I think all Sounder fans
are going to want to get to know So you'll
hear that coming up. You'll hear Ari Lillianwall coming up.
He's joining us again each week here in Sounders Weekly.
He of course writes and edits for MLS Soccer dot Com.
(02:42):
He hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorches, which has absolutely exploded.
Him and Noah have done an awesome job on Lobving Scorches. Obviously,
I'll push this show as much as I can, but
I am also a listener to Lobbing Scorches and I
love the content they put out. And I know Ari
welcomes me on that show occasionally. It's just a joy
to have him on this show as well. Ari and
(03:03):
I go all the way back to you know, he
was actually covering the Seahawks and he was at Western.
We have a long, long history and long friendship and
I'm just glad that he is still is good enough
of a friend to be able to come on this
show every week and talk all things soccer and kind
of take us around the league. And then really, other
than Paul and other than Ari, we're gonna lead tonight
(03:26):
and play a large chunk of an interview that I
did with Softy, with Hugh Weber, the Sounders president of
business operations. As we really kind of start this season, listen,
we can preview the CONCACAFT Champions Cup. I'll be quite honest,
I don't know a single thing about Antigua GFC. The
second leg of that, by the way, will be a
(03:46):
week from tomorrow back at Loomin Field. Wednesday, the twenty sixth,
that's also at seven thirty, will not be a radio
broadcast for tomorrow. There will not be a radio broadcast
for next Wednesday here in this first round of CONCACAFT
Champions Cup. We will have that broadcast again for Charlotte
on Saturday seven pm pregame, but no radio broadcast for
these Antiqua GFC matches. But going back to it, I mean,
(04:09):
I don't know too much about them. I just I'm
looking forward to seeing how the Sounders come out in
what formation will they come out, what kind of moves.
I think will Jordan, Pedro and Albert Albert Rusnak obviously
back got a new deal as destinated player. How will
those three combined with hayesus Ferreira, the new striker signed
from FC Dallas traded for excuse me, a guy who
(04:32):
is with the United States men's national team, has a
big history with that squad, has a bunch of hat
tricks with them, and a ton of goals. And he's
still so young and has so much potential. He was
really hamstrung by injuries last year. So if he is healthy,
heyesus Ferreira will certainly help fix the attack because that.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Was the issue last year. We all know it. It's offense.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Offense was the reason the Sounders did not make it
and win an MLS Cup. So now you fix the
offense with hayesus Ferra, and now we should see things better.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
So listen.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I'm interested in seeing how he combines with Albert, with Jordan,
with Pedro, with Christian, et cetera, et cetera. I'm interested
in seeing that, and I'm really interested in seeing how
it all functions together under Brian Schenzer. But I don't
know too much about Antiqua. It's hard to kind of
look ahead to that game. Well, we'll touch on Charlotte
with Ari later on, But in terms of this first
(05:26):
Sounders Weekly of the year, I think the thing to
do really is to kind of just talk about the
state of the Sounders, the state of where we are
at now going into twenty twenty five. So we played
some of this, not all of this, so there's gonna
be some new content here. Sounders President of Business Operations,
Hugh Weber. He joined Sophie and I yesterday for our
(05:48):
President's Day show, and he gave us some nice little details.
We get into the Club World Cup, we get into
when grass is gonna get laid down, some new content
here tonight, the third Jersey that will be talked about
here in this conversation, the situation of the financials of
Club World Cup that will be talked about in this
(06:09):
part of the conversation. So there's going to be some
new info here from Sounders President of Business Operations, Hugh Weber.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
We started the.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Conversation by simply asking him to give us, as presidents
give State of the Union, we asked Hugh Weber to
give us the state of the Sounders.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Pretty hard to believe that we're playing our first match
at home a few days from now on Saturday at
seven thirty. So, as all things go, time is a
very precious commodity. We had a fortunately for us, a
short off season with a very good campaign last year,
going to the Western Conference finals. But all signs look
(06:47):
really positive, not only for our MLS campaign, but you know,
playing a new Club World Cup this year and also
the Champions Cup, so we've got a lot of big
tournaments and the team is ready and looking forward to
competing at the highest level.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Well, we talked to Chuck Arnold, your counterpart at the Seahawks,
about some changes that will be coming to loom And Field,
the potential for the Seahawks to play on grass, and
it sounds like that's not going to happen, but you
mentioned it right there in the Club World Cup this year,
the World Cup in twenty six Give the fans, give
us some idea of what changes need to be made
(07:25):
to lumen Field for those events and what is the
timing of those changes, Like when will we actually walk
into lumen Field Hugh and see grass and not turf?
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Well, we probably won't see grass until later in the summer,
so there'll be a transition period for the Club World
Cup as we get ready for that tournament. That'll be
a temporary solution for twenty five, and then I'm sure
Chuck told you in earnest Loomenfield will go do a
massive renovation to get long term grass in place for
(07:59):
the World Cup twenty six. So look at it as
a window of time in twenty five and then a
more substantial kind of period where you'll see uh grass
in womenfield.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Okay, huge Jackson here really quickly to follow up on
that long term grass. I was under the impression we
were just talking about grass just for the World Cup
in twenty six, just for that event. Are we talking
about grass that's going to stick around longer than that?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Did I just make a headline?
Speaker 5 (08:29):
I mean, this is why you're talking about.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Well, let me let that'd be a little more specific.
So there'll be what they call temporary grass that will
be an overlay to the current infrastructure that is in place. Unfortunately,
that system does not meet the World Cup requirement. So
the World Cup requires that actually you have all of
the appropriate irrigation and drainage systems below that turf for
(08:59):
big tim of it, and that's what will be in place.
That does not mean that the Sea Hawks are playing.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
On grass long term.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
That's the decision obviously they have to make, and I
think one that they've been pretty clear about is not
necessarily something they be as a long term solution.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
So it sounds like what we're saying here is that
there's going to be grass put in for the Club
World Cup. The Seahawks play their season on turf, and
then the minute the Seahawks season is over, the grass
for the World Cup goes in matures, grows, looks all
nice and green in place for the summer of twenty
twenty six.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Does that sound fair?
Speaker 4 (09:33):
That's right, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
Got you well, Hugh Weber, again, the president of the Sounders,
is with us, and you know, it just feels like
forever there's been a conversation around a soccer specific stadium
for you guys, and that that conversation has sort of
kind of died down since this time a year ago.
Where are you guys at as a club, as a
franchise in terms of looking at a stadium of your
own in the future.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
It's a great question. Again, I think our North star
year ago has not changed, which is we want to
continue to curate a fan first friendly kind of experience
and we believe that that may be attainable through a
soccer specific stadium. But there's a lot of work that
has happened in the last year and a lot of
(10:18):
work that we're quietly doing behind the scenes to make
sure that we're making the right decision. Number One, it
has to be something that our fans see is a
net plus in terms of the experience of coming to
a match to see soccer in Seattle. And again there's
a lot of work we're doing in terms of engaging
with our current stakeholders and even future fans as to
(10:40):
whether they might think about other locations other than downtown
to come to a match. The second thing, you know
we have to do is all of the architectural design
and whether the land that we actually have in our
incredible site at four or five and I five and
rentin would work. And so there's been work done there
(11:02):
as well, so these things don't spread out of the
ground overnight. And I would say that we continue to
progress and evolve that project and as we get more
more I guess details and what it could actually be
we'll get more public about how again and what that
(11:24):
experience could look like.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Well, Hugh, and I'm sure when you talk about the architecture,
you're looking at how many people do we fit in?
What is the c capacity? All those interesting questions, and
I'm sure it relates to you know, you looking at
the attendance numbers that are currently existing at lumin Field,
where you know, in the reality of the situation is
we have seen that kind of slight you know, you know,
on the graph decline over in the last number of years.
(11:47):
Obviously COVID playing such a massive role in that. But
you know, how do you interpret those numbers of fans
in the building for Sounders games over these last four years.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Yeah, there's two actually parts your question. One is we
have to be going the sport, and I think the
Sounders in some ways were a victim of their own success.
I think before COVID, I think there was a mentality
to kind of double down on your base, continually speak
to the folks that were be entrenched and the you know,
(12:19):
the fully engaged, and not be super you know, focused
on the new fans and how you're finding new demographics
and younger families to come to matches. I've heard from
our fans time and time again. You know, I was
a season an inaugural season ticket member, and then you know,
I had three kids, and then they all went to college,
(12:39):
and I took my four seats to two, and then
my wife and I like to go to two matches
a year instead of twelve. And that's the story narrative,
and the team hadn't spent as much focused as we
are now on finding that next generation of fans that
is separate apart from what we think a good match
to experience feels like, whether it's thirty two thousand or whatever,
(13:01):
you have to have, let's say, on any given match,
I don't know one hundred thousand people in Seattle would
love to go to a Founders match, right, and then
there's only so many seats to get in. And that's
not necessarily what we've been focused on. And that's been
a primary focus for the team since I've been here
for two years. Q.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
I'm wondering the club.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Obviously, the joint ventured to bring in the rain as
part of you know, this whole kind of group now
and it is you know, as I send emails and
I you know see it. It's the Rain logo right
next to the Sounders logo coming out of everybody from
Long Acres. And I'm wondering how the Rain being now
part of the whole enterprise changes your job, and how
(13:42):
the Rain being now kind of in the extension of
the Sounders, how that changes soccer in Seattle under one roof.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Essentially great question.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
You know that the way we work has to change.
We have to grow the fan base across two different propers.
These are two very different brands. They have very distinguished
in different fan bases. You might think that there's a
ton of overlap between soccer fans for women and soccer
fans for men, but the actual data proves that it's not.
Speaker 7 (14:16):
So.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
It's an opportunity for us to potentially, you know, share
the women's game with our Sounders fans at the same
time away for us to potentially again share the Sounders
with the Ring fans. But we have are approaching these
very differently. I'll tell you. It's something interesting in the
business which has been a plus here. Our ability to
(14:39):
recruit talented executives and leaders in the front office has
is it exponentially better when there's a multitude of teams
to come in and think about how we're growing the
fan bases across both. So we've seen a real uptick
and the talent of people that are coming to Seattle
that want to be part of this kind of enterprise
thinking portfolio, and so we just have to be more
(15:02):
strategic and give us more opportunities for growth. And again
there it's an incredible challenge for our team, but both
are very important and for different reasons, we approach the
brands very differently.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
Well, Hugh Weber again Sounder's president with us on our
President's Day show here on ninety three to three KJRFM.
And I'm kind of the last person to ask this
question because I don't know as a fifty one year
old if I mean, you're demographic of fans that buy
multiple kits and jerseys throughout the season. But the team
obviously just unveiled the new salors Ce secondary jersey the
(15:38):
other week. But I think a lot of fans, you know,
the younger fans, especially like Jackson here, you want to know,
are we getting a third jersey and twenty five for
the first time in eight years, and if so, are
there any I mean, look, you're already breaking news about
the grass, why not break some news about the jerseys.
What can you share with us about a third option,
because apparently for these guys, two options.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Is not enough.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Well, the one thing that makes soccer special is the
kid and the stories behind it. The good news is
we have an incredible team that have been putting storytelling
and thought and behind these kits are extremely creative. I
think he has been just rated our sales sheet see
kit the number one kit in the MLS this year,
and that's on the heels of having the number one
(16:22):
kit last year, So that's something that is great. I
think our fans, you know, gravitate to buying kits, and
you may not buy more than one kids, but put
on average, people buy multiple kids per years. So again
it's all very good. I would say, yes, there's always
going to be a new kit coming. I think that
(16:43):
there are the things that you've heard potentially about there
being maybe a tip of the hats to something retro.
That's something you could probably anticipate.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
So I mean, we're just going to follow up bluntly.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
There is going to be a third kit that will
have a kind of a old school ref to old Sounders.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Yeah. Well, let me I don't want I don't want
to actually disappoint, but let me just say I would
be disappointed if we did not have something in our
fans' hands to enjoy. So let's put it that way.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Why don't you just go find the kit that Schmetzer
wore back in the seventies and eighties and just duplicate that.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
And then have them wear far Off's See, I got you.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Yeah here. I want to go back to the Club
World Cup for a couple of things. And the first
question that I have about the Club World Cup is
the finances, because so much has been talked about from
fans and reports and not only you know, America, but
globally about you know, all right, being part of the
Club World Cup in the new revamped style. This is
(17:44):
you know, what are clubs getting to be part of this?
And there's been wild reported numbers. I think the first
number that was kind of rumored out there was fifty million,
which is obviously nuts. What communication have you gotten from
FIFA and or do you have exact numbers for what
the Seattle Sounders are going to net being part of
this big tournament?
Speaker 4 (18:05):
We don't, you know, I think this is These are
all details that are still forthcoming. I think I think
soon we will. I think I think if you looked
at the draw, Sounders weren't unfortunately part of the one
two three in terms of the top teams that are
you know, getting relevant. So I think they're going to
get to us, but we don't know exactly what that
(18:25):
looks like. And Kennily, you know, we're more focused on
how we compete in this tournament versus what the financial
implications are. You know, we think this is.
Speaker 8 (18:35):
A huge.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
Lift for the brand and for you know, where our
brand sits in terms of the global landscape of soccer.
And again, the finances will be what they be.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
To find compete what what do you I mean Obviously
we're talking about Bodha Fogo, one of the best teams
in South America. We're talking about PSG, We're talking about
Athletico Madrid. I mean, what is competing in your eyes?
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Well, we are in the group of death.
Speaker 8 (19:00):
Yeah, as those that.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Follow where I think, you know, I think that I
asked that same question to Specially. I think he's you know,
I think the team is being measured. I think we
feel really good about where this team is, and I
think that again we're going to show up in a
way that again the Sounders always do to make our
fans proud. And again I'll leave the definitions of success
(19:24):
to others, but I think that's certainly at the moment
is not lost on us that again this is a
moment we need to rise to the occasion.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
And just to check, will the stadium be fully open
for those three games? And then will the stadium be
fully open not closed off three hundred level for any
other games across the season right now?
Speaker 4 (19:44):
Yeah, it's my understanding. Again, this is a Fiefa tournament,
this is not a Sounder tournament, so I don't have
again insight to every decision, but that's my understanding that
all matches will be open to all fans across all competitions.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So full stadiums open for Club World Cup games. Yes,
there will be a third jersey coming out, and it
certainly sounds like he is leaning towards it being with
retro inspiration towards it Grass for as I understood it
right there, and he confirmed from when Softy asked Grass
for the first part of the twenty twenty six season,
(20:20):
as I kind of understood his answer in that conversation
right there, lots of good information there from Hugh Weber,
and I'm sure there is a lot more questions, but
that's the time we had there with Hugh Weber. So
good to get that chat there. Check out the podcast
in case you missed that, and I'll be sending out
on social media some quotes too, by the way, if
(20:43):
you want to follow on social media. I am at
Jackson on radio pretty much everywhere including Twitter, Blue Sky
at Jackson on radio. All right, we'll get a break
here in Sounders Weekly. Lot still to get to here
on the show. We're gonna get to Ari Lillianwall from
MLS Soccer dot Com in the podcast Lobbing Scorches, and
we're gonna get to Paul Ariola, the Sounders new fullback
(21:03):
midfielder winger Swiss Army Knife, Paul Ariola. We'll get to
both Ari and Paul coming up here on Sounders Weekly
on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFL.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
What now, back to.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc cel's Sports
Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Oh, welcome back, Welcome back, Jackson Feltzer, good be with
you here. The return of Sounders Weekly here in twenty
twenty five with you for this whole hour here talking
Sounders Soccer. Thanks again to Hugh Weber who joined Sophie
and I. Lots of news there again as I interpreted it,
sounds like the Sounders will play the first part of
that twenty twenty six season next year on Grass as
(21:44):
part of the massive renovation that Hugh talked about. Some
other interesting info there from Hueber. Check out the podcast
in case you missed it. But joining us now and
joining us here again as he always does here in
Sounders Weekly, he's back another year. He's a writer and
editor for MLS Soccer dot com and he hosts the
(22:05):
Fantastic podcast. I am a subscriber to Lobbing Scorchers. It
is Ari, lillianwall Ari. Welcome back, my friend.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
How are you.
Speaker 6 (22:15):
I'm doing great, Jackson. It's great to be back here
on this show as.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
You and have games to talk about this week, oh man.
Two games.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
We start the season with Antigua GFC tomorrow at five
pm on FS two, and we have Charlotte. I'll probably
fit in a question about Charlotte on Saturday, as the
MLS season starts at seven point thirty on Saturday night
at lumin Field.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
You know what's funny.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
I just spent last twenty two minutes on the air,
and you know, we played a big interview with Hugh Weber.
Lots of business stuff, lots of interesting notes. You can
write an article about it. Not once in the first
twenty two minutes of the show did I mention probably
the news of the time right now in Sounder Land.
Like if you were to ask, like, what is the
big news of the Sounders right now? The big news
(22:59):
of the Sounders right now is probably the sale of
Josh Atensio, a midfielder, local kid who came up through
the ranks and really made a name for himself with
the Sounders.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
He was sold for up to one point six million.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Dollars in jam general allocation money to the Colorado Rapids
when it's what six hundred and fifty this year, six
hundred and fifty next year and other performance incentives, I
mean one point six million ARI for Josh Atensio. That's
a big deal for Craig Wibln company to get that price,
I think for Josh Atensio.
Speaker 6 (23:32):
Yeah, when I first heard about the trade, I was surprised.
If you had told me somebody was going to get
traded before the start of the season, I don't think
I would have said Atensio. But then when you take
a step back, it kind of makes sense. I mean,
he was buried on the depth chart here. He was
not going to play as much as he needs to
at this point his career for his development. So from
(23:56):
that standpoint, it actually does make sense why they would
trade him. But I I do you agree with you
one point three If I had tried to assess his value,
if you told me he was going to get traded,
that's above what I would have had him at. Anything
over a million, I think is more than I would
have had him at. So from I think it's definitely
great business for Craig Wible and kind of a proof
(24:19):
of concept of what they've been trying to do with
this academy, which is developed these players so they can
contribute to the first team. But then also in situations
like this, you know it doesn't necessarily have to be
with this team for the system to be working.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
It goes back to a few years ago where Darth
Logoway said on this show, we're in the great game now.
The great game of developing the academy and then selling
players we develop Attenco one point six million dollars up
to one point six million dollars, but one point three
for sure, and I personally kind of just what I
read into it is. Obviously they tried to make him
into a center back, that transition was happening. Who knows
(24:55):
how that was going. But this move does bode well
for a guy like Danny Labam. More playing time for
guys like John Bell and especially Stuart Hawkins, a young
Stuart Hawkins and a center back coming up through the
system as well. I think it's great news for him,
a lot more playing time for guys like that. But
very interesting move there for Josh Atensio selling to Colorado
(25:16):
for a large chunk of change. Well done, Craig Wibel
and company. Ari Leen was our guest mlssucker dot Com
and the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. Ari Let's talk to the
Sounders from thirty five thousand feet man. We start the
season tomorrow in CONCACAFF Champions Cup Action. Let's just keep
it simple here. What chance do you think they have
(25:37):
to go on another run like they did in twenty
twenty two and win this thing.
Speaker 6 (25:42):
I think they have a few factors that are working
for them, which is their experience in this competition. They
have been here before, like you mentioned, they made they
had a run in twenty twenty two where they won it,
so they know they can do it. And also from
what I've seen this preseason, I think there's reason to
be hopeful that is going to be a more productive
and dynamic offense this season. And with how Hayesus Serrera
(26:06):
has looked and honestly mainly Pedro de Lavega, anyone who's
been following this team this preseason, he looks like the
best player on the team right now. He had the
best preseason of anyone on the team. I think it's
fair to say so. When you take the experience, combined
with the fact that there's reason to be hopeful that
the offense will take a step forward, and the fact
(26:27):
that they had the best defense in the league last year,
there's a you don't have to leap that far to
convince yourself that they can make a run at this tournament,
especially because they've shown to be built for tournament play
over the years.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
This is kind of where they thrust and they have
a lot of depth I think to get them through
this tournament as well as playing through MLS action as well.
I think you're right on that before I ask you
about Charlotte, the first MLS opponent coming up on Saturday.
Continuing off of the conversation about the offense, and we
talked about this on your Lobbing Scorches show last Thursday,
(27:00):
which I thought was great, and that's the element of
what is this attack going to look like? And I
think there's a lot of different variations and different flexibility
for Brian Schmitzer to play either a three at the
back or a fourth the back, two forwards, one forward,
throw Jordan out wide play Heeshu's under Jordan is There's
a lot of interesting things that you can do, I
(27:21):
think with the pieces that Brian Schmitzer has. So with
that said, what is your confidence level that the Sounders
attack will be where it needs to be to get
this team back to an MLS Cup where they were
one goal short from being their last year.
Speaker 6 (27:39):
I think that's the prevailing question, but I will tell
you his sus Ferreira is a guy who has been
a Best eleven attacker in the league. He's a two
time All Star. He's had an eighteen goal season in MLS,
so you know he's been I've been watching him for
years on SC Dallas and there's been periods of time
(28:00):
where he looks like one of the best players in
the league. And to make a to make it on
the Best eleven is not easy either. I mean, you're
talking about guys like Lucho Acosta and Haini Muktar and
Carlos Vela. Those are the guys who have been on
the Best.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Eleven over the years.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
So I don't think he even needs to be that
level of player to be a player that has an
impact that can really up the productivity of the attack.
But if he's anywhere close to the type of player
he's shown that he can be in the league, I
mean that right there seems like that would be a
big boost to me. And then last year De la
(28:34):
Vega barely played at all and this serison this season,
going into this year, he looks good in preseason, so
he still has to do it during the actual games
and stay hit and all that. But that right there,
I think is the reason that there is to be
hopeful that they answered that question is yes.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Okay, So yeah, So yes is the final answer that question,
because that's that's the big question. How confident are Sounders fans?
If you're saying yes, I am confident, that makes me
feel good about entering this season. Starting tomorrow, they are
in CONCACAF action and then it's starting in MLS action
on Saturday against Charlotte. We're going to have the game
right here ninety three point three KGRFM with a seven
(29:12):
o'clock pre game, seven thirty kickoff on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
So, Ari Charlotte. What do we know about Charlotte?
Speaker 2 (29:18):
The only thing I know too much about Charlotte is
the fact that they have Tim Reim. Obviously, you know
United States men's national team standout. What do you know
about Charlotte FC and the team that's coming to town
on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
I can tell you that they're coming off a year
where they actually performed quite a bit better than anticipated.
They made the playoff last year, they were I want
to say they were a top five or six team
in the East. And I can also tell you that
they are a trendy pick by national pundits as a
team that's going to take a big leap this year
(29:51):
and perhaps be an actual contender this year, which I
hadn't followed their offseason that closely, but I will tell
you that I've heard that repeatedly. And signed a new
designated player named Zaha I think is his name. I
can't quite remember it off the top of my head,
but I'm pretty sure that's his name. But anyway, people
seem to be very very high on him and think
(30:12):
that he is going to be an impact player for them.
So if they get an impact DP, they were very
They're kind of like the Sounders. They were very solid
on defense last year, they just didn't score enough goals.
So if they have a guy who's gonna have a
Ferreira type impact that for them, you know, I could
see them actually taking the leap. And I think I
see where the pundits and analysts are coming from with
(30:34):
what they think.
Speaker 8 (30:35):
Of their team.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Zaha as opposed to Zava from Ted Lasso, that is
not the same player, everybody. Ari Lun was our guest
every Zaha.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
How about that?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Ari Lun was our guest msoccer dot Com the podcast
Lobbing Scorches. Ari, we just have a couple more minutes here,
so let's wrap with just simply looking at Major League
Soccer as a whole galaxy.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
I was such.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
I was a hater the Galaxy last year, and boy
I got burned by it. I did not think their
defense was going to get them to where it needed
to be to win an MLS Cup. It was, and
it did so. As the season restarts Miami, we will
I don't know if Messi will play in six inches
of snow in Kansas City tomorrow, We'll see, but we
do know that it's the full MLS slate starting this weekend.
(31:22):
Are you looking at the Galaxy again? Are you looking
at LAFC? Are you looking at Miami because there is
still all of those horses that can take them deep
unlike they did last year against Atlanta. Who are your
eyes going to across the entire league as the season
kicks off?
Speaker 6 (31:40):
I mean, I think Inner Miami is obviously again going
to be the club that everyone is watching. Lionel Messi
and the Barca Boys are back at it, but honestly,
there's kind of been some weird stuff going on down
there over the offseason. Messi hired their new coach after
Tauta after Tata left, and he's also been like acquiring
(32:02):
players and also he got the sporting director demoted. It's
a whole thing, like you can look that up. So
inner Miami, there's some weird vibes down there. But at
the end of the day, I honestly don't think that's
going to affect them at all on the field. Just
with the roster that they've assembled, I think they're probably
going to be a seventy plus point team again this year.
(32:24):
But there's a lot of question mark marks around the league. Jackson.
That's the main thing I've been noticing this preseason. There's
been drama with designated players, with Luco Acosta and Evander
both switching teams. There's been guys other guys in Cincinnati
we're holding out to. There's other examples along those lines.
None of that has really affected Seattle luckily, but that's
(32:46):
sort of the kind of prevailing theme of the offseason.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Wow, what a mess I mean.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
I know at Vander after he basically sent tweets out
that just ripped the Portland Timbers, they had no choice
but to get rid of me at that point. And
he's now been sold and a Costa sold as well.
It is a wild, wild world in Major League soccer.
So It'll be fun to continue talking about here in
the weeks ahead. Great to have you back here for
the entire season. Ari, I'll be continuing to tune into
(33:13):
Lobbing Scorches. You and Noah do a great job on that,
so have a good podcast, have a good rest of
your week, and I'll see you out at lumin on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Appreciated Jackson, looking forward to the season.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Ari, Lulianwell mlssoccer dot com. In the podcast Lobbing Scorches,
check it out, and again we will be there at
Luminfield on Saturday for Sounders Charlotte to open up this season.
Speaker 8 (33:34):
Well.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence Swedish, the official
healthcare partner of Sounders FC. One of the newest Sounder players,
Paul Ariola, brought in from FC Dallas. You're gonna learn
a little bit about Paul Ariola, the player and the
person off the field that comes next on Sounders Weekly
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders
FC cles Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Welcome back Sounders Weekly, Jackson feltz good to be back
with you. For twenty twenty five. Hope you've enjoyed the
show so far. Hugh Weber, Sounders President of Business Operations,
breaking some news, given some great info on the state
of the club. With Club World Cup soon approaching in
June and the season starting this week, including tomorrow CONGACAFF
(34:25):
Champions Cup, there won't be a radio broadcast, but you
can watch Sounders Antigua GFC in the first round of
CONGCA calf Action. That's five pm tomorrow on FS two.
MLS season will start on Saturday against Charlotte that will
have a seven o'clock pregame seven thirty kickoff right here
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM for Sounders and
(34:46):
Charlotte starting the thirty four game schedule of MLS Action.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Well.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Over the offseason, we did a podcast where I introduced
you to Paul Ariola. We played a little bit of
that there and listen for those who you know are
listening on you know, the iHeartRadio app wherever you listen
to us. You may not have caught the podcast. This
is a really good get to know you a conversation
with Paul Ariola. He came over from FC Dallas. He
is a new Sounder who's kind of a Swiss army knife.
(35:14):
He can play full back. He can play which means
right or left back, you know, along that defensive line
on the right er left side.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
He can play on the wing.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
If the Sounders play a three at the back, he
can play what's called a wing back. So with kind
of a hybrid of the two. He's really a kind
of a Swiss army knife. And Paul Ariola is gonna
be a big meaningful part I think of what the
Sounders are trying to do, especially on the offensive end,
moving up and down the field in twenty twenty five.
But who is Paul ariole off the field? This is
(35:43):
a great conversation that I think Sounder fans, you're gonna
like this guy. You're gonna really like this guy. And
as you get to know him more and more over
the course of the season, I think you'll like him
more and more.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
So here's a nice get to know. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
I started the conversation with Paul back about a month
ago before the team left from our bea for preseason training,
and I asked him, how do you like your new
digs here in Long Acres.
Speaker 7 (36:05):
Yeah, it's been great so far. You know, obviously the
facility speaks for itself. There's you know, it's nice to
be a part of a club with a with an
updated facility, with something uh that players look forward to
showing up. I know it's been long overdue for the
club moving into a facility like this, a club that deserves,
you know, to have some of the best facilities in
(36:26):
the US, and uh, I'm really happy to be a
part of that. Coming from DC and Dallas. Uh they
aren't necessarily known to be the best facilities and you know,
kind of have a player for environment, but definitely here
Uh it is and and I believe that's the way
for for guys to have the most success.
Speaker 8 (36:45):
So it's been great.
Speaker 7 (36:46):
Obviously a little bit cold, but uh, nothing that that
I haven't.
Speaker 8 (36:49):
Dealt with before, played in the places that I played.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Well, Christian and Jordan have talked about your friendship with them,
you know, and then the joys and it having you
come here for for you to speak about your French
from from from your side with it with them, you
know outside are you guys if you guys do stuff
at it all off the off the field, talk like
about your tit ends with them.
Speaker 7 (37:08):
Yeah, I think, you know, like anyone working in an
environment and in a work environment, right, you always want
to work with your friends. And I'm sure many people
can relate to thinking about working with their best friends
being in the same building. You know, for us, it's
competing together. So just going years and years back on
the national team talking about how nice it would be
to all be on the same team, to be able
(37:30):
to unite on and off the field. You know, we're
all kind of living similar stages of life. I have
a one year old, Christian has a six month old,
Jordan has a fifteen month old, so uh, there's a
lot of babies. And our wives are are good friends
and have known each other for years as well. So
for me, you know, I'd be lying if I said
it wasn't an extra incentive and motive motivation. I want
(37:52):
to come here and and uh and and you know
kind of kind of have a new chapter with some
of my best friends in the games. So I'm really
excited about that. You know, Jordan and his wife welcomed
us the first night that we were here. They came over,
they brought us some stuff, brought us dinner. So you know,
I'm really close with them, and and I'm looking forward
(38:12):
to being close with a bunch of other guys on
the team.
Speaker 8 (38:14):
I know this this team is super tight.
Speaker 7 (38:16):
Uh, there's a great culture within and you know, I'm
looking forward to fitting right in.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
For the last couple of years I've been talking to
Jordan and Christian about dad life, right and then in
the first year of dad life and the trials and
tribulations of being dad, so great, welcome to the club
now in this in these conversations, Paul, what is dad
life like for you in the first year.
Speaker 8 (38:33):
It's been amazing, man.
Speaker 7 (38:34):
You know, we're we're so blessed to to be able
to go home at a decent time of the day.
And I've been able to be there for almost every
every you know, milestone so far, been able to go
to almost all the doctor's appointments. I mean, these are
like little things that I think oftentimes we can we
can overlook and take for granted. But just being a
(38:55):
being an everyday father and being there for my child,
I believe will you know, pay a pay dividends in
the end as I continue to grow with with my
wife and and be there for her and be there
for my baby as well.
Speaker 8 (39:08):
So it's been it's been exciting.
Speaker 7 (39:11):
You know, we're getting to the to the real fun
stage of starting to walk and starting to point and
talk and do all those things, and it's it's it's
honestly amazing.
Speaker 8 (39:19):
I'm really blessed.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
At what point do you put the soccer ball in
front of her feet?
Speaker 8 (39:23):
We were we had it a little bit yesterday.
Speaker 7 (39:25):
Uh, she's kind of right now, she's kind of convinced
on uh dogs and uh throwing a throwing a.
Speaker 8 (39:31):
Basketball into like a mini basketball.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Hope.
Speaker 7 (39:33):
So I'm gonna slowly get the soccer ball into her.
I think we'll have we'll have some time for that.
She'll be stuck with that for the rest of her life,
so it'll it'll come and do time. Hopefully, you know,
sometime this year, when she can start walking, I'll bring
her out onto the field and let her hopefully kick
a ball around.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
What's your name?
Speaker 8 (39:48):
Her name is seven?
Speaker 6 (39:50):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
What's what's life like for you off the field during
the off season? What what do you like to do
off the field? I mean you mentioned yesterday it's like
the summers in seallity looking forward to.
Speaker 3 (39:58):
But what is life for for Paul off field?
Speaker 7 (40:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (40:01):
You know, I just enjoy being home.
Speaker 7 (40:03):
You know, we travel so much, and you know, just
the nature of of the of the sport and the business.
You miss a lot of things from traveling, and so
for me, it's just about spending family time being there
and and right now obviously you know, this first year,
be able to explore Seattle and explore the area that.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
I'm living in.
Speaker 8 (40:24):
And you know, my wife and I love to love
to go out and eat good food.
Speaker 7 (40:28):
I love to play golf when she lets me, so
I know I'll be I'll be playing with with some of.
Speaker 8 (40:33):
The guys here.
Speaker 7 (40:34):
I know that that they they they have some days
to go play golf, so hopefully I'll be I'll be
added to the mix.
Speaker 8 (40:42):
But besides that, really that's it, man.
Speaker 7 (40:44):
Just hang out, enjoy love, hanging out with friends and
and just kind of being calm and cool.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
Whatever you did, you end up choosing to move here.
Speaker 7 (40:51):
To living in Kirkland, Jordan, Jordan didn't really give me
a choice. He kind of said it was Kirkland or Kirkland,
and so we went with the We went to kirk Kirkland.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
There's a lot of good golf over in the bellvuere
you know, twenty minutes away, so you're in.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
You're in a good golfer for sure. I love that
last thing on the field.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Again, you've talked about wing or wing back, the possibilities,
but just you know, coming in here in the expectations
of where you might play, how much you might play,
conversations with Brian Schmitzer just on the field. To wrap
it up, but what are your thoughts there to start
here already in preseason?
Speaker 7 (41:21):
Yeah, I think you know, for me, it's it's going
to be a challenge in itself that will be something
that I haven't had to deal with over you know,
the past eight nine years of my career, which is
coming into a new environment that is you know that
already has a great core of players, a team that's
been together, that's that's you know, been really close to
(41:43):
success for many years, and you know a lot of
guys deserve to be on the field. And I, you know,
I believe that the best teams now in MLS need
to have depth in many positions. And you see it
with l A, you see it with LAFC, you see
it with Columbus, you see it with uh. You know,
a bunch of the team that can continually compete at
a high level. Is uh, players that are able to
(42:05):
make a difference, you know, whether it's starting or whether
it's on the bench. You know, I'm always gonna believe
that that I should be on the field. I believe that,
you know, I'll be able to work my way into
the starting lineup. But at the same time, I understand
that this isn't a team that is lacking in many positions.
I have a lot of respect for all the guys
who have been here. You know, like I said, the
(42:27):
wing back position, you know, can maybe get a little
bit complicated, the winger position.
Speaker 8 (42:31):
But for me, my job is just to compete.
Speaker 7 (42:35):
You know, I spoke to coach when I first got here,
and he laid his expectations out for me. I laid
my expectations out out of myself and from the team,
and and you know, I you know, Jordan's mentioned it
before and I mentioned it yesterday, Like I'm just I'm
a team guy. You know, I've lived many stages of
(42:55):
my career, as I mentioned before. You know, this move
for me specifically, you know, I was able to kind
of dictate where I where I ended up, and I
didn't go asking for more money or try and continue
to make more money. I could have went to you know,
a couple of different teams and and made even more money,
(43:17):
you know, over over.
Speaker 8 (43:18):
Two three years.
Speaker 7 (43:20):
Or I could have moved closer to home, which is
southern California. And I didn't really choose any of that.
I chose to be here to compete, to to be
a part of something that that will push me to
be at my best and and I believe that I
can also help the team, uh push that that final
step that that you know, I believe in and we
all believe that that this club should be at. So uh,
(43:41):
you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna compete from the first minute.
Speaker 8 (43:43):
I'm gonna support my teammates. I'm going to be a
locker room guy.
Speaker 7 (43:46):
That's just the nature of who I am. You know,
I really wear my heart on my sleeve. I'm not
I don't try and be anybody that I'm not. I
never will be who I am. The way I speak
to one person is the way I speak to all.
And you know, I'm just super excited to be able
to go out there, compete for my jersey on and
fight for everybody in the stadium and within the organizations.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
Well, there's a lot of people in that stadium. We
were ready to see you play and ready to see
finally you in the right colors. So cheers and hopefully
when we get back from Spain there's some good weather
for your golfing.
Speaker 8 (44:17):
That's right. I love that.
Speaker 3 (44:18):
Thank you very much, Paul, Thank you preciate that great
to get to know.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Yeah, well we'll talk more through awesome times. Well that's
Paul Ariola. Definitely, we will have many interviews with him
this year. An awesome person to talk to, and I
think he'll be a great player, you know, when the
Sounders inevitably do fall in a certain game and hopefully
they go undefeated, but if they do lose a game,
I think he's going to be somebody who gives a
lot of good, honest answers about what happened in certain games.
(44:44):
And he's somebody that I'm going to really be looking
forward to talking to in the locker room throughout the
twenty twenty five season. So with that, that will do
it for tonight's show. And what a show was. Hugh
Weber with lots of news, Arilllionwall with lots of good
previews for the season ahead, and then Paul ARIOI very
much get to know you there with Paul. Hope you
(45:04):
all enjoyed. Check out the podcast as always Sounders Weekly.
Wherever you get your podcasts. You can get it on
every app. Just look up Sounders Weekly and enjoy throughout
the twenty twenty five season. I of course will push
the iHeartRadio app that will do it for our show tonight.
We will not talk to you tomorrow for the KUNKACAFF
Champions Cup game five pm on FS two against Antique
(45:27):
with GFC. We will talk to you on Saturday for
the start of the MLS season. That will be a
seven o'clock pre seven point thirty kickoff Sounders hosting Charlotte
at Luminfield. We will talk to you on Saturday. Have
a very good rest of your week and for tomorrow
we'll all be watching together on FS two. So go
Sounders
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