TIMBERGASM

A couple of months ago co-worker got a notice from the Timbers telling him that as season ticket holders we were invited to a fashion show debuting the team’s jerseys. The event would take place in an airplane hangar at the airport.

He said, “We don’t want to do this do we?”

I replied: “A soccer fashion show in an airplane hangar? Of course we want to do it. It sounds DORKTASTIC.

For the one of my three loyal readers who isn’t fully with the program I’ll explain a few things.

I’ve never followed a professional sports team in my life.

And last year I shared in a season ticket for the Division 2 soccer team, the Timbers.

We are an expansion team and are joining Major League Soccer next year.

I am a full-fledged season ticket holder for MLS. Right now the team is doing a million things for the fans. We get emails every couple weeks for some exclusive fan event.

Timbers just opened a store downtown about 4 blocks from the office. Co-worker and I are going on Monday to buy each other Christmas presents.

I get really irritated whenever I read articles about how “Americans don’t like soccer.” Sure, some Americans don’t like soccer. But LOTS of them do. Some Americans don’t like football, basketball or baseball. Hello!

Check out the MLS stats page for attendance (scroll down). Seattle Sounders average is 36,173. The next highest average is LA with 21,436. The PACNW loves its soccer.

Our team has partnered with Alaska Airlines, one of the few giant corporations that I am extremely loyal to.

For the event we had to leave our cars in a gravel lot and shuttle to the hangar. Of course today we got about eight feet of rain.

I had no idea what to expect but it’s a work day and not super convenient. I figured there would be maybe 50 fans and a few players running around in the new jerseys.

I was wrong.

It was huge. There were zillions of fans. There was free booze and food.

There was a drum and flag squad.

Then they drove our custom TIMBERS airplane into the hangar. The fashion show models came out of the plane including a bunch of players for our team.

It was freaking awesome. It was the best jersey launch ever. (That’s what they told us and I didn’t know they even scored these things, but I’m glad I was at the best one.)

I can’t wait to buy my gear on Monday.