Portland Timbers Tuesday: Cuts and Petitions

November 2, 2010 — PDXPIPELINE

By Ben Golliver

Photo by totalnerd

Portland Timbers Tuesday: Cuts and Petitions

This week was a "get your house in order"Ãƒâ€š week for the Portland Timbers, who are waiting for the clock to tick down November 24^th, the date of the MLS expansion draft which will spell the arrival of many new faces.

As such, the Timbers announced on their official websitethat eight members of the 2010 team would "not be retained for the club's inaugural Major League Soccer season." It might seem a bit weird to formally and publicly announce that you're not keeping players, but in this case the statement provides a measure of closure to the players and fans alike, as well as an opportunity for the players to pursue their next job unencumbered. Of the eight names, 2010 team captain Ian Joy will probably elicit the most fan regret. To a get a sense for the rest, though, here's a telling statistic: the six forwards and midfielders that will not be retained combined for just one goal and four assists in 3,765 minutes played during the 2010 season. That lack of production simply won't do at the next level.

Aside from the eight players who are no longer under consideration, and the four player signings already made official, there's a third group of 2010 Timbers that are still awaiting their fate, with Kalif Alhassan and Mamadou Danso seen as favorites to make the squad by Kip Kesgard

Aside from this slowly-developing roster clarity, and the ongoing PGE Park renovation (pictured above), the internet chatter this week has centered on a group effort among Portland, Seattle and Vancouver fans to influence the ticket-selling process for the rivalry games between the Major League Soccer teams in the Pacific Northwest. MLS has a rule that mandates teams need only reserve 150 tickets for visiting fans. This is a problem, because all three fan bases travel very well among the Cascadia corridor. A larger visitor allotment would ensure that these fans are able to provide road support en masse.

While there is something to be said for maximizing the competitive edge that goes with home turf advantage and/or eliminating any potential heckling or light violence by homogenizing the turnstiles, there's a much better business argument for allocating tickets in whichever manner most strengthens the regional rivalries. Turning to college football as a case study, it is common practice for the visiting teams in regional rivalries to make up a significant portion of the overall crowd. Traveling to the game, purchasing merchandise to make one's presence felt and concessions to satisfy one's stomach, only serves the team's and the league's long-term best interests.

More die-hard fans and more cross-pollination between markets = more money. This seems like a simple equation, which shouldn't need to be explained by fans to executives. Hopefully, the suits will sort this one out.

In case you're interested, Timbers Army has more information on the petition.

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———-Ben Golliver

Ben Golliver is a freelance writer, native Oregonian and avid follower of the Timbers.Ãƒâ€š He edits Blazersedge, co-hostsÃƒâ€š The Dontonio Wingcast and regularly contributes toÃƒâ€š SB Nation. Follow him onTwitter.