Drew Carey Wants Fans Making Decisions

Soccer365.com

There's been a soccer frenzy in Seattle with the announcement that the MLS will start an expansion team in the Emerald City in 2009. 

Among the ownership group is comedian, actor, and host of The Price is Right Drew Carey. Soccer365's Lars Lifrak waded through the bedlam at the George and Dragon soccer bar in Seattle to catch up with the celebrity owner who tells us why this team will be different than any other in the United States.

You've been a soccer fan for a while now.  What got you into it?

I've liked soccer since the first time I saw a game at the Home Depot Center. I live in L.A. but I can't root for the Lakers or the Dodgers or anybody because I'm a Browns fan and I'm an Indians fan. The people in Cleveland would kill me! I'm so connected to the city of Cleveland that I can't possibly root against any of their teams. So they don't have a soccer team (in Cleveland) and they had just built the Home Depot Center.

So why Seattle?

(Majority owner) Joe Roth actually did a lot of research. He wanted to be a soccer owner. I had a lunch with him right after I hurt my arm on The Price is Right. I didn't go to the hospital because I had a lunch with him about soccer. I thought my arm was broken but I went to a restaurant to meet with Joe. He told me all about the Seattle market and how great they were with the Sounders back in the NASL days and how Qwest field was built for both football and soccer. I thought 'that sounds great!'. 

So he asked me if I'd want to be part of the ownership group. I said I would only do it on two conditions. First of all, we have to have a marching band! And we're going to have a membership group like they do in Barcelona. 

We'll sell memberships to fans, and you won't own the team but you will be able to vote on who the general manager is every four years. Adrian Hanauer is the first general manager. So in four years the fans that buy memberships will be able to vote whether he keeps his job or not. And the fans--if they are unhappy--will be able to nominate somebody to run against him. 

If there's a disgruntled fan group that thinks somebody else can do it better, you get a certain percentage of people to sign a petition. Then you can have somebody else run against Adrian. Every four years we'll have an election and the fans that belong to our membership group are the only ones who will be able to decide who the general manager is. 

The fans will have all the power as far as how the team is run. If you don't like the coach he hires or the trades he makes or the team he puts on the field you can get rid of him and bring somebody else in that you think can do better. These will be the only fans in America that have this power over a sports team.

Right now I think the NBA is broken in that even if a team wins a championship they can lose money. What do you think about the MLS business model?

It's great. I think it's actually a safe place to put your money. Because it grows every year and the fan base grows every year. They're doing it right with the salary caps and they fold everything in just little by little. I think one of the mistakes of the North American Soccer League is that they tried to do everything too quickly and they just blew all their dough. The MLS is doing it in a really smart way. Everything that's done in the MLS is with a view towards the future. They're not trying to make a quick buck they're trying to grow the sport.

Last question, what is your favorite game on The Price is Right?

I like them all. I like spinning the wheel. I know that's not a separate game but it's the most exciting thing to me. I've had over 50-$1000 bonus winners in my 10 weeks as host. I'm setting a record this year!

Thanks Drew I appreciate the time.

My pleasure.