The Portland Timbers need only look a three hour's drive north for inspiration in their inaugural Major League Soccer season.
That's because the rival Seattle Sounders had arguably the most successful launch in MLS history.
The Seattle franchise sold 22,000 season tickets before the start of its inaugural season, a new MLS benchmark. The Sounders sold out every home game in their first season and set a league record for average attendance.
But it is Seattle's success on the pitch that first season that impresses the Timbers.
The Sounders won the 2009 U.S. Open Cup championship and were the first expansion team in 11 years to reach the MLS playoffs. They went to the playoffs again in their second season.
The Timbers open their first MLS season on Saturday against the Colorado Rapids in Denver.
