Come for free, fan forever? How Sounders' ticket gamble is filling seats ahead of Club World Cup

In a time of great change, how do you appeal to new fans? If you’re the Seattle Sounders FC, you let them come for free.The Sounders are at a turning point. The arrival of the FIFA Club World Cup, which the Sounders are participating in and hosting, offers a chance to revitalize the team after years of declining attendance (despite the pay-based controversy surrounding it). And next summer, Seattle will also be a host city for the 2026 World Cup, another huge opportunity to tap into the so