Cascadia Cup
Encyclopedia
The Cascadia Cup is the name of the trophy created in 2004 by supporters of the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, which is awarded each season to the best soccer team in the Pacific Northwest
. The Timbers, Sounders, and Whitecaps have roots dating to the days of the North American Soccer League
. It was first contested in 2004, and was claimed by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. In 2011 the competition continued with the MLS sides Portland Timbers
, Seattle Sounders FC
, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
In 2007, the Virginia Beach Mariners
folded just before the season started, leaving the USL 1st Division
to scramble to fix the season schedule. The result was an unbalanced schedule, and as such it was decided to adjust the Cascadia Cup format for that season. Fans of all three Cascadian
teams agreed to make only the last home and last away matches between constituent clubs count toward the Cup.
In 2008 the clubs reverted back to playing each other an equal three times each. The Cascadia Cup competition once again included all scheduled regular season USL-1 matches played between the three rivals.
The Seattle Sounders of the USL-1 were made defunct in 2009 due to the introduction of the Major League Soccer
(MLS) expansion franchise of the same name. In 2009, it was announced that expansion teams would be allotted to Vancouver and Portland. Both teams will be named after their predecessors ensuring the continuation of the rivalry. Supporters of the Timbers and Whitecaps decided to continue the Cascadia Cup without the Sounders for two years while playing in the USL. In 2009, supporters of the Timbers and Whitecaps only included regular season USL-1 matches played between the teams and Portland won the cup for the first time. Some Sounders supporters wished to include a preseason victory over Vancouver and a US Open Cup match win at Portland for consideration in the cup standings while others believed that the Cascadia Cup competition should be suspended until 2011. Portland won the Cup for a second consecutive year in 2010.
The 2011 MLS season marked the first season since 2008 in which all three teams would be in the same league. Seattle claimed their third title by going undefeated in Cascadia Cup play — coming from behind to win both of their road games in Portland and Vancouver while earning draws at home.
Year by Year Results:
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. The Timbers, Sounders, and Whitecaps have roots dating to the days of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. It was first contested in 2004, and was claimed by the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. In 2011 the competition continued with the MLS sides Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
, Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
History
In 2004, fan-based organizations supporting the Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps sponsored the creation of a 2-foot-tall silver cup to be awarded annually to the club that finishes with the best record in the season series between the three rivals. From 2004 to 2006, the Cascadia Cup competition included all scheduled regular season A-League and later USL-1 matches played between the Sounders, Timbers, and Whitecaps.In 2007, the Virginia Beach Mariners
Virginia Beach Mariners
The Virginia Beach Mariners were an American soccer club, who formerly played in the USL First Division of the United Soccer Leagues, the second division in the US Soccer hierarchy behind Major League Soccer...
folded just before the season started, leaving the USL 1st Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
to scramble to fix the season schedule. The result was an unbalanced schedule, and as such it was decided to adjust the Cascadia Cup format for that season. Fans of all three Cascadian
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
teams agreed to make only the last home and last away matches between constituent clubs count toward the Cup.
In 2008 the clubs reverted back to playing each other an equal three times each. The Cascadia Cup competition once again included all scheduled regular season USL-1 matches played between the three rivals.
The Seattle Sounders of the USL-1 were made defunct in 2009 due to the introduction of the Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) expansion franchise of the same name. In 2009, it was announced that expansion teams would be allotted to Vancouver and Portland. Both teams will be named after their predecessors ensuring the continuation of the rivalry. Supporters of the Timbers and Whitecaps decided to continue the Cascadia Cup without the Sounders for two years while playing in the USL. In 2009, supporters of the Timbers and Whitecaps only included regular season USL-1 matches played between the teams and Portland won the cup for the first time. Some Sounders supporters wished to include a preseason victory over Vancouver and a US Open Cup match win at Portland for consideration in the cup standings while others believed that the Cascadia Cup competition should be suspended until 2011. Portland won the Cup for a second consecutive year in 2010.
The 2011 MLS season marked the first season since 2008 in which all three teams would be in the same league. Seattle claimed their third title by going undefeated in Cascadia Cup play — coming from behind to win both of their road games in Portland and Vancouver while earning draws at home.
Results
Total Wins:- Seattle: 3
- Vancouver: 3
- Portland: 2
Year by Year Results:
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sounders FC | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | |
| Portland Timbers | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | −4 |
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Timbers | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 |
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Timbers | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | −2 |
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | |
| Seattle Sounders | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Portland Timbers | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 | −3 |
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sounders | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
| Portland Timbers | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | −2 |
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sounders | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 10 | |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 12 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 8 | |
| Portland Timbers | 6 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 11 | −5 |
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 12 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 5 | |
| Portland Timbers | 9 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 15 | −5 |
| Seattle Sounders | 8 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 13 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | |
| Portland Timbers | 12 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 11 | −1 |
| Seattle Sounders | 10 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 |