Major League Soccer has carved out a niche in the sports world by practically forcing teams to play in soccer-only facilities, rather than rely on football venues.

In Seattle, though, an expansion team will be bucking that trend -- or so it seems. In a Seattle Times article, community activist Fred Mendoza explains that Qwest Field, the home of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, was actually build with pro soccer in mind:

"Making sure that the new stadium would be a world-class venue for soccer, as well as football, was a top priority of mine. So we took the stadium plans to one of the 1994 World Cup architects and his recommended design changes were incorporated in the stadium by the Seahawks' owners. The soccer pitch required international dimensions, the crown of the playing field had to be reduced and the sightlines needed to be unobstructed, among other things. We were delivering on the promise."

Indeed, the first event at the new stadium was a soccer match between the Seattle Sounders and the Vancouver Whitecaps. Since then the stadium has played host to several high-profile soccer matches, including one featuring D.C. United and Real Madrid. Fans reacted positively to the pitch setup at those events, leading MLS to award an expansion franchise to Seattle.