Money, branding, influence? The Portland Timbers are on a marvelous roll.
And the best example of that may not be that 2015 Major League Soccer championship, but the Timbers' stranglehold on Oregon youth soccer.
To wit: In recent months, Lake Oswego Soccer Club and Crossfire Oregon alone entered 40 premier and classic teams in the Oregon Youth Soccer Association fall and winter leagues.
Because league fees range from $800 to $975 per team, the clubs wrote checks totaling $36,325 to ...
Peregrine Sports LLC, the for-profit company that owns the Portland Timbers.
Anyone else think that's odd?