TV funnyman Drew Carey is serious about his stake in new MLS franchise Seattle Sounders. Carey's Sounders will kickoff the new MLS season tomorrow night against New York Red Bull and said: "This is not a short-term commitment to me.

"I'm really involved with the Sounders for the long-term now, and as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to be with the Sounders for the rest of my life, rooting for this team."

Carey is literally drumming up support. He established a marching band and created a fan membership association for the team, of which he is chairman.

The opener on Thursday sold out the morning single-game tickets went on sale, despite raising Qwest Field's soccer capacity to 32,400 for that game. Season-ticket sales were capped at 22,000 to allow at least a few people to buy single-game tickets.

"You have to find a way to be more vested in it, and not just soccer and sports but with any business you have," Carey said. "We're just being smarter business people than anyone who owns a sports team right now."