This wasn’t the opening season that Seattle Impact FC owner, player and coach Dion Earl envisioned when he first announced the debut of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) team in June.
First a sexual harassment restraining order against Earl, then a class action lawsuit against him and the league. Now 22 players have walked out on the team on the heels of a Nov. 8 loss to the San Diego Sockers. The team’s website on Wednesday showed just seven players on the roster. The walkout wasn’t over the loss, the players say, but because of Earl’s leadership.
“This is not an easy decision to make as we have all made a commitment to help build this franchise and have waited so long for this opportunity,” the players said in their resignation letter. “We wish to continue playing in the MASL and grow the brand in the Northwest but cannot do so as long as Dion Earl is a part of this organization.”
Ian Weinberg, Taylor Jackson, Brayton Knapp, Steve Mohn, Jeff Bader, Micah Wenzel, Eli Gordley, Mark Lee, Kellan Brown, Kaymran Tairov, Collin Rolfe, Nathan Salveson, Michal Mravec, Marshall Reese, Derek Johnson, Gustovo Bermundez, Franisco Cisnernos, Vince McCluskey, Evan Denmark, Jameal Cox, Tyler Bjork, Craig Thomlinson have left the team in protest of Earl’s conduct.
“There is a certain level of integrity and professionalism that we, as players, take very seriously,” the players said in their resignation letter submitted to the MASL. “We feel that with the daily chaos, firing of our coaches, firing of staff, release of the dance team, poor treatment of players and the polluted media surrounding Dion’s sexual assault, bullying, and harassment charges, our reputations are being tarnished and compromised.”
According to the letter, family members and friends have questioned their continued association with the team.
“We are constantly bombarded by family, friends and work colleagues wondering how we can play for such a poor role model,” the letter said.
Gordy Gurson, a Seattle forward and director of operations, said that the walkout was more attributed to the players being angry with team selections and placement.
Earl called the walkout a “mutiny” which followed him releasing several players. The Impact is conducting tryouts to replace the missing members.
League commissioner Kevin Milliken declined to comment on the lawsuit or Earl’s continued ownership of the team, stating that he had passed it on to his legal team without reviewing it after the league and King County Sheriff’s Office background checks, and that commenting on the issue was “above my paygrade.”
Meanwhile, the Impact is off to a 1-2 start. They beat the Sacramento Surge 12-8 and lost to the Turlock Express 11-5. They are in fifth place in the six-team Pacific Division.
Seattle plays Turlock at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28 at the ShoWare Center.
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