PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer today announced that the Portland Timbers are the recipient of the 2011 Xbox 360 Team Fair Play Award.
In 2011, the Timbers committed a league-low 347 fouls – 27 fewer than the next closest team, the Colorado Rapids. Portland was one of just five teams to average under 1.5 yellow cards per game and its three red cards were tied for second-fewest (with Columbus Crew and Philadelphia Union) across MLS. In addition to objective criteria, MLS also looked at Disciplinary Committee action and overall sportsmanlike behavior in selecting the Timbers as the 2011 Xbox 360 Team Fair Play Award winner.
In the thick of the MLS Cup playoff race down to the final matches of the season, the Timbers finished their inaugural MLS campaign with a record of 11-14-9 (42pts). The Timbers’ 11 wins put the club tied with the 2006 Houston Dynamo for fourth among MLS expansion franchises for wins in their inaugural seasons.
Portland’s nine home wins at JELD-WEN Field was tied for third-best in MLS with Columbus, FC Dallas, Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders FC. The Timbers’ 2011 MLS season featured 17 consecutive sellouts for regular-season matches at JELD-WEN Field.
The other two finalists for the 2011 Xbox 360 Team Fair Play Award were Philadelphia and Chivas USA. Philadelphia forward Sebastién Le Toux received the 2011 Xbox 360 Individual Fair Play Award, earning the award for a second straight season.
MLS Fair Play Award – Team Winners:
2011: Portland Timbers
2010: San Jose Earthquakes
2009: Chicago Fire
2008: New England Revolution
2007: Columbus Crew
2006: Kansas City Wizards
2005: Kansas City Wizards
2004: Columbus Crew
2003: New England Revolution
2002: Kansas City Wizards
2001: San Jose Earthquakes
2000: TampaBay Mutiny
1999: Columbus Crew
1998: Kansas City Wizards
1997: Columbus Crew
