Going into the 2015 season, what MLS team had never missed the playoffs in its history?

Going into the 2015 season, Seattle Sounders FC had never missed the MLS playoffs in its history. Seattle entered Major League Soccer in 2009 and reached the postseason in each of its first six MLS seasons, from 2009 through 2014.

That consistency was notable because MLS uses a salary-controlled structure, conferences, and changing playoff formats that can create significant competitive swings. Seattle quickly became one of the league’s most successful expansion clubs, supported by strong attendance and a large fan base at what was then called Qwest Field, later CenturyLink Field.

The wording refers to Seattle’s MLS history, beginning with its 2009 expansion season, rather than every season played by earlier Sounders teams in lower divisions. Seattle continued its postseason streak in 2015 and later won its first MLS Cup in 2016, defeating Toronto FC in a penalty shootout.